There are some things AI just doesn’t measure up on. Brand voice is one of them.

One of the first things I get asked when I tell people I’m a copywriter is ‘have you lost clients to AI?’ Or, where my uncle’s concerned, ‘what are you going to do in five years when your job becomes obsolete?’ (Love that for me). 

There are so many different ways I could answer these questions, but the biggest point for me is that yeah you can churn out a load of content in Chat GPT, and sure there are some tools that can (apparently) write content that’s in line with your existing brand voice. 

But can AI create your brand voice in the first place? I think not. Here’s why.

What is a brand voice (and what is it not)?

Your brand voice is your shining north star when it comes to how you communicate as a brand. It sets the tone for the kind of language you use to connect with your audience across any platform. 

A lot of marketers know brands need a voice, and they kind of know what that should look like. But getting that voice right goes far beyond a few quick lines in the brand guidelines doc.

A voice needs to be based on a real deep dive into the brand’s values and personality, and exactly what those elements mean in practice. Okay, so you’re ‘humorous’. Do you poke fun at yourself? Is it dry humour? Do you use puns? Are you witty? How does that work in practice? What words do you use, and which do you steer clear of? What are some examples of bang-on brand copy?

This is why discovery meetings at the beginning of a brand voice project can take hours. It’s because it requires finding the very soul of a brand, cracking it open, and having a really good rummage around. 

Where AI falls short 

This is where AI just can’t measure up when it comes to this side of copywriting. It doesn’t have a soul. Does that sound mega cheesy and hippy? 100% But is it true? Yep again. 

You know when you see a piece of AI-generated art and you can tell it’s AI straight away, even before you notice that everyone in the image has six fingers on each hand? I’ve always thought it’s because it lacks heart.

And heart’s exactly what you need if you want to connect with other human beings. I don’t care whether you’re peddling lollipops or liability insurance, you need to connect with the person who’s ultimately going to say ‘yes’. You need to know how they speak, act, talk and feel and then translate all of that good stuff into a voice that will resonate with them. 

Sorry iRobot, I just don’t think you’re cut out for the job.

‘You’re a copywriter, you just hate AI’

That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. I love a bit of AI. Plan my journey for me. Summarise my meeting notes. Help me plan out my workload. Brainstorm with me.

I have no issue with using AI for things it’s actually good at. I don’t even hold (that much of) a grudge against people who use it to write their copy – it’s not that bad a substitute if you’re short on time and money. 

I just understand enough about it to know where its strengths lie – and creating a brand voice that makes marketing connect consistently just ain’t it. 

‘If AI can’t do it, who can?’

Great question – and you just happen to be in the right place. At So Contented, we have a very particular set of skills. Skills we’ve developed over long copywriting careers. Skills that make us a dream for people like you. 

Ready to start your brand voice journey? Drop us a line.