Voice and Tone

Voice and Tone: What’s the Difference?

Voice represents the personality of a brand, and it reflects the brand’s unique perspective and values. Voice should be consistent across all channels of communication. Another way to think about voice is to consider the writing of one of your favorite authors. It’s likely that you may be able to identify one of their pieces of work based solely on how the writing “sounds,” or in other words, the author’s distinct voice.

Tone is the attitude or emotional inflection that is conveyed, and this may change depending on the audience or context. For example, if an author is writing about a serious event, it will likely be conveyed in a somber or sympathetic tone. If they’re writing about an exciting event, they may write in a tone that sounds upbeat and enthusiastic.

What is Costco’s Voice?

Characteristics of Costco’s Voice

• Authentic
• Friendly
• Direct
• Trustworthy
• Informative

When crafting messages that align with Costco’s voice, it can be helpful to keep in mind a list of the company’s values, and the ways those values are demonstrated to the customer base.

Costco’s Brand Values

These are examples of some of the values that are important to Costco.

Quality

• Costco’s mission is to continually provide members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices.
• The Kirkland Signature brand was created as another way of offering this benefit.

Fun

• While Costco offers many basic products at a good value, we also sell products members may find fun or delightful via the “Treasure Hunt.”
• Examples of this include special seasonal items, savings on high-end products, or special products that are brought in exclusively to Costco.

Practical

• Costco has a “no-frills” approach to passing on cost savings. This is why products in the warehouse are often stacked on pallets, as well as why warehouses have a limited number of SKUs compared to most other retailers.

Reliable

• Members can count on Costco to consistently offer the daily essentials they need for their household at the lowest possible prices.
• Costco also strives to make sure our members are 100% satisfied with their purchases and there is a generous refund policy for most products.

Integrity

• Costco focuses on making ethical and well-intentioned business decisions for the products we sell, and a strong emphasis is placed on sustainability.
• It is also important to Costco that interactions are honest and transparent when communicating with members.

What is Costco’s Tone?

Costco’s tone may vary depending on the context. Tone is implied by the words you choose, and those words will impact how your audience feels when they read what you write.

Choosing a Tone

Nielsen Norman Group Divides Tone Into Four Dimensions:

• Serious vs. Funny
• Formal vs. Casual
• Respectful vs. Irreverent*
• Matter-of-Fact vs. Enthusiastic

*Most irreverent tones are irreverent about the subject matter and an effort to set a brand apart from their competitors. They are not usually intentionally disrespectful or offensive to the reader, and tend to be satirical. Avoid using an irreverent tone when writing messages for Costco.

Costco’s Tone Is Generally:

• Serious
• Casual
• Respectful
• Matter-of-Fact

Questions to Consider When Choosing a Tone:

• Why am I writing this?
• Who is my audience?
• What do I want the reader to learn, understand, or feel?

Keywords and Tone

You can also think about the keywords or phrases that convey the attitude or feeling of a piece of writing. These keywords often overlap with the characteristics of a brand’s voice because voice and tone are tied very closely together.

• Serious and Authentic This tone may sound more formal, depending on context.

  Example: We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied.

  How to Write Authentically:

  • Talk with, not to or about.
  • Use words like we, our, or you.
  • Avoid jargon.

• Casual and Enthusiastic

  Example: Need to return your Costco.com order? We’ve got you covered! We offer two convenient options to request a return for your order.

  How to Write in a Casual Tone:

  • Use simple words and contractions.
  • Sound lighthearted and kind.
  • Exclamation marks (in moderation) can add enthusiasm and warmth.

• Trustworthy and Matter-of-Fact

  When writing in this tone, state the facts in a direct and clear way.

  Example: Kirkland Signature means quality and value.

• Respectful and Apologetic

  An apologetic tone may soften a message when issues with the system are causing an inconvenience for the user.

  Example: We’re sorry, but we’re experiencing a problem on our end.

Comparing Tone Characteristics

The examples below show how tone changes when a message is written in a slightly different way. The highlighted examples align the most with Costco’s overall tone of voice.

Error Message Example

Message	Tone Characteristics
We apologize, but we are experiencing a problem.	Serious, Formal, Respectful, Matter-of-Fact
We’re sorry, but we’re experiencing a problem on our end.	Serious, Casual, Respectful, Matter-of-Fact
Oops! We’re sorry, but we’re experiencing a problem on our end.	Serious, Casual, Respectful, Enthusiastic
What did you do!? You broke it! (Just kidding. We’re experiencing a problem on our end.)	Funny, Casual, Irreverent, Enthusiastic

Success Message Example

Message	Tone Characteristics
You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.	Serious, Formal, Respectful, Matter-of-Fact
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.	Serious, Casual, Respectful, Matter-of-Fact
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. It’s great to have you aboard!	Serious, Casual, Respectful, Enthusiastic
Wow, thank you! We finally landed a new subscriber! Ah, sorry—we got carried away! Thank you for becoming part of our reader family.	Funny, Casual, Irreverent, Enthusiastic

References:

• The Four Dimensions of Tone of Voice | NNG
• Tone-of-Voice Words | NNG
• Using Tone of Voice in Your Branding | Whiteboard Marketing
• What's the Difference Between Tone and Voice?
• Types of Tones in Writing | Proofed's Writing Tips
• What Are Brand Values? (With Examples and Benefits) | Indeed.com

Message Examples

Errors

Error messages should clearly state the problem and identify what the user needs to do to resolve the problem. It should use common language, not technical jargon, slang or acronyms. Error text should use sentence case with end punctuation.

Example: We couldn’t verify your membership details. You can try again, visit your local Costco Warehouse, or contact Customer Service for help.

Warnings

Warning messages notify users about a potential problem, an upcoming required action, or a non-reversible change before it occurs. It should clearly state the consequences of proceeding. Warnings should be direct, use common language, use sentence case, and include end punctuation.

Example: Updating your membership number will replace Membership #123456789012 on your account.

Success & Confirmations

Success & confirmation messages verify that an action has been completed. It should clearly state what action was completed or updated. It should be positive, brief, use common language, use sentence case, and include end punctuation.

Example: Your membership number was successfully added.

Temporary/Transient Notifications

Toast notifications can be a supplemental indicator of an on-page change, but can't be the only indicator of a change. It can auto-dismiss after four seconds. Toast notifications should clearly state what action was completed or updated. It should be brief, use common language, use sentence case, and include end punctuation. Non-essential words can be omitted e.g., "is" or "has been".

Example: Item added to “{List Name}”

Item cannot be removed from “{List Name}”. Please try again later.