November: Should brands talk like our BFFs?
Honouring my commitment to post once a month is proving pretty tricky, especially this month.
November always feels like the thin edge of the wedge. We’ve reached the top of the rollercoaster and now we’re about to be hurtled through December, with no time to think or breathe until we find ourselves standing still again, feeling vaguely sick, in the January cold.
I’ve been busy working (for TK Maxx), travelling (to Edinburgh), and trying to read where I can. One book I enjoyed this month was Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier. It reads like an extremely long Vanity Fair article, in a good way.
The author, Marisa Meltzer, observes that Glossier has always aimed to talk to its audience as ‘the cool girl you can be friends with’ and suggests that this tone of voice is now falling out of favour. I find this really interesting – are people really tired of brands that talk as if they’re a friend?
I think it’s certainly true of big brands, as these days savvy shoppers can detect inauthenticity a mile off. Gen Z, for example, reckon that brands are trying too hard to appear relatable.
It reminds me of a brand that gave me the ick recently. After I bought their mascara, which I thought was a great product, they sent me an email. Hey bae. You’ve officially joined our squad. My blood ran cold – I knew I’d never buy from this brand again.
On the other hand, there is a Manchester-based brand called Roop that calls me ‘babes’ all the time, and I love it.
What’s the difference?
Roop’s tone of voice comes from the designer and founder, who shares stories of her work day on Instagram. The girl-coded language feels very fitting for a brand that makes bags so cute, my friend screamed when I plonked mine on the table. Orders come with a handwritten note. On the founder’s 33rd birthday, there was 33% off site-wide. For Black Friday, Roop ran a ‘design your own scrunchie’ offer, a free monogramming service and a creative competition.
The beauty brand, on the other hand, is unfamiliar to me. It seems like a faceless company and their overly friendly language is therefore disconcerting. There is also the undeniable fact that I feel too old to be called bae – I felt icky, as if I had catfished a brand hoping to reel in Gen Z.
So, should brands stop talking like shoppers’ friends?
I think ‘friendly expert’ is more appropriate. Like when you pop into a little gift shop and get chatting to the owner for ages, then walk away feeling like you really connected but not like you want to get matching tattoos, and you look forward to shopping there again.