Rebranding: Voice & Tone

Context

Creating a new brand voice and tone as part of a company-wide rebranding initiative for Mango Languages, a language-learning platform with 70+ languages on web, iOS, and Android.

Challenge

When I first started working at Mango Languages, the brand book that existed only focused on design guidelines and standards for product and marketing. As a result, the language that Mango used across its user interfaces and channels was inconsistent and ranged from off-color humor to technical jargon.

The new voice and tone needed to differentiate Mango from its competitor language-learning apps as part of a pivotal rebranding effort.

Goal

Create voice and tone guidelines that:

  • Authentically communicate the Mango brand.

  • Align with product and marketing use cases and UX principles.

  • Connect with a wide range of target users.

Redesign the website and app experience to reflect the new Mango brand.

My Role

  • Create new brand language and voice and tone guidelines.

  • Manage the rewriting of all website copy to reflect new brand language.

Process

  • I first performed an audit of the current Mango content and met with product mangers and designers and the marketing team to understand the contexts in which the new brand language would need to work. I also met with key leadership team members to understand their vision for what Mango’s new voice should sound like and what it should not sound like.

  • From the target user personas that I created from user research and interviews, I knew that our target users were bold, curious individuals tackling a new language in order to maximize the possibilities of adventure in their lives.

  • I went through several iterations when creating the new brand voice and tone language and guidelines, taking in feedback from the presentation of each version.

Solution

I determined that the new tone needed to reflect the bold spirit of our target users and encourage our language learners to overcome barriers, discover new dimensions of living, and enrich the connection between themselves and the world they explore.

Result

The voice and tone guidelines that I created became a well-used “Bible” for both product and marketing writers and designers.

As key product, marketing, and leadership team members were involved in the development process, stakeholders from across the company owned this new guide to Mango’s voice and tone.

Check out all of the new website copy I wrote for Mango Languages: https://mangolanguages.com/

 

In contrast with the old playful, whimsical brand narrative, the new mature, confident tone establishes instant credibility.

 
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Boldness and global vibrancy is what would drive brand differentiation.

 
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You’re one of the bold humans. A daring soul who explores the world and lives life to the fullest. We get it — we’re that way too.

 
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To connect with the bold spirit of our target users, I created the tagline: Learn a Language. Live an Adventure.

 
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I created the call-to-action Start the conversation to highlight the speaking skills users acquire through the Mango app.

 
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I worked with our multimedia producer to craft the vision and narrative for a video introducing the new branding, and I wrote the script for the following video.