University of Surrey
tone-of-voice guide

A complete reimagining of Surrey’s brand strategy, language, and tone. 

Background

The University of Surrey wanted a total overhaul of their brand strategy and tone of voice. The guidelines we produced as an advertising agency covered everything from the macro to the micro, including a new brand story, guidance on writing copy (on everything from articles to research papers), and introduced a cohesive new visual identity.  

The process

We agreed the phrase ‘where wonder never ends’ would stand as the cornerstone of the our strategy. As part of a content team, we looked for ways to imbue a sense of wonder into Surrey’s language. 

The result

A comprehensive set of rules designed to help writers at Surrey imbue copy with a sense of wonder, whether a blog, article, research paper, headline, social post, or email. Doing so helps create a feeling that anything is possible at Surrey. For example, the slide below gives directions on how to talk about innovation at the university.