I build brand voices a team can actually run.

One guide in template order: north star, tension, attributes, never-list, channel playbooks, prompt pack, validation note. Plain markdown a new hire or an AI could run on day one.

# Acorn Pediatric Dentistry Brand Voice Guide

## North star
The child sets the pace, not the schedule.

## Core tension
Calm reassurance, between clinical and saccharine.

## Voice attributes

**Reassuring, never saccharine.** Name the scary thing plainly, then take the pressure off. No forced cheer.
- Failure mode: saccharine. Bright-side cheer a nervous kid does not believe.
- Evidence: "You don't have to be brave, you just have to show up." / "If your little one cries, that is okay."
- Test: Would a nervous seven-year-old believe it, or feel managed?

**Patient on the kid's clock.** The child's readiness sets the timing, even when it costs minutes.
- Failure mode: clinical. Efficiency that treats the child as the next slot.
- Evidence: "we never rush a scared kid." / "We would rather spend ten extra minutes letting your child hold the mirror than start before they are ready."
- Test: Does the sentence put the child's pace ahead of the schedule?

## Never-list (single source of truth)

| ID | Never | Use instead | Why (generalizes) |
|----|-------|-------------|-------------------|
| NV-01 | "state of the art", "gentle, caring dentistry", "your smile is our priority" | name the specific thing you do for a scared kid | category slogans every clinic shares signal nothing and cannot be verified; catches any interchangeable tagline |
| NV-02 | "don't worry", "it won't hurt a bit" | say what will actually happen, step by step | a promise a child cannot trust breaks the first time it is wrong; describe the next step, do not reassure blindly |
| NV-03 | paired em-dashes, "delve", "it is worth noting" | plain sentences; cut the throat-clearing | these read as machine-drafted; the principle strips anything that signals generated text |

## Channel playbooks

**Appointment reminder (text, to the parent).** The job: lower the dread before the visit.
- On-brand: "Big day tomorrow for [Child]. They don't have to be brave, just bring them at 3:00 and we will take it slow."
- Off-brand: "Your appointment is confirmed. Our state-of-the-art team looks forward to your visit!" (breaks NV-01)

**Cost conversation.** The job: no surprise bills, ever.
- On-brand: "Two fillings, $180 each. We will tell you the full number before we pick up a single tool."
- Off-brand: "Affordable, transparent pricing tailored to your family's needs." (breaks NV-01)

## AI prompt pack

Universal context (paste once per session):
"Write as Acorn Pediatric Dentistry. North star: the child sets the pace, not the schedule. Be reassuring but never saccharine, patient on the kid's clock. Never use clinic slogans, blind promises like 'it won't hurt', or em-dashes. Name the specific thing, give the real number."

Task prompt (reminder text):
"Draft a two-sentence reminder for [appointment]. Lower the dread, name the time, and promise to go at the child's pace. No slogans, no 'don't worry'."

## Validation note
Checked a line not quoted above: "No surprise bills." Passes: plain, specific, no banned terms. The clinic's own writing scores on-brand, so no rule needs loosening.