The way we talk about Emerson shapes the way people feel about it. We’re not just passing along information. We’re creating a sense of place, introducing our community to the world, and building connections with the people who want to be part of Emerson and the work we do.
Our voice should be recognizable wherever Emerson shows up. Our tone, however, can and should shift depending on the audience, moment, and message.
Voice
Our distinct and consistent writing style, personality, and point of view. It’s what makes Emerson sound like Emerson.
Tone
The mood or attitude of our writing. It changes depending on the situation.
Think about how you might tell a story to a close friend versus how you would tell that same story in a professional setting. You’re still you. You just adjust how you communicate. Emerson works the same way.
No matter the audience, there should be a common language, spirit, and message connecting all of the College’s communications.
The Emerson Voice
Bold, expressive, and always human, Emerson should sound like a creative mentor who matches and amplifies our students’ creativity, passion, and drive.
We speak like people who know the work, know the industry, and know what it takes to make it for real. When we say our students make work that matters, we back it up with proof points. When we say they’ll be set up for success, we show what that means. And when we champion storytelling and creativity, we lead by example, telling our own stories with originality, intention, and craft.
At its best, Emerson sounds like:
- A creator speaking to another creator
- A mentor opening doors
- A home for passionate people who care deeply about their work and their futures
Our Personality
Our voice should reflect the personality of Emerson itself. We are:
Extraordinary
Proudly unique.
Transformational
Intentionally innovative.
Fiercely determined
We care deeply about the work and have the drive to make it happen.
Free-spirited
We leave room for individuality, experimentation, and unexpected ideas.
Gutsy
We’re willing to be bold and challenge expectations.
Urban
Connected to the energy, culture, industries, and opportunities around us.
Inventive
We make, experiment, question, and find new ways forward.
Vibrant
There’s energy and momentum in the way we communicate.
Enterprising
We turn ideas into action.
Hyper-focused
When Emersonians care about something, they go all in.
The first two definitions come directly from the toolkit; the additional descriptions translate its personality traits into practical BRC guidance.
Find the Right Tone
The Emerson voice doesn’t change from audience to audience, but we can shift and nuance our tone.
More informal
With current students, prospective students and families, alumni, and the internal Emerson community, a more casual tone is often appropriate. Think relaxed conversation: simple, welcoming, inclusive, upbeat, positive, and friendly. Humor and culturally relevant language can work when they feel natural to the audience.
More formal
For audiences who are less familiar with Emerson or situations that call for greater formality, our tone should be more polished, respectful, and gracious. Be straightforward and approachable, but never stuffy. Avoid insider language, use humor carefully, and remember that formal doesn’t have to mean institutional-sounding.
Voice & Tone by Audience
Institutional
Strong, direct, confident, and polished, but never stiff. Lead with Emerson’s impact, imagination, expertise, hands-on learning, and outcomes. Give people a reason to see Emerson in a new light.
Undergraduate recruitment
This is the most relaxed voice in our toolbox. Be pointed, passionate, energetic, self-aware, and memorable. Create excitement and possibility while showing students the hands-on experiences, outcomes, and community they’ll find here. Friendly and positive? Yes. Gimmicky? Never.
Graduate recruitment
Keep the energy, but optimize for clarity. Get straight to the point, lead with proof, demonstrate value, and respect the significance of the decision and investment prospective graduate students are making. Undergraduate copy should open the door to what’s possible. Graduate copy should make the path feel clear, credible, and worth it.
Alumni
Sound like an engaged creative partner: bold, inspiring, and connected. Welcome alumni home while reintroducing them to the Emerson of today. Communicate vision, value, purpose, and evolution, and leave them with a sense of energized pride.
Donors
Be inspiring, confident, purposeful, and inviting. Bring donors into Emerson’s vision for what’s possible and show why their partnership matters. Our personality can still be gutsy, vibrant, enterprising, and fiercely determined, but the tone should be more controlled.
Final tips:
Have an Edge. But Stay Balanced.
A little attitude is all right. Being reckless or rude? Absolutely not.
Emerson can be self-aware, bold, and a little unexpected. We can disrupt “university speak,” say the quiet part out loud, and be more candid than other schools. But irreverence should help us communicate more clearly, not simply get attention.
Avoid anything smug, flippant, exclusionary, snarky, or try-hard. We’re sure of ourselves, not full of ourselves.
Talk Like a Person
Our voice should always sound like there’s a real person behind the words.
Use clear, direct, emotionally intelligent language that feels welcoming, grounded, and real. Even in formal or sensitive communications, Emerson can be buttoned up without becoming stiff or overly formal.
Words That Feel Like Emerson
Our lexicon is a source of inspiration, not a script. Use language that reflects Emerson’s energy, creativity, determination, and forward momentum, but don’t force a “brand word” where it doesn’t belong.
Think: create, make, imagine, express, experiment, explore, connect, collaborate, lead, shape, build, transform, challenge, innovate, perform, produce, tell, launch, move, discover.
And remember: specific language will almost always be stronger than branded language. Don’t tell someone an experience is extraordinary when you can show them exactly what makes it extraordinary.