# Four scales of toneEvery brand sits somewhere on four scales. Place it once, keep the position, and change only the intensity by place.| Scale | One end sounds like | The other end sounds like ||---|---|---|| Funny … Serious | "Our croissants have been known to cause spontaneous joy." | "Croissants baked daily from French butter." || Casual … Formal | "Grab yours before they're gone." | "We recommend ordering before noon." || Irreverent … Respectful | "Yes, we judge margarine." | "We use butter, not margarine." || Enthusiastic … Matter-of-fact | "We cannot wait to show you the new menu." | "The new menu starts on Monday." |## How to place a brand- Ask "would we ever say this?" with a line from each end; the answer places the brand.- Take the position from texts customers already liked, not from how the founder wishes to sound.- Two scales usually define a brand; the other two are near the middle. Name the two.## Intensity by place- A headline or a post opener can move one step towards the bolder end.- Body text sits at the brand's position.- An apology, a delay, a price increase moves one step towards serious and matter-of-fact.- A support answer sits one step towards respectful.The position does not change; the step does.## Traits, not adjectives"Friendly" is not a trait; "we greet by name and never use ticket numbers" is. Every trait on the voice page has "means", "does not mean" and a real line, so that a new writer can act on it.