David Austin
David Austin Roses are horticultural royalty. Literally; one of their latest varieties was named for King Charles I. They’re the quintessentially English mainstays of garden centres and shows, spotted as frequently in the borders of stately homes as they are in pots on patios.
In case it’s not obvious, I’m a fan. So I was overjoyed when, as part of their 2025 brand repositioning, they asked me to create their new brand voice and compile extensive tone of voice guidelines. Dear reader, I absolutely did not – at any point – play it cool.
Why start now?
‘From the sunset tones of Bring Me Sunshine to rich and buttery Molineux, our yellow roses span a range of joyful hues. Select deep and strident shades, such as The Poet’s Wife, to add contrast to a planting scheme. Or, to blend in with the border, opt for the soft lemons and yellow-tinged creams of Tottering-by-Gently and Nye Bevan.’
Product description
Richard Austin, Brand and E-commerce Director, had already established a detailed strategy. To reach David Austin’s growth audiences, the verbal and visual brand had to evolve – without alienating the passionate existing fanbase. Together Design set to work on the aesthetic. I dove into voice.
I began by auditing the brand and competitors, spending days rummaging through their books and marketing materials and trawling their digital channels to get to grips with the existing voice and copy.
Next, I hosted a big tone of voice workshop to talk through their messaging hierarchy, copywriting challenges, perceptions of the brand, and how much I love The Generous Gardener. This helped me understand both how the verbal brand would need to change and where the team would most need help, which would allow me to tailor their guidelines to fit.
‘As the days shorten and the temperatures fall, the joyful brights of summer become a distant memory. Yet rather than looking back, we’re looking ahead – because when it comes to roses, this is the perfect time to plant next season’s blooms.’
Direct mail
Next, exploration. After experimenting with a few ideas, I found the sweet spot: a voice with charm, reserve and pared-back beauty. The voice traits – gracious, evocative and expert – respect the character of the brand’s founder, David Austin, while making space for creativity. It’s richly detailed without being hyperbolic or effusive; deeply knowledgable in a way that still feels accessible; refreshingly humble and courteous. Every line is meaningful and each word intentional, without an ounce of fluffy filler. When sharing expertise, it explains steps clearly and takes opportunities to tell customers why, as well as how. Even the calls to action are gentle, trusting the audience to make their own decisions rather than frenetically pushing sales.
None of this is just for fun, though. This voice nurtures relationships with existing customers, treating them with warmth and respect and preserving the heritage these rose enthusiasts love. It also reaches out to new, younger audiences, tapping into their desire for beauty and nature while making roses feel accessible, even to those who’ve never grown before. And, like time spent in the garden, it’s soothingly calm and quiet, standing out from the clamour of competitors.
‘Perhaps you’ve paused shopping for now, or you’re still deliberating on your perfect rose. Take your time; we’ve saved your basket for later. When you’re ready, it’ll be waiting at the checkout.’
‘Abandoned basket’ email
To help the team get all of this right, the supporting tone of voice guidelines brim with detail. I underpinned each voice trait with clear and specific writing directions accompanied by short illustrative examples, so that everyone understands exactly how to bring them to life. The team had told me they worried about running out of ideas and becoming repetitive, so I added language banks fit to bursting with everything from call to action ideas to hundreds of words to describe rose quality, colour, and fragrance.
I included a library of key brand messages they can copy, chop and paste for ease and consistency; I experimented with AI, providing prompt suggestions that could support their writing. Every bit was planned especially for the team and their processes. Because every brand has different strengths, ambitions, and challenges.
‘Do you long for a cottage garden? Many do. This quintessentially English garden style is beloved for its whimsical informality, soft colour palettes and traditional, free-flowering blooms. Along with climbers such as wisteria and clematis, in a cottage garden you might expect hollyhocks, foxgloves, lavender and, of course, roses. Yet while it might sound like something reserved for thatched cottages and country escapes, the cottage garden style can work in almost any space.’
Blog
If you ask me, though, no set of brand voice guidelines is complete without a big old stack of annotated examples.
I wrote 16 for David Austin. They span product and category descriptions, email, direct mail, social, web and packaging, showing before and after to explain exactly what changes and why. Examples like these show how to apply the voice in all kinds of different contexts, strip out any remaining ambiguity, and give the client loads of copy they can go ahead and use, too. It’s everything they need to reach rose lovers, old and new – and help them to grow a more beautiful life.