BRAND VOICE
Our brand voice communicates AED’s personality and values and should be consistent in every setting. It allows our audiences to immediately identify the message as ours, no matter where they’re experiencing it.
INTELLIGENT
When we communicate with each other, alumni, students, or donors, we should always be thoughtful, informed, and considerate — both of the specific audience and of their time.
REAL
Authenticity is crucial. When we use our point of view to reveal truths and insights about Duke and the impact giving back has on our community, we build engagement.
AMBITIOUS
At Duke, we are all determined. We dream big, we set staggering goals, and once those are met, we set the next ones even higher. We should reflect this dogged nature.
MODERN
We are committed to exploring new modes of communication — this includes new mediums, imaginative visual treatment,s and crisp language.
HOLISTIC
We represent our students and our faculty, who in turn represent many communities, cultures, and backgrounds, and who reject close-mindedness in favor of a tireless pursuit of knowledge.
CLEVER
We’re quick thinking, nimble, and flexible, and the seriousness of our pursuits doesn’t preclude an appreciation of wit and craft.
Our brand voice is not:
DULL
There are smart people who make dynamic conversation that draws people in, and there are smart people who kill a conversation with jargon and data. We should feel like the former.
ROOTLESS
The rich history, vibrant present, and thrilling potential of our future should ground our approach and our outreach.
LAID-BACK
We aren’t interested in taking a relaxed, casual approach to anything. We’re serious about learning, achieving and surpassing even our own expectations.
CAUTIOUS
Timidity and fear of failure are paralyzing; Duke traffics in growth and calculated risk-taking.
NAIVE
We pride ourselves on our awareness of the world around us, inclusiveness of all people, and a ceaseless searching for knowledge and new perspectives. We do not accept insular thinking.
BLAND
This is not a sterilized, stripped down institution; our people, our studies, and our days are deeply layered.
BRAND TONE
In general, we aim to strike an informed, friendly and accessible tone with our content.
However, tone can be variable, depending on the reader’s state of mind. is this a moment to be somber? To celebrate? Once you understand the emotion you’re trying to convey, you can adjust the tone accordingly.
INFORMED
AED is professional, clear, and provides the right amount of illuminating detail — even if our communications are lighthearted in nature.
FRIENDLY
It should feel as though we’re inviting our audiences in with everything we create — we shouldn’t alienate them with patronizing language or jargon. This shouldn’t be interpreted as slack or casual language; rather, we aim for inclusiveness and warmth.
ACCESSIBLE
We should be clear in our communications so that we meet our audience where they are and ask only that they engage with us. Our communications shouldn’t be strenuous or taxing, but they should also not want for foundation, researched facts and sound structure.
