Circa-2010 nostalgia

There’s nothing more nostalgic than unpacking the nuances of a perfume advertisement. It takes me right back to stifling summer afternoons in my grade ten English classroom – glossy double page spreads sticky with sweat from me and twenty-three odd other 15-year-olds. Oh, and one English teacher, up the front, also madly perspiring as the glowing projector radiated enough heat to warm a two-bed unit. And while we didn’t speak specifically to the brand voice and personality of said perfume ad, it did encourage us to think a little deeper about the general theme and outcomes. Am I foreshadowing my career in copywriting right now?…

In this case study I want to delve into the masculine brand voice and personality of international fragrance brand, Parfums de Marly. Stoic, bold and opulent; their copywriting strategy is simply a joy to unpack. And I promise their won’t be a grainy, light leak-imbued projector shot in sight.

A quick glance at the brand

Parfums de Marly are a luxury fragrance brand – bold in their displays of masculinity. One of their brand values goes as far to say that their modern creations evoke a “note of audacity”. Throughout the copywriting, they utilize fleeting (and albeit broken at times) sentences that mimic the verses and breaks of classic poetry – reinforcing the pillars of classicism, finery and art-entrenched history of the brand.

How they bring masculinity to life through brand voice and personality

As with all strong applications of brand voice, consistency plays a significant role. Tone of voice can hold a mirror up to your brand’s entire personality if it’s not executed with purpose and diligence: something Parfums de Marly just couldn’t comprehend. All of their website copywriting is strong, poignant and carefully chosen to reflect their impositioning nature. Words such as “modern”, “classicism”, “dare to go”, “audacity”, “boldness” and “impertinence” leave no room for niceties.

Their verbiage and adjective use paints a rich picture, pushing the brink between literal, figurative and being simply roll-off-the-tongue-able. And I don’t mean that in a bad way – art itself is often interpretive and I think it’s an active choice on the brand’s part to not overexplain themselves. They want the reader to get lost in an expression of inner feeling, rather than steer them down a tidy path of exact understanding.

I also can’t help but love that all of their copywriting is quite on the nose. Where some luxury brands shy away from big words (for fear of overdoing it), Parfums de Marly don’t just lean in – they crash right through it. And it does work. Especially when paired with their air of confident masculinity; the use of “noblest” and the like only enriches their savoir faire history.

What can we learn from them and what is the impact on our brand voice and personality?

Other than flexing our creative discernment, brand voice case studies (just like one) are a reminder that the possibilities for tone of voice are infinite, flexible and rich in possibility.

• Your core brand values need to filter down through your copywriting – it shouldn’t be a carbon copy, but there needs to be some overlap. Like the overlap between history, art and the poetic cadence of this brand’s copywriting
• Don’t be afraid to paint a picture with your words. All I ask is that you view metaphors and storytelling on a sliding scale – there is a time and place for brevity
• Remain consistent and confident in the application of your brand voice. No one is making sales or booking clients with a trepid approach.

So where does our own savoir faire lie? In shaping and tailoring words to the tune of your brand’s personality, values and unique value propositions. And if brand voice seems like an ever-elusive giant that you simply cannot get a handle on, don’t be afraid to ask for a helping hand. It’s what we’re here for.

Think your brand could benefit from a similar tone of voice? Here’s the tl;dr

Seeing is believing and reading is feeling – it can be tricky to articulate the voice you feel your brand needs. But that’s where quippy little case studies like ours come in handy. If you’ve been inspired and think your brand could benefit from an expressive and masculine tone of voice, we can help to adapt, shape and make it your own.

📝 Read a little longer

• Skincare copywriting with purpose, professionalism and quick-paced character
• Clever and approachable brand voice strategy: A fun look at Dirt.
• Brand voice and personality case study: The masculinity of Parfums de Marly
• 3 email marketing facts that will transform your eDM writing
• Working with a copywriter for web development