IN-HOUSE OVERVIEW
From 2016 to 2019, I worked in-house for Browns Fashion and contributed to a period of rapid growth and digital expansion.
In 2016, to coincide with Browns Fashion’s first rebrand in 40 years, I rewrote and implemented a new tone of voice that shifted the brand toward a chatty, colloquial tone and later served as a source of inspiration for Farfetch’s new tone of voice. A detailed explanation of the tone of voice project is featured below.
I also wrote a high volume of SEO-friendly editorial product descriptions for the Browns Fashion website, alongside brand biographies and category copy, and worked closely with the Product Copy Editor to edit and proofread copy to a high level of accuracy.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS
BRAND BIOGRAPHIES
TOV creation & development, 2016
In 2016, to coincide with Browns Fashion’s first rebrand in 40 years, I rewrote and implemented a new tone of voice (ToV) for the retailer’s website. Working closely with my team and other departments, I identified key elements in need of redevelopment in order to inspire, convert, and retain customers.
Alongside Browns’ heritage and brand values, I studied language references, the target audience, and the differences between the online and offline consumer. I examined both menswear and womenswear and explored how I could convey a playful tone while remaining sensitive to the branding of the labels stocked at Browns.
I carried out extensive research–from current trends and fashion history to iconic film costumes and celebrity quotes–to create a word bank that shaped the new ToV. I also conducted consumer and competitor analyses and worked with the SEO team to improve Browns Fashion’s overall search ranking and visibility.
Over two years, I refined the ToV and created a new set of guidelines for current staff and new starters to ensure consistency across all customer touchpoints. The tone of voice helped establish Browns as a pioneer of playful, editorial-style online copy within the fashion e-tailer space and received positive feedback from brands, competitors, and customers alike.
previous tone of voice
new tone of voice