# SBLY Brand Voice Guidelines

This document outlines the core communication style, tone, and patterns for SBLY, ensuring consistency and authenticity across all brand touchpoints.

### Communication Style

**Overall Tone and Personality:**
SBLY's voice is **professional, confident, and transparent**, grounded in a spirit of **entrepreneurship and purpose**. We are proud of our achievements and independent spirit, while remaining approachable and focused on the value we create. The tone is informative and direct, reflecting our commitment to impactful work and a people-first culture.

**Key Stylistic Elements and Patterns:**
*   **Direct and Concise:** We favor clear, straightforward language that gets to the point without unnecessary jargon or fluff.
*   **Data-Driven Confidence:** We back our statements with facts, figures, and metrics to demonstrate our success and credibility (e.g., revenue, reach, funding status).
*   **Values-Oriented:** Our communication often highlights our core values: lifestyle, impactful work, transparency, and a belief in our people.
*   **Purpose-Driven:** When describing our products and ventures, we emphasize their dedication to solving specific needs or enhancing experiences.
*   **"We" and "Our" Focused:** We speak as a collective entity, emphasizing teamwork and shared vision.

**Vocabulary Preferences and Word Choices:**
*   **Business & Technology:** "digital brands," "web publishing network," "profitable," "independent," "e-commerce," "product engineering."
*   **Positive & Impactful:** "impactful," "transparency," "dedicated," "deserve," "luxurious," "functional," "elevate," "nurture," "quality."
*   **Action-Oriented:** "build," "generate," "optimize," "support."
*   **Specifics over Generalities:** Whenever possible, use specific examples or numbers.

### Content Patterns

**Common Themes and Topics:**
*   **Company History & Evolution:** Our journey from Shareably to SBLY, highlighting growth and milestones.
*   **Success & Independence:** Emphasizing our profitability and self-funded model.
*   **Culture & Values:** Showcasing our internal philosophy and commitment to our team.
*   **Portfolio Overview:** Introducing our diverse range of brands and their missions.
*   **Team Expertise:** Highlighting the quality and background of our team members.

**Structural Approaches to Content:**
*   **Clear Headings & Subheadings:** To improve readability and guide the audience through information.
*   **Categorization:** Content is often structured into clear sections like "What we're working on" and "Who we are."
*   **Brief Paragraphs & Lists:** Information is presented in digestible chunks, often using bullet points for clarity.
*   **Mission-First Statements:** Our sub-brands are introduced with a clear statement of their dedication or purpose.

**Call-to-Action Styles and Patterns:**
*   **Direct & Informative:** CTAs are typically simple links to "Learn more," "View Handbook," or "Open Roles."
*   **Embedded Links:** Key terms or brand names often serve as direct links to more detailed information.
*   **Contact Information:** Clear and accessible email addresses for general inquiries or specific roles.

### Audience Interaction

**How the brand addresses its audience:**
We primarily address our audience (potential partners, employees, or curious visitors) in an informative and declarative manner. Our communication focuses on presenting SBLY's identity, achievements, and values, inviting the audience to learn more rather than engaging in direct conversation. When discussing our sub-brands, the language becomes more customer-centric, focusing on benefits and empathy.

**Level of formality and relationship style:**
The relationship is **professional yet transparent**. We are not overly formal or academic, but maintain a serious tone appropriate for a successful and independent company. We foster a sense of trust and openness by sharing key company details and values.

**Engagement and conversation patterns:**
Engagement is primarily initiated through clear calls to action that direct the audience to further resources or contact points. We present information, and the audience is invited to explore deeper. There is an implicit invitation for collaboration or employment by showcasing our work and team.

### Guidelines & Examples

**Do's for Brand Communication:**
*   **Do** use specific metrics and figures to illustrate success (e.g., "over 1 billion unique readers," "$90M in total revenue").
*   **Do** highlight our independence and profitability ("$0 in outside funding").
*   **Do** emphasize our values and culture ("optimizes for lifestyle, impactful work, and transparency").
*   **Do** use clear, direct, and confident language.
*   **Do** clearly state the purpose or mission of our ventures ("dedicated to making sure everyone gets the sleep that they deserve").
*   **Do** provide easy access to more information via links.

**Don'ts for Brand Communication:**
*   **Don't** use overly casual slang or jargon that isn't universally understood.
*   **Don't** make vague or unsubstantiated claims.
*   **Don't** be overly boastful; let the facts speak for themselves.
*   **Don't** use overly complex sentence structures or passive voice.
*   **Don't** shy away from mentioning our team's impressive backgrounds.

**Example Phrases and Expressions:**
*   "SBLY has been using media and technology to build digital brands and audiences since 2015."
*   "Our first product... has reached over 1 billion unique readers and profitably generated more than $90M in total revenue with $0 in outside funding."
*   "We pride ourselves on a culture that optimizes for lifestyle, impactful work, and transparency."
*   "A DTC brand dedicated to making sure everyone gets the sleep that they deserve."
*   "A DTC brand dedicated to making luxurious, highly functional products that support, elevate and nurture the maternity experience for all mothers."

**Content Types and Formats the Brand Uses:**
*   Company "About Us" pages.
*   Portfolio overviews for sub-brands.
*   Team member introductions.
*   Internal handbooks (e.g., Notion links).
*   Career opportunity listings.