Tone of Voice
Tennis-Point talks like a good teammate — knows its stuff, doesn't take itself too seriously, just gets it done.
Approachable. Competent. Real.
No pro-athlete pathos, no discount shouting, no marketing speak. Tennis-Point has 20 years of experience and doesn't need to prove it to anyone. Competence shows in content, not in tone. Stay understandable without talking down.
Each principle has a clear boundary — it defines what is meant and what is not.
| Principle | Means | Does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Approachable | At eye level, inviting, informal address, warm tone | Buddy-buddy, blunt, without distance |
| Competent | Knows what it's talking about, expertise through content, not through claim | Lecturing, know-it-all, didactic |
| Real | No platitudes, no exaggeration, says what it is | Boring, sober, emotionless |
| Distinctive | Tennis-Point's own voice, recognizable, with edge | Provocative, loud, polarizing for the sake of it |
Concrete rules for word choice, address and tonality.
Address
- —Informal 'you', never formal
- —Active, not passive — 'Get the racket' instead of 'The racket can be purchased'
Word Choice
- —No superlatives without substance — not 'the best racket', but 'our best-selling racket'
- —No filler words — no 'basically', 'kind of', 'sort of', 'obviously'
- —No exclamation mark spam — max. 1 per text
Slang & Loanwords
Use anglicisms sparingly and only when established. Never trendy for effect.
OK: 'Sale', 'New In', 'Must-Have', 'Performance'
Not OK: Mixing languages in the same sentence when it sounds awkward. Slang that only works for under-25s.
Test question: Would a 45-year-old club player use this word? If yes, it fits.
Humor
Warm and dry. The tone of someone who's been in the game for 20 years and doesn't need to be loud, but drops a remark now and then that lands. Charm, not comedy.
| Instead of | Rather |
|---|---|
| The best deals for real champions! | New season, new prices. For everyone who's regularly on court. |
| MEGA SALE, everything must go!!! | Making room in the warehouse. Your advantage. |
| Discover the brand-new collection and grab your favorite now! | New In: HEAD Extreme 2025. Tried it yet? |
| We wish you a great start to the season! | New season. New balls, please. |
The register changes with context — the tone stays the same.
| Context | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hero / Stage | Brief, inviting | “New in: HEAD Extreme 2025” |
| CTA | Call to action, short | “Shop now” |
| Product Description | Factual-approachable | “Comfortable grip, forgiving on mishits.” |
| Social Caption | Casual, confident | “New toys just landed.” |
| In-Store / Advice | Conversational, competent | “What racket are you playing right now?” |
| Error Page / UX | Dry, short | “Not found. No drama.” |
| Newsletter Subject | Curious, not clickbaity | “3 rackets, 3 player types. Which one are you?” |
| Paid Ad | Direct, CTA-driven | “Your next racket. Advice included.” |
| Executive / B2B | Professional, factual, substance | “Numbers, facts, clear statements. No marketing speak.” |
Tennis-Point is a multi-brand retailer. On third-brand assets, TP positions itself as the platform without touching the brand's visual. The headline always belongs to Tennis-Point. The patterns below are concrete examples, not a fixed menu to pick from.
| Pattern | Effect | Headline | Subline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | TP as the place to go | Now at our shop | HEAD Extreme 2025, available now |
| Newness | TP as first touchpoint | New In | The new Wilson Blade collection |
| Exclusivity | TP as preferred partner | Only at Tennis-Point | Babolat Pure Aero Rafa, exclusive in our shop |
| Expertise | TP as advisor | Our recommendation | The best-selling racket this month |
| Invitation | TP as host | Worth a look | New season, new setup |
| Promotion | TP as advantage-giver | Advantage You | 20% on all rackets, this weekend only |
Rules
- —The headline always belongs to Tennis-Point, it sets the context.
- —The subline names the brand/product, but TP stays the sender.
- —CTA follows as a separate element (button), not in the subline.
- —Advantage You may be used as a headline pattern for promotions, it links claim and benefit.
Tennis has a grown language culture. TP may use it. The only question: does the tennis reference carry meaning, or does it replace a real statement?
✓With meaning
- "Advantage You" — the claim itself, a tennis metaphor with a real brand promise
- "New balls, please" — as season start, fresh beginning, new energy
- "Deuce" — as a concept for a close race, an exciting offer
- "Match Point" — when it's truly a last chance, e.g. end-of-season
✗As decoration
- Slapping "Game, set, match" onto every random sale headline
- "Bullseye!" as a reaction to anything positive
- "Ace!" for every good product
- Tennis puns that only work if you explain them
Test question: Would the headline still work if you replaced the tennis reference with a normal word? If yes, the reference is decoration. If no, it carries meaning.
Approved lines for physical touchpoints. Direct, approachable, confident, bold.
Court / Club Wall
20 years on court. Just like you.
Your game. Your gear. Your advantage.
Court is booked. The rest is on us.
Store / Retail
10,000 items. One is yours.
Touch it, try it, take it.
Your old racket fought well.
Online / Digital
Tennis starts here.
Everything for your game. And a little more.
Advice included. Always.
Stores
Your home advantage. All across Europe.
Sentences Tennis-Point never says
- ✗
“Welcome to our store”
- ✗
“Premium quality at unbeatable prices”
- ✗
“Treat yourself!”
Tonal no-gos
- ✗
No pro pathos, TP is not a tour outfitter (no "Champions choose", no "For the elite")
- ✗
No discount shouting, even on sale TP stays competent, not loud
- ✗
No forced youthfulness, off-brand slang is worse than none
- ✗
No lecturing, TP shares knowledge but hands out no grades
Stylistic no-gos
- ✗
No em dashes in TP texts, use regular hyphens or commas
- ✗
No emojis in official channels (social exception: max. 2 per post, never as a sentence)
- ✗
No hashtag inflation, #teamyellow yes, no #tennis #tennislife #tennislove spam