Tonality Best Practices

Successful communication is more than what we say — it’s also how we say it. As such, maintaining our organizational tone of voice is essential in expressing our vision “Health for all. Hunger for none.”

Tone

We’re professional, relatable and empathetic. We value connecting with people and approaching them as peers.

Voice

To successfully build connections with our audiences, our voice should be bold, inspiring and—above all—human.

Be confident, calm and assertive.

Talk about challenges and ambitions.

Focus on human goals, not the science.

Use active words and motion verbs.

Use positive, empowering language.

Humor & Wit

Humor & wit are very human components that can captivate and connect audiences, while still delivering a relevant message.

It makes our brand more authentic and human
It could be a useful tool to deliver a strong message
Funny content spreads
Everybody likes to laugh
It shows that we don't take ourselves too seriously

Guidelines

As Bayer, we need to ensure that we always communicate in line with our values, especially when employing humor and wit in our interactions. As a general best practice, this includes avoiding:

Stereotypes
Generalizations
Name-calling
Insults
Profanity

When to Use Humor & Wit?

In response to a consumer who demonstrates a willingness through their posts or tags
As a means to break the ice, where relevant
To emphasize the importance of critical topics or relevant issues for our divisions
To empathize with human emotion
As a strategic distancing tool for a PR crisis

Tonality By Channel

Tone

Be professional but relatable, using active voice and avoiding jargon. Encourage the exchange of ideas/thoughts. Employ empathetic language to help humanize our company. Speak to everyone as intellectual peers

Community Engagement

User Strategic hashtag use
Include calls-to-action
Notify followers of new content up to 1x per week
Option to test live streaming

Mentions

Tag collaborators, partners or individuals mentioned in a specific post if he/she/they are active on LinkedIn.

Twitter

Tone

Brevity is key
Not required to write in full sentences
Opt for shorter but essential key words
Use active, not passive voice
Tone should be informative, helpful and direct, but never cold

Community Engagement

Strategic hashtag usage
Strategic calls-to-action
Polls
Engaging with trends and real-time content
Video responses

Mentions

Tag collaborators, partners or individuals mentioned in specific post or story content if he/she/they are active on Twitter.

Instagram

Tone

Use language that inspires and resonates with people
Match the tone of the copy with that of the image(s)

Community Engagement

Strategic hashtag use
Strategic calls-to-action (if any)
Polls
Q&As
Quizzes

Mentions

Add location where image was taken if/when possible
Tag individuals in images if/when possible

Facebook

Tone

Tone can be lighter, more friendly and more emotional than other channels.
Leverage the opportunity to entertain; clearly express our vision and values in a way that connects with people on a personal level.

Community Engagement

Video replies
Live streams
Polls
Asking questions in post copy
Strategic calls-to-action
Showcasing community guidelines

Mentions

Tag organizational collaborators mentioned in specific post or story/content, but do not tag individuals

Website

Tone

Be professional but relatable, using active voice and avoiding jargon
Use empathetic language to help humanize the company

Don't Use Humor and Wit

BayerNet

Tone

Tone can be lighter, more friendly, personal and emotional
Be professional but relatable, using active voice and avoiding jargon
Use empathetic language to help humanize the company

Don't Use Humor and Wit

Email Inboxes

Tone

As this is an E-Mail inbox please use a formal tone, personalize messages and be professional, yet relatable
Use active voice and avoid jargon
Use empathetic language to help humanize the company

Don't Use Humor and Wit

You May Also Be Interested In:

Bayer Community Engagement Guidelines

The Community Engagement Virtual Team