---
title: "Introduction"
subtitle: "How to use these guidelines, and who they're for"
description: "An overview of the By Default brand guidelines: how to use them, who they're for, and how the voice holds together across every touchpoint."
author: "Studio"
section: "Brand Book"
layer: "core"
subsection: "01 Brand"
order: 0
status: "published"
access: "team"
brand: "internal"
---

## About these guidelines

This guide defines how By Default expresses itself across every touchpoint. It exists to support consistent, intentional communication, whether you're writing website copy, drafting a pitch deck, posting on social media, or sending a client email.

Our voice is part of the work. It reflects how we think, what we believe, and who we're building with. We don't do industry jargon, robotic professionalism, or vague branding-speak. We write like real people who are actively building something better. Our words are carefully chosen to connect.

## Who this is for

These guidelines are for anyone creating content or communications on behalf of By Default:

- The founding team, when writing copy, presentations, and thought leadership
- Freelance writers and content creators working on articles, social posts, or case studies
- Design and development partners who need to understand the brand's verbal system
- Agency or consultancy partners co-creating branded materials
- Anyone onboarding into the By Default team who needs to understand how we communicate

## How to use this document

Start with the one-screen cheat sheet in the Verbal Identity section when you're writing. It gives you the voice pillars, tone dials, and non-negotiable rules on a single page. Come back to the deeper sections when you need to understand why we sound the way we do, or when you're working on a channel or format for the first time.

The brand voice should feel recognisably By Default everywhere. The tone adjusts by situation, but the underlying personality stays the same. If something you've written could have come from any studio, it's not there yet.