Skip to content
Sectors

We partner with brands of all sectors and sizes to help them find their voice, make an impact and build a lasting connection with their audience.

Say hi

Wherever you are in the world, if you’ve got a brand challenge, we’d love to help.

22 October 2024

Rewriting rituals: How we gave Postcard a voice

Lizzie PC Copy 01

Our Senior Copywriter Lizzie dives into how we came up with the name, idea and voice for Singaporean self-care brand Postcard.

In a category awash with irritating formulations, wasteful packaging and OTT ten-step skincare routines, the self-care space can feel more stressful than relaxing. Relief, the real reason for these products to exist, had been lost along the way.

Postcard is an open invitation to escape everyday stresses and indulge without any guilt. Like a thoughtful greeting penned on a postcard, the brand is unexpected, whimsical, nostalgic – and personal. It transports you to another time or place, washing away any worry and soothing you with simple, sustainable solutions.


It all started with a name

When Oasis Beauty Kitchen, as they were then known, first came to us, they were keen to keep their name. Which would’ve worked, had we not had the trademark hoop to jump through.

We knew instantly that if the brand wanted to expand globally, keeping ‘Oasis Beauty Kitchen’ wasn’t going to fly. So we were faced with a challenge; find a new name and concept that would be unique and compelling, but still inherently ‘them’. No pressure.

Lizzie PC Copy 02

“The naming process is its own beast. Sometimes you land on the name by yourself in two minutes, sometimes it takes a team two days, sometimes two weeks. Sometimes you’re left totally stumped and questioning your whole existence, only for the name to come to you in the shower, in your sleep, on the way to work.”

We ran a naming workshop with our incredible clients, Hildra and Phillipe, and left with lots of golden nuggets. Then it was down to us to lock ourselves away to thrash it out some more.

We presented six options, and Postcard was instantly a firm favourite from all sides. Why?

It perfectly communicated the idea of transportation, both emotional and physical. The word conjured so much positive imagery – the nostalgia of postcards, the everyday escapism they offer, and the excitement you feel when you receive one from a loved one. And it linked nicely to the brand’s ‘local goes global’ ambition. We knew it was a winner.

Lizzie PC Copy 03

Fleshing out the idea

With the name locked in, it was time to add meat to the bones with a brand idea. A statement that encapsulates the strategy and acts as the foundation for all the creative.

The big idea became ‘Wish you were here’ to cement Postcard as a destination you want to stay at for the long haul. A happy place. Where slow is the speed and indulging in less is not just accepted, but encouraged.

This gave the brand plenty of room to grow to eventually become a global brand and reference point for what sustainable living looks like.

Lizzie PC Copy 04

“With their vision to make care personal again, the next logical step was to take inspiration from the personal nature of postcards to create a tone of voice that would be approachable yet unexpected.”

Crafting the voice

So many beauty and self-care rituals are born from tips passed up and down generations or shared within close circles. So we wanted Postcard to be the voice of that friend who can’t wait to tell you how good something is.

We spoke directly to the reader, with playful, relatable lines that make the benefits of the products instantly gettable. We incorporated travel-themed language to position the brand as an aspirational destination, and used microcopy to add a wink and a smile to the delivery and unboxing experience.

But most importantly, we invented imaginary destinations that customers could emotionally ‘visit’, using sensorial language to associate each product or scent with a time or place.

Lizzie PC Copy 05

Building the world

Once we had the voice nailed, we had to be sure it would work across the entire brand world – from packaging, to digital and in store applications.

Many of the pack formats were so tiny, we had to use our words wisely to tell an enticing story as quickly as possible, while making it crystal clear what the product was and how and when you use it.

For the wider world, we used the website to build on the story and create a rich narrative that delivers on the big brand idea everywhere – including product pages, how to guides and sourcing information. Then in-store, we created a ‘destination’ everyone would want to visit.

Lizzie PC Copy 06

Self care is such a personal and emotive category, so creating an all-encompassing brand consumers would feel a part of was essential in making Postcard a success.

With the number of product formats and different touchpoints to consider, it’s one of the most extensive and time intensive copy jobs we’ve ever done. But by establishing our big brand idea early on, we were able to really focus our messages and carve out this ownable voice that felt true to Hildra and Phillipe’s ethos.

“Ultimately, it all came down to trust. Trust from the client to take the plunge, change their name and take this idea and run with it. And trust in ourselves that we had something special.”

Want more? Check out the case study.

Or if you’re looking to create a brand worth writing home about, let’s chat.