Overview
Our client was stepping into a pivotal moment. Their playful, holiday-inspired lighting had built a loyal following, but it also created a perception challenge: customers often saw them as a seasonal brand. To grow, they needed to expand into the broader outdoor lighting market with products that could shine year-round.
Download Case StudyThat shift required more than just a new product line.
The client sought an updated content tone and style guide that could bridge two worlds: The approachable joy that made them beloved and the professional polish needed to compete in a crowded, fast-maturing industry.
Client profile
- Industry: Exterior and Holiday Lighting Solutions
- Target market: Lighting retailers across North America, municipalities, business owners, and homeowners
Overarching goals
Creating a new tone and style guide at this stage in the company’s brand development was a unique endeavour. The timing made it distinct: the company was expanding beyond its holiday niche into the year-round outdoor lighting market, which meant speaking effectively to two very different audiences:
- Dealers who needed a professional, credible partner
- Homeowners who craved excitement and trust
This wasn’t a reinvention, but an upgrade to their identity.
The ambition stemmed from the scope: the guide had to codify consistent rules while also opening up new possibilities, such as messaging that highlighted product quality, dealer support, and the joy of everyday use.
The sharper story we set out to tell was one of reliability and innovation, designed to show dealers they were backed by a strong brand, while giving homeowners confidence that these lighting solutions were built to last. From the website to sales materials to social posts, every touchpoint needed to reflect that thoughtful consistency.
- A clear, accessible tone and style guide that resonates with both dealers and homeowners.
- A distinctive voice to set the company apart in a crowded market.
- A framework for consistent, long-term growth.
The challenge
For this company, the biggest hurdle was harmonizing tone and messaging across very different audiences. Their existing brand leaned heavily into the magic of holidays, something that delighted homeowners but risked feeling too casual and seasonal as the company pushed into the broader outdoor lighting market.
- Homeowners wanted to feel inspired by the joy of beautiful lighting, but they also needed reassurance about durability, safety, and ease of use.
- Dealers were looking for professionalism, technical details, and confidence that the company would support them as suppliers AND partners.
At the same time, competitors in the premium outdoor lighting space were already raising the bar with sleek branding and polished marketing. To stand out, the client needed a brand presence that balanced approachability with credibility. One that could be consistently displayed across the website, packaging, sales presentations, installation guides, and even ongoing support materials.
In short, we needed to create a strategy that carried through every stage of the customer journey, from that first impression to the long-term satisfaction that keeps both dealers and homeowners loyal.
Our approach
We approached this content tone and style guide project with the same care our client puts into its own lighting designs. Each stage of the process built on the last, creating a foundation for a documentation that checked both strategic and inspiring boxes. Strategically, it established consistency across all channels, clarified how to speak differently to dealers versus homeowners, and gave the brand the flexibility to grow beyond its holiday roots. Creatively, it defined a tone that was approachable yet credible.
Step 1: Discovery and research
We began with discovery interviews and deep dives into customer segments. The goal was to capture demographics and uncover motivations:
- Why would a dealer choose this company over another supplier?
- What makes a homeowner feel proud to invest in their system?
- How could our client be seen as both practical and inspiring?
Step 2: Competitor audit
Next, we analyzed competitor brands to map the broader landscape. We looked at:
- Tone trends in messaging
- Visual language
- Multi-channel presence, like websites, social media, and dealer materials
This revealed opportunities for our client to stand apart by avoiding overly corporate voices on one end and purely decorative, style-over-substance tones on the other. Rather than mimicking, the audit helped us define a tonal direction that was distinctive: approachable and joyful, but backed with the professionalism and credibility that made dealers and homeowners take notice.
Step 3: Vertical examples
From there, we developed vertical-specific examples to show how the tone could flex between audiences. The tone and style guide demonstrated how to communicate with authority to dealers while still sparking excitement for homeowners.
Step 4: Building the playbook
The outcome was more than a set of guidelines. It became a playbook, complete with voice pillars and sample messaging that showed how the brand should sound in action. Our client needed a clear, adaptable framework to grow their voice and reinforce their brand across every touchpoint.
What success looked like
Success for this company came from building a strong foundation for the adoption and growth of their next chapter in the outdoor lighting market. Just as importantly, it meant creating communications that could seamlessly support their expansion, from polished dealer materials to consumer-facing campaigns. The guide became a foundation for consistency, ensuring the company could step into its next chapter without hesitation.
Long-term value
The real impact of this work lies in its longevity. The guide established scalable messaging, reusable frameworks, and clear examples, supporting our client for years to come. Systematizing the voice across audiences ensures that dealers hear a professional and credible partner, while homeowners experience the joy and trust that year-round lighting brings, giving them a clear edge. The tone can shift seamlessly from technical to inspiring without losing consistency. Most importantly, it anchors both audiences under a shared vision that this company is built on innovation, durability, and everyday beauty, not just seasonal delight.
