What makes a great brand voice? As marketers and copywriters, we know one when we see one. That elusive blend of attitude, language, and personality is simply undeniable—not to mention pure magic for the bottom line.
Rising women’s sleepwear brand Lunya has certainly found their voice. And it’s paying off, having garnered features in Vogue, Allure, and Glamour, a business profile in Forbes, and famous fans like Jennifer Anniston. I encountered the brand when one of its ads popped up in my Instagram feed. As a 40-year-old man I’m clearly not the target audience. Nevertheless, I was intrigued—the sleepwear looked like something my wife would be into, so I clicked through to sign up for the discount offer, and ended up on the email list.
Over the next few months I got to know Lunya, mostly through their email marketing campaigns. Every other day, they’d be in my inbox with a witty, intriguing, playful note. As somebody who works in marketing and communications, I found myself smitten with this brand and its endless ability to charm. For any marketing leader, business owner, brand builder, or copywriter, here are just a few of the many characteristics I appreciate about Lunya that we’d all do well to adopt as we go about trying to build irresistible brands.
Flirt with your reader.
Copywriting is seduction. You’re not just sharing information, although that’s part of it. You’re enticing your reader to enter your world—to buy into what the ideas, product, or service you’re selling, whether with their money or mindshare. Without the come-hither element, you’re not likely to interest someone to join you—let alone plunk down their hard-earned cash or tell their friends about you.
Lunya knows this—and never misses an opportunity to turn a piece of marketing communication into a fun, alluring enticement. Much of the comms revolve around coquettish puns and witticisms. “Good in bed,” proclaims the website headline. Email subject lines are similar: “Sleep with us,” when you sign up for the newsletter or “Checking us out?” when they send you a retargeting email. They never miss the opportunity to tease—and it’s quite welcome.
Have a point of view.
Without a distinct take on your category (or just life in general), your copy could be said by anyone—including your competitors. Have you ever had a friend who was just a “yes man” or “yes woman”? These people are bores—they don’t know who they are, or they’re afraid to show it. As a result, you can’t trust them. The same is true of brands. Only when you’re clear on who you are—and who you’re not—can you truly draw consumers to you.
Lunya knows what it’s all about, and it shows. It starts with an origin story based on founder Ashley Merrill’s real life. Sincere, personal, and relatable, it provides a genuine “why” to drive the business forward. That sincerity extends into all aspects of the business’s marketing comms: In the guiding principles they articulate. In the thoughtful topics they explore. In the personalization processes they teach. Each of these gives you a different vantage point on the brand—and all of them ring true.
Keep showing up.
When you’re building an audience, it’s impossible to underestimate the power of consistency. Merely being there—whether it’s in email, blog posts, social media, what have you—is tremendously effective. Not only does consistency keep you top of mind and strengthen bonds with your audience (like any relationship), but it can even win people over who aren’t exactly feeling you at first. We’ve all known people who have, merely through persistence, gone from a nuisance to someone whose pluck and tenacity have left us charmed.
I hear from Lunya, on average, every other day. That might sound like a lot—and it is—but as far as I’m concerned they’ve earned the right to be in my inbox that often. Each of their emails are well-crafted, artful pieces of communication with plenty of wit and substance. One subject line read “Will you accept this rose?” and inside they were promoting a rose-colored item: “The new color is all rose, no thorns.” Plus a playful caption about Siri (see below). All for one email! This stuff takes work. It takes creativity and craft. And to deliver that kind of quality communications consistently—that’s what it takes to stand out from the pack.
MarketSmiths Case Study
A distinguished make-up artist, Sharon Becker needed copy that straddled several worlds. Though she had to sound rigorously aloof for her commercial clients, she needed lush, effusive writing for the bridal crowd. Portrait artists and other business partners, meanwhile, needed their own specific styles. Obviously a challenge for most copywriters, but not MarketSmiths. Across the whole of Sharon’s website, we played up the human side of make-up artistry, while also taking care to keep each section tonally perfect. At the same time, we used Sharon’s backstory to weave her varied interests together—ultimately helping her stand out in a crowded field.
Lunya is doing it right. Whether you’re building a startup brand or promoting a household name, the copywriting and marketing principles Lunya is practicing are timeless. Adopt them and watch your audience grow—and become evermore devoted. Oh, and don’t tell my wife—but there’ll be a Washable Silk Set waiting for her under the Christmas tree this year.
