This was advice a creative director once gave me. I doubt he has any idea the impact it had in shaping me as a cub writer, or the way it made me think about brand voice.

It made me realize you don’t win people over by telling them you’re clever, authentic, bold, or funny. You win them over by sounding that way in every line you write.

Copy is more than information, or a cascade of benefits from a sales sheet. It’s personality. An authoritative tone can spark trust. Playful phrasing can disarm someone before they know who you are. That’s the power of voice. You don’t have to literally tell people who you are. Because when you use it well, they already know.