“Brands in our industry all sound the same – except us. The Monty and Boosh voice Vicky developed is recognisably ours. It’s exactly what we wanted.”
Monty and Boosh were launching into fitted furniture, where every brand promises quality, craftsmanship and a free consultation. Sound like that, and customers have no reason to choose you.
The founders wanted to be "anything but bland". But their customers, mainly couples over 50 and families over 30, are making a big investment in their homes. Anything too quirky could cost them trust.
(Andrew at Time for Entrepreneurs introduced us. He's a great business coach, if you're looking.)
The team had been fitting furniture for over 40 years, and Picture Smiths had already built a strong visual identity. A confident tone was the natural match, but on its own it would have sounded like every competitor.
So we added a hint of mischief, like the friend who tells it like it is and somehow gets away with it. Confident enough to reassure, different enough to remember.
Customers weren't really buying wardrobes. They were buying back time and space. So that's what we sold.
Straplines like 'No room for ordinary', headers like 'Fit for modern living, whatever life throws at you', and body copy like 'Regain control of your bedroom with fitted furniture so satisfying they'll want to put their socks away'. Every line names an everyday frustration, then solves it.
Customers had several steps to take: order a brochure, visit the showroom, book a consultation, arrange a fitting day. A bland call to action at any one of them is a chance to lose the sale.
So I carried the voice through every touchpoint, adjusting the tone where a response was needed. For example:
'Visit our showroom
Heading to Birstall’s Junction 27 Retail Park? Find a tranquil environment to browse our fixtures, fittings and finishes just up the road – with guaranteed parking and no flat-packed furniture or Swedish meatballs in sight.
Call our showroom'
A brand that sounds like nobody else in its market, and a voice the founders call "recognisably ours".
