Include elements of nature in your brand voice

Tip: You own the power to drive customers to subconscious connections using only words.

And since our mind looks favorably to anything that’s related to nature, we can play with semantics and use nature-related words instead of their counterparts for greater impact.

The word natural can often be a substitute for simplicity.

Like an app that allows you to manage finances in “a natural way,” for example. Or how your course helps the learner master the ability to “sell naturally.”

Some brands go as far as to make their entire branding revolve around natural elements, even if they don’t have much to do with nature.

Like sprout, for example:

And of course, there’s Apple, Blackberry, and Cotopaxi—a brand named after a volcano.

Even if your company doesn’t use a natural element in the name, you can still name a feature, a new line, a course “level,” or a new product line after it.

Draw visual inspiration from outdoors

Have you ever wondered why people say “stop and smell the flowers”?

It’s because we have an inborn preference for all things natural. They don’t tell you to stop and smell the perfume, right?

A 2013 study explored “attention restoration theory,” which suggests that nature restores focus and reduces stress.

The study found that ads featuring pleasant nature scenes evoke positive emotions and lead to better memory recall compared to other types of visuals.

… Which implies that you should blend visual natural elements in your ads, too.

The automotive industry usually does this in their promotions because the vast outdoors is associated with freedom and revitalization:

Highlight natural origins in manufacturing

Just because the final product isn’t natural doesn’t mean your consumers won’t appreciate knowing that your raw materials are.

You can emphasize that the materials or components used in the product have a natural, sustainable, or minimally processed origin—even if the product is far removed from nature.

You can do this in various ways depending on the industry:

• Highlight the origin of materials. Wood, metal, glass, textile, etc. create a “natural” narrative.
• Pull the sustainability card. Words like renewable, naturally sourced, low-impact, crafted, and similar add credibility—especially with eco-conscious consumers.
• Use phrases that note minimal processing. Phrases like “minimally refined,” or “free of chemicals” can make your product feel “pure.”

Fairphone is a smartphone manufacturer whose entire branding revolves around “natural origins” when it comes to manufacturing tech:

IKEA highlights its furniture is made using “FSC-certifed wood,” for instance, while Allbirds prides itself on sugarcane-based foam or eucalyptus tree fibers in their shoes.

They all sound appealing, don’t they?