Written by Olga Procevska, co-founder of Writitude
Choosing between speaking about your brand in the first person ("we") or the third person ("the company") is another key decision that brand managers have to make.
Each approach has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, depending on the context and the relationship you want to establish with your audience.
- First person builds trust and relationships, projects commitment.
- Third person creates formal, detached tone, conveys authority.
- Third person narratives can backfire in crisis communication.
- Mix of both works well for most brands.
- Automate your brand’s person for maximum efficiency.
We Are All In This Together
When a brand uses the first person ("we"), it tends to sound more personal, transparent, and approachable.
It makes the communication feel like a conversation between the brand and its audience.
Speaking in the first person helps brands create a sense of shared mission or teamwork with their customers.
It can be especially useful for smaller or newer brands looking to establish trust and build relationships.
However, well established and even iconic brands use this approach as well — after all, they have to maintain the relationships they’ve built.
A good example of this is Apple. On their website, they often use first-person language to create a connection with their customers.
For instance, they say, “Privacy is a fundamental human right. It’s also one of our core values. Which is why we design our products and services to protect it. That’s the kind of innovation we believe in.”
This statement not only shows their commitment to privacy but also creates a sense of shared values with their audience.
First Person Seriousness
Using "we" can also make the brand appear more accountable. Phrases like "We promise to solve your problem" or "We’re here to help" convey a sense of responsibility and commitment to action.
This approach can be particularly effective in customer service communication or when trying to build long-term loyalty.
By using first-person language, brands show they are willing to stand behind their products or services and engage directly with their audience.
Accountability is of outmost importance when a company is talking about its sustainability efforts.
That is why Patagonia, an outdoor clothing brand known for its environmental activism, uses these strong first-person statements in the “Footprint” section of their website: “Everything we make has an impact on the planet”, “How We’re Making Change”, “Our Progress This Season” etc.
In this way they communicate that they really understand their obligations on the climate front, their particular responsibility.
Another example of using “we” in mission statements is TOMS Shoes. TOMS is known for its commitment to social responsibility and uses first-person language to communicate its mission.
On their website, they state, “We’ve always been in business to improve lives.” This use of "we" helps to create a sense of shared mission and responsibility with their customers.
It makes the brand feel more approachable and accountable — and this counts not only when we talk about the customers, but also about employees.
Third Person Authority
On the other hand, speaking in the third person (e.g., "The company") creates a more formal, detached tone. This can work well for established brands that want to convey authority, objectivity, or professionalism.
For example, a bank might say, “XYZ Bank has been a leader in financial services for over 50 years.”
This phrasing helps position the brand as an institution, focused on its history, achievements, and credibility, rather than personal interaction.
A good example of a brand that uses third-person language effectively is Goldman Sachs. On their website, they often use third-person language to convey their authority and professionalism.
For instance, they say, “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals”.
This statement not only conveys their expertise but also positions them as a leader in the financial industry.
Even brands famous for their personal tone of voice use third person narratives when they need to project authority.
Nike’s letter from the CEO states that “NIKE's mission is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
Another example from beauty company L’Oréal shows how third person helps make strong statements even stronger: “For over a century L’Oréal has been dedicated to one sole vocation: creating beauty.”
Yet the most striking example of the strategic use of third person narrative is The New York Times. Their tagline says:
The truth is worth it.
Here, The New York Times refers to itself indirectly through the concept of "the truth," creating a third-person statement that reinforces its role as a reliable news source.
Rather than directly saying "We report the truth," the phrasing conveys confidence in their mission.
It suggests that the truth itself has intrinsic value and that The New York Times is committed to delivering it, subtly positioning the brand as the trusted source of information without using a first-person voice.
This style adds an aura of authority and objectivity to a brand's messaging, making it feel less like self-promotion and more like a universal truth — reinforcing trust and credibility.
When Third Person Can Backfire
However, there are situations in which using the third person can also come across as impersonal and less engaging.
In customer service contexts, saying "The company will review your case" can feel bureaucratic and cold, compared to "We’ll review your case," which feels more empathetic and customer-focused.
Brands that rely heavily on third-person language may risk alienating customers by sounding too corporate or distant, especially in industries where a personal connection is important, like healthcare, retail, or hospitality.
It is also a very, very bad idea to opt for the third person narrative in crisis communication.
With a tone of voice that is impersonal and disengaging, you may be adding insult to injury, resulting in more, not less criticism.
After the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, Facebook released a statement using a detached, third-person tone, which was criticized for coming across as cold and evasive.
Instead of taking a more personal and accountable approach, the company referred to itself in the third person, distancing itself from the issue at hand, which only added fuel to the fire.
Critics felt that this language lacked sincerity, as it made it seem like Facebook was avoiding direct responsibility.
Following the catastrophic oil spill in 2010, BP (British Petroleum) issued statements that were criticized for their detached, corporate tone.
In press releases and communications, BP used the third person extensively.
As the result, it was seen as robotic and lacking the empathy and humility that the public expected.
In these examples, the public reaction to companies’ statements often centered around a perceived lack of empathy or accountability.
These situations clearly called for a more personal tone—using "we" or "I" to show genuine ownership and connect more humanely with the audience.
Adjusting brand person to the channel
Because the use of first or third-person narrative is context-specific, for many brands, a mix of both can work well, using “we” in customer-facing communication and third person in more formal materials like press releases or corporate reports.
For example, Microsoft uses a mix of both first and third person in their communication.
On their website, they often use first-person language to create a connection with their customers.
They say, “We believe in what people make possible.” At the same time, they also use third-person language in more formal materials like press releases).
What Does The Science Say?
Research suggests that brands should generally speak about themselves in the first person, but not always.
Blogs and media articles are often very pro-we, arguing that first-person copy feels more personal and engaging, and criticizing third-person in business copy, calling it outdated and impersonal.
Yet, more serious research points out to more nuanced approach.
This article examines how the narrative perspective (first vs. third person) in social media ads affects user engagement, specifically in WeChat Moment Ads.
It finds that first-person narration paired with warm brand imagery leads to more likes by fostering social belonging, while third-person narration with competent imagery increases likes through self-enhancement motivation.
In other words — first person narrative is optimal for friendly brands.
While third person narrative works well for more formal, authoritative brands.
How To Choose Your Brand’s Person?
So ultimately, the success of your approach depends on your brand’s image and overall tone of voice. If you’re aiming for a friendly, collaborative image, using first person is likely the better choice.
But if your goal is to establish your brand as a leader or authority in a more formal space, third person can help reinforce a tone of professionalism and credibility.
If you are sure your brand would benefit from always speaking in the first person, go to Writitude and add the rule called “Require writing about the company or brand in first person” to your automated tone of voice guide.
If, on the other hand, your brand needs to adopt the authoritative third person approach, choose the opposite rule: “Forbid writing about the company or brand in first person”.
If you — as many other brands do — would like to use the mix of both, depending on the context or genre of texts, create a custom tone of voice guide for each channel: web texts, social media, emails, press releases, corporate reports etc.
Writitude’s Professional account allows you to create up to three custom tone of voice guides and Premium makes it ten. So there is enough room for every brand person and personality!
