Our tone of voice

We communicate our brand personality through a consistent tone of voice. Our message is what we say, and our tone of voice is how we say it. Everything you write on behalf of the Leprosy Mission should be in our brand tone of voice, so people recognise us and are inspired to support us.

Our tone of voice is:

Compassionate

In line with our Christian faith, we are, above all, focused on touching the lives of people with leprosy. We carry out our work with care and humanity. We share people’s stories in an emotionally involved but ethical way that presents them as real people with complex lives, not one-dimensional characters. We are proud of our achievements but humble, understanding that people with leprosy come first and have the power to change their own lives, with our support.

We are not cold, exploitative or boastful.

Capable

We strive for excellence in everything we do, never satisfied with good enough. We use our resources efficiently and innovate to have the biggest possible impact. Our work is based on the latest scientific evidence and we are continually changing how we work as our understanding of leprosy grows. We are a credible partner with a proven track record of success.

We are not complacent, ideological or stagnant.

Open

We are transparent because we believe in what we do and want to share our impact. When things don’t go well, we learn from our experience and share these lessons openly. We want to be judged by our actions, not our words, so we show people our work up close. We engage our supporters by showing them the change they are making possible. We work in partnership, focused on the bigger picture rather than claiming credit. We are inclusive and work to transform the lives of anyone affected by leprosy.

We are not closed off, secretive or discriminatory.

Positive

We focus on the future and the potential of science to transform lives. We strive to have a sustainable impact, giving people the tools they need to live full lives and help others. We inspire people to join us through uplifting stories of change that acknowledge the need but never demoralise. We are motivated by the resilience of the people we serve and have the energy to achieve our goals.

We are not backwards looking, defeatist or sad.

Confident

We have a strong sense of morality and are driven by righting the injustice of lives lost to leprosy. We are bold and ambitious in our decision making and never back down from a challenge. We stand up for people who are denied their rights and join hands with those on the margins of society. We demand better lives for people with leprosy.

We are not amoral, timid or accepting.

Having a consistent tone is important, but that doesn’t mean we should speak to everyone in the same way. Just like people, brands need to adapt their voice depending on who they’re talking to while keeping their unique personality. You can emphasise aspects of our personality for some audiences and dial other aspects down where they are less relevant.

Note on Christian language

While we are proudly a Christian organisation, we must recognise that people support us for many reasons, regardless of their faith. Religious language and imagery – for example quoting scripture – should be used carefully and appropriately, where it will inspire support and make an impact.