How we got here.

From Madness

In agency land, I straddled two worlds—business development and creative. In new business pitches, I’d reassure the CEO that the brand refresh they sought would, indeed, “move the needle.”

A month into the discovery process, we'd learn what the real issue was—and it wasn't their logo.

Again and again, budgets flowed to color palettes, hero images, and glossy websites, while copy was treated like packing peanuts tossed in to fill up space.

I watched teams spend six figures on design sprints, then paste yesterday’s jargon into tomorrow’s layout and wonder why conversions flat-lined.

Archetypes, Attributes, and Acronyms, Oh my!

Hi, I'm Dawn.

I use brand archetypes in my work because they give brands a recognizable personality that others can respond to. Everyone knows a rebel or a sage when they see one.

Archetypes tap into familiar human traits—like courage, wisdom, optimism, and independence. So audiences instinctively understand what the brand stands for and how it will behave.

That emotional shorthand builds trust and connection faster.

SparksFly's archetype is the Activist, so already you're getting a feel for who I am and what to expect, right?

Your brand’s voice isn’t just how you sound—it’s how you show up. The tone. The attitude. The energy behind the words.

I don’t make those traits up. I pull them from the research—stakeholder interviews, real conversations, and the way people already talk about you when you’re not in the room.

Then—because language is slippery and synonyms are everywhere—I distill what I find into a brand voice acronym your team can actually remember and use.

These aren't just adjectives— they’re traits that help your brand sound like a real person others can relate to.

Here’s what that looks like for SparksFly.

My Brand Voice is C.A.N.D.I.D

Curious

"Tell me about that," and "How do you know?" are where the real gold is.

I ask a lot of questions, because that's how we get to the truth. You get to help me decide which questions I ask, because every interview with a stakeholder starts with a discussion guide that we build together.

I also do a little thing called fly-on-the-wall research, because your brand's voice doesn’t live in a deck—it shows up in meetings, on demos, and in everyday conversations. I observe how your team speaks, how your customers respond, and what gets lost in translation.

(inquisitive, interested)

Analytical

I look for what's there—and what's missing.

I look for patterns, gaps, alignment, and contradictions— in language, data, and behaviors.

Whether it's a clunky sentence, a broken process, or a missed opportunity, I have a habit of spotting the thing that's not quite right and finding a solution.

(detailed, diagnostic)

Nurturing

Brand work gets personal. That's the point.

Your story isn't just copy—it's your reputation, legacy, and livelihood. I care about protecting that. And I care about your audience. A lot.

I’m invested in you, not just the deliverables. That’s why you might hear from me long after a project is done—with an article, an idea, or news about one of your competitors. I don’t stop paying attention once you've paid the invoice.

(empathetic, caring)

Direct

If it helps, I'm saying it.

That doesn't mean I'm blunt. It means I'm not afraid to point out what's missing, what's unclear, or what could work harder for you. (Hello! I'm an Activist!)

But don't worry, I won't drop a critique and leave you hanging. I'm all about finding a solution together.

(straightforward, open)

Idealistic

If we’re going to do all this talking, let’s make it count.
I believe a brand's voice should reflect its values, not just its style. When the message is clear and true, the impact is real. That’s how you build trust—and spark change.

Anyone can wordsmith. I'm here to help you speak up, stand out, and say something that matters.

(optimistic, hopeful)

Determined

I don’t settle for good enough. Good enough never changed anything.
I’ll wrestle with a sentence until it’s right. Question a strategy if it doesn’t serve your audience. Eat lunch in a different time zone if that’s what it takes to get everyone on the same page.

I’m here to make your job easier—not mine.

(purposeful, driven)

Our brand's voice is more powerful than our logo.
The right words cannot make up for the wrong message.
We will not let a chatbot say something we wouldn't say.
If everyone else is saying it, we will find something better to say.
We will not ask the intern to write content unless the intern is a damn good writer.
We will not assume we know our customers better than they know themselves.
If the writer doesn't talk about research, we will not talk to the writer.
We will not call ourselves innovative unless we have actually innovated something (preferably more than once).
We will not say with ten words what can be said with five.
We will decide what others say about us. And how they say it.

How we got here.

From Madness

To Mission

Sparksfly exists to give brand voice its rightful place at the strategy table.

Archetypes, Attributes, and Acronyms, Oh my!

My Brand Voice is C.A.N.D.I.D

Curious about your brand archetype?

How we got here.

From Madness

To Mission

Sparksfly exists to give brand voice its rightful place at the strategy table.

Archetypes, Attributes, and Acronyms, Oh my!

My Brand Voice is C.A.N.D.I.D

Curious about your brand archetype?

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