Final presentation for COM 600: Social Media Theory and Practice.

1. Voice
by Emilee Smith
Syracuse University
SI Newhouse School of Public Communications

2. Definition.
“Voice: Your brand personality described in an adjective. For instance, brands can
be lively, positive, cynical, or professional.”
“Tone: A subset of your brand’s voice. Tone adds specific flavor to your voice
based on factors like audience, situation, and channel.”
-Kevan Lee
Lee, Kevan. “The Best Examples, Questions, And Guides to Find Your Social Media Marketing Voice.” Fast Company.com. 1 December 2015. Web.
http://www.fastcompany.com/3029356/work-smart/the-best-examples-questions-and-guides-to-find-your-social-media-marketing-voice

3. Figure 1: “Social Media Brand Voice” chart taken from http://www.fastcompany.com/3029356/work-smart/the-best-examples-
questions-and-guides-to-find-your-social-media-marketing-voice

4. Voice in Social Media
-Often gets overlooked
-Like public relations, difficult to track
(qualitative)
-Can be identified in:
1. Original Content
2. Responses Figure 2: “Know Your Brand Voice” from soulseedmedia.com

5. -Can be used to reach specific publics
-People feel like your brand is more genuine
-Humanizes your organization
-Creates and facilitates conversation
Public Relations Necessity
Figure 3: Image from media.muckrack.com

6. Marketing Necessity
-Break through the noise
-People are more likely to purchase from companies they feel a connection with
-Can gain recognition for distinct voice
“It seems that you have two choices – focus on nobody saying anything about you online with the goal to avoid anything bad being
said, or join a platform that allows for your authentic voice to be heard – and more importantly, a place to let your fans tell the
community how great you are.”
--Barnett, Scott. “Your Best Marketing Tool is Your Authentic Voice.” 30 November 2015. Web.
http://www.business2community.com/marketing/smbs-best-marketing-tool-authentic-voice-01177625#sbCp3j3Z7bT64qF1.97

7. Chobani(Example #1)

8. Chobani Break Down
-Greek Yogurt Company estab. 2007
-Olympic Sponsor
-Social Media: Twitter, Facebook,
Website, Instagram and YouTube
Figure 4: Image taken from
http://chaseusgovernment.wikispaces.com/file/view/HE_Chobani-
Giveaway_s4x3_lead.jpg/360619158/376x276/HE_Chobani-
Giveaway_s4x3_lead.jpg
Chobani.com. 29 November 2015. Web. www.chobani.com

9. Chobani Voice
-Especially prevalent on Twitter
-Funny, simple

10. (Example #2)
Figure 5: Ihop logo taken from Twitter.com

11. Background
-Established in 1958
-Restaurant chain that serves breakfast food
-Reputation for appealing to an older demographic and families
-Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Website
Ihop.com. 30 November 2015. Web. www.ihop.com
Figure 6: Image taken from
http://thepennywisemama.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/10/ihopgc.png

12. Voice Make-over
-New voice for new public
-Attempt to reach younger demographic
-Adapted a “hip” voice
-Simplified and “dumbed-down” it’s language to appear more casual
Mosbergen, Dominique. “IHop Tweeted a Joke About Breasts. It Didn’t Go Well.” 29 November 2015. Web.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ihop-tweet-breast-joke_56249e61e4b08589ef47eacb

14. Negative Criticism
“...sounds an awful lot like a teenage hip-hop fan” --
Adweek
Mosbergen, Dominique. “IHop Tweeted a Joke About Breasts. It Didn’t Go Well.” 29 November 2015. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ihop-
tweet-breast-joke_56249e61e4b08589ef47eacb

15. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
(Example #3)

16. Background
-Founded in 1914
-Non-profit organization
-Located in Syracuse, NY
-700 animals
-Focused on conservation efforts
-Social Media: Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as their website
Rosamond Gifford Zoo. 1 December 2015. Web. http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/
Figure 7: Rosamond Gifford Zoo logo taken from Twitter.com

17. Zoo Voice
Happy and upbeat (positive)
Self-promoting

18. Conclusion and Takeaways
1. Voice is necessary for both marketing and public relations.
2. Although always prevalent, it has become much more important due to the
rise of social media.
3. Organizations must develop and maintain their own unique voice
4. A positive choice of voice can help and elevate your organization while a
negative voice can prove harmful.
5. It is important to listen socially to how your publics are responding to your
chosen voice.

19. Sources
Barnett, Scott. “Your Best Marketing Tool is Your Authentic Voice.” 30 November 2015. Web.
http://www.business2community.com/marketing/smbs-best-marketing-tool-authentic-voice-01177625#sbCp3j3Z7bT64qF1.97
“Brand Voice” Image. Soulseedmedia.com. 7 December 2015. Web. http://www.soulseedmedia.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/04/brand-voice.png
Chobani.com. 29 November 2015. Web. www.chobani.com
Elizabeth, Heather. “Branding Best Practices: Chobani’s Social Impact.” Socialmediatoday.com. 29 November 2015. Web.
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/branding-best-practices-chobanis-social-impact
Ihop.com. 30 November 2015. Web. www.ihop.com
“Ihop Profile” Image. Pbs.twimg.com. 7 December 2015. Web. https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/605213729677053953/oRZGvFQR.jpg
Lee, Kevan. “The Best Examples, Questions, And Guides to Find Your Social Media Marketing Voice.” Fast Company.com. 1 December 2015. Web.
http://www.fastcompany.com/3029356/work-smart/the-best-examples-questions-and-guides-to-find-your-social-media-marketing-voice

20. Sources Continued...
Mosbergen, Dominique. “IHop Tweeted a Joke About Breasts. It Didn’t Go Well.” 29 November 2015. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ihop-
tweet-breast-joke_56249e61e4b08589ef47eacb
Mrdailyimage.media.muckrack.com. 7 December 2015. Web.
http://media.muckrack.com.s3.amazonaws.com/mrdaily/images/2015/02/26/shutterstock_209598916.jpg.700x700_q85_autocrop.jpg
Rosamond Gifford Zoo.1 December 2015.Web. http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/
“Ihop Profile” Image. Pbs.twimg.com. December 2015. Web. https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/605213729677053953/oRZGvFQR.jpg
Westergaard, Nick. “The Role of Brand Voice in Social Media at Chobani.” Brand Driven Digital.com. 28 November 2015. Web.
http://www.branddrivendigital.com/the-role-of-brand-voice-in-social-media-at-chobani/