Is ChatGPT the new Verbal ID?

Written by Steph Price

If your LinkedIn is like mine, you don’t need to scroll for long to hear about ChatGPT, the chatbot launched by OpenAI at the end of last year. Brands love it, writers fear it, and everyone and their mom is talking about it. (Well not my mom, but maybe yours.) As the head of Verbal Identity at co:collective and a 20-year copywriter, I’m more intrigued than alarmed at what this new technology can do. But I’m also pretty clear on what it can’t. Here’s what I know:

This is a tool, not a takeover

Let’s be honest. Sometimes writing copy, especially long-form pieces can be tedious. How many times do you wish you had an assistant to take a first pass? ChatGPT could be huge in taking away some of the busywork of writing. Getting all the initial thoughts out and then looking to writers to add brilliance on the back-end. It’s sort of like how I used Google Translate to do my Italian homework in college. It’s not perfect, but it’s a perfect starting point.?

That said, OK writing is no longer OK

Make no doubt about it, writing with AI will put some people out of a job. But it doesn’t have to. I truly believe there will always be a place for great copywriting. But the divide between good enough and great will only grow wider. What if we saw ChatGPT not as a challenger but a challenge to do better? To step up our game remembering that writing isn’t just communication, it’s a craft. One that’s full of nuance and new discoveries.?

Your tone of voice can’t be tone deaf

It’s not just what you say that matters, but how. Creating an ownable, clear tone of voice is vital for the success of your brand. While AI may be able to write great copy, if everyone is using a variation of the same great copy, how can you ensure your voice isn’t one-size-fits all? Sometimes feeling like a real person is behind your brand requires a real person to be behind your brand. After all, the last thing you want is to pull a Milli Vanilli. And yes, I made a 30-year-old Milli Vanilli reference, because I am a real person.

Teach a man to finish your sentences

At co:, we never consider a tone of voice guide done until every writer has had a chance to workshop it. To ask questions, play around, push, and poke holes. Being able to make mistakes and make edits together ensures everyone is writing from the same worksheet. Consistency is king when trying to have your voice stand out in a crowded market. ChatGPT may be able to write for you, but can it teach you how?

Verbal ID is not just copy

This may sound Extreme, but your Verbal ID is more than words. Just like how your Visual ID is more than your logo, your Verbal Identity is your entire personality. It’s how we know your brand when it walks into a room. In an ever-growing world of copy and content, defining what you say and how you say it is as vital to a successful business and what you make and how you make it. Can you outsource some writing? For sure. But when you need to figure out your brand voice, get some real voices in the room.?

So in short, is ChatGPT the new Verbal ID? Not exactly. But if you need a dad joke, I hear it’s great.?

PS What is Verbal ID you ask? At co:collective, we define it as a deeply useful storytelling toolkit that helps purpose-driven brands define what they say and how they say it. Interested in shaping yours? Shoot us an email at [email protected]