FOCUS: BRAND LAUNCH FAILURE | AUDIENCE: INVESTORS IN SLUGGISH BRANDS
I answer 6 tough questions on why many investor-backed startups mistake brand vibe for brand voice … and how that weakens traction.
I often meet passionate founders and investors who’ve put time, heart, and capital into creating a sleek, stylish brand. The design is modern, the tone is casual, and everything looks polished. Yet something’s missing. When I dig deeper, I find that they’ve prioritised vibe over voice. The brand might feel current … but it doesn’t say anything distinctive. In this post, I unpack six questions I’m often asked when early-stage brands suffer from a voice–vibe mismatch.
Not quite. A cool tone might catch attention, but voice is about what the brand actually stands for. It’s your distinct point of view, your guiding philosophy, your internal compass made visible. A brand can have the trendiest fonts, colours, and captions … and still say nothing memorable or durable.
When I ask founders to describe their brand voice, many talk about “vibes” … how they want the brand to feel. But feelings aren’t the same as ideas. Voice conveys clarity of conviction. It defines your stance in the world. Without that, even well-executed brands start to feel vague or replaceable.
Because it’s easier, and more immediately satisfying. Moodboards are seductive. Aesthetics feel tangible. Founders often look around at what’s “working” and mimic it, thinking this is branding. But voice demands internal work … it asks, what do we believe that no one else is saying?
In fast-paced startup launches, it’s tempting to prioritise execution over essence. But I’ve seen too many launches fall flat because the brand sounded like every other DTC darling. The real work is articulation, not imitation. A compelling vibe can lure an audience … but only voice can hold one.
This is common, especially with solo or visible founders. They assume their personal vibe is the brand voice. But a brand isn’t just the founder … it’s the collective signal that guides team tone, customer connection, and future campaigns. The voice must be systemisable, not just instinctual.
Founders bring energy, but a brand needs structure. When personality becomes the voice, the brand becomes unpredictable … expressive, but unscalable. What if the founder steps back or brings in a new team? Without a shared framework, the brand’s tone becomes fragmented fast.
Here’s one test I use: If I strip away your visual identity … your colours, your logo, your typography … could I still recognise your brand from its words alone? If not, that’s a voice issue hiding under visual polish. Visual consistency can’t compensate for messaging hollowness.
Another signal is when different team members write or speak in wildly different ways. If there’s no consistent tone across website, emails, social captions, and investor decks … the brand is winging it. Voice is the glue … without it, even beautiful design slips through the cracks, unnoticed.
Temporarily, yes … but not for long. A strong vibe might get you short-term buzz or initial clicks. But traction, trust, and brand equity are built on voice. A startup might look exciting, but without voice, it lacks the gravitas to grow. Excitement fades quickly when there’s nothing deeper behind it.
I’ve worked with brands that had instant visual appeal, yet couldn’t convert or retain interest. Why? Customers didn’t know what the brand stood for, what it promised, or why it was different. Voice builds brand memory. Without it, customers scroll on without attachment or recall.
Start by defining your core convictions … not just your category. Why do you exist, apart from making sales? Then shape a vocabulary around those beliefs. What do you say, how do you say it, and what will you never say? This becomes the foundation for tone, clarity, and resonance.
I help founders craft a messaging spine … a strategic framework that codifies tone, language, rhythm, and point of view. It becomes a living document that any team member can carry forward, even as the company scales or shifts. That’s how voice becomes both powerful and portable.
If these questions feel uncomfortably familiar, you’re not alone. The vibe-first trap is common … especially among well-intentioned founders moving quickly. But it’s also reversible. With the right alertness and guidance, your brand voice can become your boldest advantage.
If you’re brand owner or manager seeking stronger brand performance, this FAQ Insight Post I wrote could interest you: “FAQs: How Safe Messaging Can Slowly Dull Brand Power.“
And if you’re a solo expert looking to sharpen traction, this FAQ Insight Post I worked on may resonate: “FAQs: When Deep Expertise Still Isn’t Enough to Attract Buyers.“
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