I've been reviewing a lot of brand copy lately. Websites, emails, social posts, pitch decks.
And I keep noticing the same thing: everyone sounds the same.
Not similar. The same.
"We're on a mission to..."
"We believe that..."
"Our approach is different because..."
"We're not just a [category], we're a [slightly elevated version of category]..."
It's like there's a template floating around that every brand is pulling from. And in a way, there is.
The problem isn't lack of creativity. It's over-optimization.
Somewhere along the way, we started treating brand voice like SEO. We studied what "works." We copied the brands that seemed successful. We asked AI to write like them.
And now we all sound like the same well-meaning robot.
Here's what's happening:
1. Best practices became a straitjacket.
"Start with a benefit."
"Use social proof."
"Keep it scannable."
"Don't be too clever."
These aren't bad rules. But when everyone follows them, no one stands out. Best practices are table stakes, not differentiation.
2. AI made the sameness worse.
I'm not anti-AI. I use it constantly. But here's what happens when you ask ChatGPT to write your website copy: it gives you the average of everything it's ever read.
That's literally what it does. It predicts the most likely next word based on patterns.
Which means if you're using AI without a strong point of view, you're getting the linguistic equivalent of beige.
3. We're all referencing the same inspiration.
Open any DTC brand's website right now. I'll wait.
Safe colors? Check.
Sans-serif font? Check.
"Founder's story" section with a casual photo? Check.
"We started this company because we were frustrated with..." Check.
When everyone's mood board looks the same, everyone's brand looks the same.
The uncomfortable truth:
Sounding like everyone else feels safe. It signals that you're "professional" and "credible."
But it also signals that you're forgettable.
People don't remember brands that sound competent. They remember brands that sound like themselves. Specific, opinionated, a little bit weird.
So how do you fix it?
You don't need a rebrand. You need a point of view.
Ask yourself:
What do we believe that our competitors don't?
What would we never say, and why?
If our brand were a person at a party, how would they actually talk?
What's the thing we're afraid to admit about our industry?
The answers to those questions are where your voice lives. Not in the template.
One more thing:
The brands that sound different didn't get there by accident. They got there by deciding to stop sounding like everyone else, and having the guts to stick with it.
That's the real differentiator. Not better copy. Better conviction.
— Michelle