Agency

In case you missed it, Pixel Union has an agency team. They're the brains behind such superlative digital experiences as SkySync, Argent, Viberg, and BC Cannabis Stores. They're very good at what they do.

As a key constituent of the Pixel Union whole, the agency has a similar but distinguishable voice. This is because the agency team engages clients in ways our themes and apps teams rarely do, reaching out proactively, gathering feedback, and putting out fires. They also serve a comparatively sophisticated and increasingly upmarket audience.

While most of the guidelines in Voice and tone can be applied to agency communications, there are a few differences worth noting. We'll cover them in this section.

Agency audience

Pixel Union has a diverse audience. Our theme users are generally less attuned to the finer points of ecommerce. Wholesale Club and Ultimate Special Offers users tend to be more advanced. At the top of the spectrum are agency clients: experienced, discerning, and successful (in business, if not in ecommerce).

Consider some of the organizations we've partnered with recently:

• Checkfront: A locally grown and globally known booking platform.

• Blenders: A million-dollar eyewear brand with a huge social media following.

• SkySync: A content integration platform used by some of the world's largest enterprises.

• Viberg: A fast-growing local boot business with a global reputation.

• BC Cannabis Stores: A project of national historic significance.

These aren't fledgling startups or pet projects. Rather, they are established brands with large teams, complex needs, and ambitious goals. As such, we need to communicate with them in a way that is not only friendly and straightforward, but also professional, authoritative, and persuasive.

Agency voice

Think of the agency voice as an extension of the Pixel Union voice. It's everything the Pixel Union voice is—clear, friendly, helpful—but it's experienced and pragmatic, too. We want clients to see us as confident but not pretentious, opinionated but not brash, sensible but not boring.

Here are some more words we use to describe the agency voice:

• Clear: We don't win clients with insider jargon and ostentatious proposals. We use simple words, short sentences, and plenty of examples. We get to the point, and then we get to work.

• Honest: We communicate truthfully. We avoid vague language and visuals that bury bad news or skim over important details.

• Curious: We ask questions rather than making assumptions. We understand that there’s almost always more to know than we already do, and we're eager to uncover that project-defining detail.

• Confident: We believe we're the experts in our space, just like we trust our clients are the experts in theirs. Our voice is grounded in experience, and we don't deprecate our knowledge or expertise.