Voice
The U of U Health voice is direct, confident, and optimistic. Just as the brand’s visual elements feel clean and forward-thinking, the copy must convey this tone as well. The voice should establish U of U Health as an institution with world-class academics and research, yet still feel conversational and accessible to all audiences. Overall, language should evoke energy and a determination to move forward without stopping.
Tone Words
In order to develop a brand that can address different audiences, we defined a baseline tone for general messaging and identified qualities that should be used consistently throughout communications. Seven “tone words” were selected. The qualities of each word may be dialed up or down to suit the audience that a particular message is addressing.
Future-Focused
Progress is in our DNA. We’re always looking forward to the next challenge to overcome, preparing for a future we have yet to innovate. And our optimistic outlook is contagious.
Caring
All the groundbreaking care we deliver is driven by our main purpose—advancing health. Making patients healthier, stronger, and walking away happier. Our brand must demonstrate warmth, and genuine care and concern for our patients, the community, and for each other.
Unconventional
We see the world differently. And we approach problems from unexpected angles. It’s what allows us to discover revolutionary solutions. We are non-traditional in the best way possible.
Established
We have much to be proud of. We’re one of the top medical providers in the state, and the nation. We do things our own way. And yet, we stay on par with Stanford, Duke, and the Mayo Clinic. It’s critical for our success, and for the retention of our patients and providers, that we demonstrate our credibility and professionalism.
Accessible
As an academic medical center, it’s easy to come across as an ivory tower. It’s a trap many of our peers fall into. But we’re different. We’re friendly. Approachable. And incredibly excited about what we do.
Yes, we are a large organization with top-tier specialties and advanced medicine, but we also make our research relevant to the general public. We solve problems and tell people how we did it in an understandable way. Think Bill Nye, Myth Busters, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.
Leading Edge
Exactly that. We have a sharp eye for technology. We’re decisive, we operate with conviction, and we’re focused on inventing the next exciting breakthrough.
Collaborative
In a place with so many departments and resources, personal accolades take a back seat to collaboration. We respect each other, learn from each other, and work together to solve problems. Not just among employees or students, but with other clinics and hospitals. And with each step forward, we share our knowledge with the world.
Tone Meter
Once “tone words” have been selected, the qualities of each word may be dialed up or down to suit the audience that a particular message is addressing. Here are ways to visualize the meter, with different emphases.
For a Donor Audience
For a Student Audience
Headlines
The headline leads your story. It’s the hook, an idea or statement that compels the reader to continue reading the body copy. The best headlines are usually short, sweet, and convey a single key idea. While they can contain a sense of irony, humor, drama, human truth, (or all four at once!) there should be only one twist, one clever play that draws the reader in. If they don’t do that, nothing that comes after matters. Not the fascinating story, the noteworthy statistics or news, nothing.
Headlines for the U of U Health brand are typically concise, direct, and have their eyes on the future. Be creative—even fun—but also be honest. Write conversationally, speaking to the reader as a person, and not as a target or demographic. Review your headline options to see which ones hit the sweet spot tonally. Is it future-focused and leading edge? Caring and nerdy? Established, yet unconventional? If they’re too abrasive or too soft, we lose our audience. Uninteresting, out-of-character, we lose our audience. So be interesting and stay on-brand. And when in doubt, opt for being straightforward.
Examples
OUR ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE.
MOM GENES WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE.
YOU’RE DEVOTED. BE CARED FOR THAT WAY.
Body Copy
This is where you can really let the brand voice sing. Where you can adjust the tone and style to speak to specific audiences, take deep dives into great content, and tell stories.
Remember to bring the tone words to life using short, precise sentences. Avoid jargon. Use positive statements and active voice to convey determination. And when possible, using phrases like “we will” and words like “future” can help establish a forward-thinking tone. Overall, try to give the body copy a confident attitude and a sense that anything is possible.
Craft the opening sentence of body copy to draw in the reader. In addition to conveying necessary information, try to create ebb and flow. Peaks and valleys. Make it interesting for the reader. Your endings can recap the overall theme, pay off the opening or headline, or be used as a call-to-action or nod to the future.
Examples
The only people who can predict the future are the ones making it. The doctors who cross disciplines—fusing ideas. Creating solutions. Asking for feedback. The students who build devices and apps that have turned into over 100 patents. Otoscopes and microscopes, IVs and LLCs. Curious minds making medicine smarter. For less infection. Fewer complications. More communication. More progress for a healthier world. We are the doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs of the future. And we are starting today.
It’s the year that you will graduate medical school. The year we will cure diseases. Invent new devices. Or discover new genomes. You can change what 2021 will look like, right now.
We’re not just seeking future doctors. We want doctors of the future. Students who see medicine the way it can become—and then make it happen. Students who hatch new ideas and work with engineers and entrepreneurs to bring them to life. This is the place where you can push the limits of what it means to be a doctor. The future is waiting for you to discover it. Are you ready to start?
Use of the University Name
University of Utah Health is our formal name. Use it on first reference for body copy. Use U of U Health on secondary reference. Never use acronyms, such as UUH or UH.