Urban Outfitters had a voice. What it didn't have was a way to teach it.
Overview
As the team grew and content responsibilities expanded across channels, the gap between UO's editorial tone and its day-to-day copy output started to show. I wrote and designed this brand standards guide to close that gap, covering voice, grammar, promotional language, technical content, email, social, and SEO. The goal was to make the brand's instincts trainable.
Approach
The document had to be usable, not just comprehensive. A voice guide nobody reads doesn't help anyone. So it's direct, specific, and full of examples. The organizing principle throughout: write like a human.
System
Created in collaboration with copywriting leads Kate Brunner and Rachel Haas.
Urban Outfitters had a voice. What it didn't have was a way to teach it.
Overview
As the team grew and content responsibilities expanded across channels, the gap between UO's editorial tone and its day-to-day copy output started to show. I wrote and designed this brand standards guide to close that gap, covering voice, grammar, promotional language, technical content, email, social, and SEO. The goal was to make the brand's instincts trainable.
Approach
The document had to be usable, not just comprehensive. A voice guide nobody reads doesn't help anyone. So it's direct, specific, and full of examples. The organizing principle throughout: write like a human.
System
Created in collaboration with copywriting leads Kate Brunner and Rachel Haas.