Brand voice guidelines

Company

NBA


My role

UX Writer

Challenge
Ahead of the NBA app relaunch, there was a need to define a distinct brand voice—one that could honor the league’s legacy while resonating with today’s fans.

Solution
As part of a small team of contract UX writers, I helped define brand voice guidelines to ensure consistent, on-brand content throughout the app experience.

These guidelines were shared with the NBA’s design team to support their ongoing work on the new app.

Process

  • Define the brand persona

  • Identify the brand dimensions

  • Show how to reflect the brand voice in the app

Brand persona

The NBA is more than a company or sports organization. It evokes deep emotion in fans, from both its rich history and its dynamic matchups.

 
Golden State Warriors celebrate victory

PERSONA

The NBA is an inclusive, forward-thinking league, driving conversations in sports and culture.

As the foremost trusted authority on basketball, the league honors its past, magnifies its present, and leans into its future. 

A space where fans are inspired through tales of risk and reward.

Photo credit: Nathaniel S. Butler

 

Brand dimensions

These dimensions can serve as guardrails for tone, while leaving room for expression.

 
Lists of what the brand is and is not

DIMENSIONS

The brand is passionate, but not impulsive.

The brand is dynamic, but not busy.

The brand is nostalgic, but not old-fashioned.

The brand is welcoming, but not conforming.

The brand is knowledgable, but not authoritative.

The brand is clear, but not patronizing.

 

A closer look at some of the brand dimensions

  • Steph Curry after a game

    Welcoming

    The NBA is welcoming and approachable without being conforming or overeager.

    We offer minimal barriers to entry for all fans, from the most devoted to new adopters. 

    Our language aims to invite all people into NBA fandom to celebrate the love of the game.

    Photo credit: Janie McCauley, The Associated Press

  • A victorious Lebron James

    Passionate

    The NBA is passionate and dynamic without being impulsive or frenzied.

    With a game that creates passion for our fans, it is only right that our voice and tone match.

    Photo credit: Getty

  • Larry Bird and Magic Johnson

    Nostalgic

    The NBA is nostalgic without being old-fashioned.

    We know how to reflect on our rich history while highlighting our current successes.

    Photo credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

  • Kevin Durant at a press conference

    Knowledgeable

    The NBA is knowledgeable and clear without being authoritative or patronizing.

    We are the world’s foremost basketball authority, but we never talk down to our audience.

    Image source: YouTube

The brand voice in action

Suggestions for how to express the brand voice in the Next Gen app: