Brand Messaging vs. Tone of Voice: What’s the Difference?

You’re deep in copy review. Someone flags a line that doesn’t quite land. One person says it "sounds weird." Another says it "feels off." Suddenly, you’re in that familiar moment where something isn't right about your copy but it’s hard to say what. That’s when knowing the difference between brand messaging and tone of voice can really help.

These terms often get lumped together, but they’re not the same thing. Here’s the short version:

• Brand messaging is what you say

• Tone of voice is how you say it

Both play very different roles in your content, your strategy, and your brand experience. At Borrowed Pen, we use both to help clients capture and keep their audience’s attention.

What Is Brand Messaging?

Brand messaging is your strategic story. It’s the core language that explains who you are, what you offer, and why it matters. Think of it as your communication architecture. It includes:

• Your value proposition

• Your key differentiators

• Your origin story

• Your messaging pillars

• Your high-level elevator pitch and positioning statements

Brand messaging helps you stay focused. It’s the answer to: 

“What are we trying to say across every touchpoint?”

When it’s strong, you avoid:

• Mixed messages

• Flimsy taglines

• Content that sounds nice but doesn’t say anything

What Is Tone Of Voice? 

Tone of voice is how you sound when you deliver your message. It gives your brand personality and consistency, even when different people are doing the writing. Tone includes:

• Vocabulary (Do you say “clients” or “customers”? “Team” or “staff”?)

• Sentence structure (Crisp and short? Flowing and warm?)

• Level of formality (Can you use contractions? Emojis? Humor?)

• Rhythm and emotional range (Do you stay steady, or dial up and down?)

It’s how you make your brand feel human and recognizable in any format. 

How They Work Together

You could have excellent messaging with no tone and come across as robotic. You could also have a fun tone without conveying a message and come across as shallow. Together, brand voice and tone of voice make your brand sound both smart and relatable. Here’s an example from a healthcare SaaS client:

Messaging: “We reduce patient wait times by 35% through better operational flow.”

Tone (for providers): “No more bottlenecks. No more hallway complaints. Just a smoother workday for you and your patients.”

Same message but using a different delivery. The first is precise. The second is approachable. You need both types of messaging for different audiences. 

Why It Matters For Your Marketing

Without clear brand messaging:

• Teams create content that competes instead of connects

• Sales decks, blog posts, and website copy all tell slightly different stories

• Your audience doesn’t know what you stand for or why they should choose you

Without a clear tone of voice:

• Your brand feels inconsistent across channels

• Thought leadership sounds nothing like your emails or social media

• New writers struggle to stay “on brand”

How We Help

When we build messaging systems for clients, we always define both:

• Messaging Frameworks: Your brand story, pillars, and proof points

• Voice Guides: Examples, do/don’ts, and tone rules across scenarios

It’s the foundation for writing that’s clear, cohesive, and compelling, whether it’s a homepage, a white paper, or a social post.

TL, DR:

• Brand Messaging = What You Say

• Tone of Voice = How You Say It

• Together = Your Brand’s Personality And Point of View

Need help building both? We craft the language and tone that help teams write better, faster, and on-brand every time. Start here and let’s sharpen your message.