When it comes to IT, there’s no shortage of complexity. And IT giant Cisco talks about some pretty complex things: from sustainable networks to hybrid work to cybersecurity in the age of AI. For over 10 years, we’ve been helping them talk tech by using language that’s simple and distinct. The result? Customers can trust them to say something worth reading – and to do it with language they understand at first glance.
More “you”, less “we”
Many companies fall into the ‘we, we, we’ trap, continually talking about themselves, Cisco learned to write their story with the audience as the hero. That means honing in on what matters to them, and delivering it clearly and quickly.
Demystify the message
Messaging is the foundation for all things—tone of voice, communications, marketing and beyond. We helped Cisco define their key messages, with before and after examples showing what is on brand and what isn’t (and why). Then we created concrete tips and techniques for real-world application, so their passions weren’t just platitudes.
From “utilize” to “use”
After listening to Cisco’s biggest writing challenges , we designed interactive training that solved the challenge of breaking down complex IT concepts into bite-sized pieces. They now had permission to stop worrying about industry jargon – and start writing like creative, passionate humans.
What was the impact? Did anyone even notice?
Customers around the world found a letter in Cisco’s new tone 11% more trustworthy and 12% more persuasive. And in the US, business decision makers liked the new way of writing 29% more than the old, jargon-heavy copy.
“The Writer has been a strategic partner for us. They have allowed us to distill our message/meaning to its simplest form, and make sure that we’re focused on what’s most relevant to our audience” - Director of brand experience design
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