Voice examples

Here’s where you can see our voice in action.

This section is full of examples showing what happens when we speak Zalando.

These are rewrites of real moments, covering our spread of channels and audiences – flexing from ‘inform’ to ‘entertain’.

Communication spectrum

Use these links to jump to the examples most relevant to you – or scroll the page to read them all. The left-hand column shows the ‘inform’ side of our voice flex, with ‘entertain’ in the right column.

Inform

Payment second reminder

Sustainability statement 

Trade-in instructions

Customer FAQs

Inform - Entertain

Partner site redirect

Employer brand on LinkedIn 

Corporate updates on LinkedIn

Product detail page

Meta description

Entertain

Newsletter signup 

Talent on social 

Inspiration on social  

Stories trend report

Payment second reminder

  • Channel: Email

  • Audience: Customers 

  • Flex: Inform

Before
After

What’s changed?

We’re getting straight to the essential information.

  1. Being direct, rather than talking around the subject

  2. Taking a balanced perspective to establish trust

  3. Using everyday words

Sustainability statement

  • Channel: Website

  • Audience: Customers, colleagues and partners  

  • Flex: Inform

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re getting to the point with a clear, confident statement.

  1. Giving a direct perspective 

  2. Keeping sentences short and simple 

  3. Using everyday words 

Trade-in instructions

  • Channel: App

  • Audience: Customers 

  • Flex: Inform 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re positioning the message around the customer.

  1. Using the active voice

  2. Switching to conversational language  

  3. Giving clear instructions and the reasons for them

Customer FAQs

  • Channel: Web

  • Audience: Customers 

  • Flex: Inform

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re keeping it scannable with some personal touches.

  1. Getting to the point 

  2. Breaking up long text with bullet points

  3. Using everyday words 

Partner site redirect

  • Channel: Website

  • Audience: Partners 

  • Flex: Inform

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re being clear, simple – and showing partners who we are.

  1. Cutting out the filler and questions

  2. Removing the exclamation marks to lean into relaxed basics 

  3. Ending with an irreverent comment

Employer brand on LinkedIn

  • Channel: Social (LinkedIn)

  • Audience: Colleagues and potential colleagues

  • Flex: Inform-entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re keeping the message focused and bringing in the Zalando perspective.

  1. Cutting filler to get to the point 

  2. Getting specific about Zalando’s culture

  3. Varying sentence length to create a rhythm

Corporate updates on LinkedIn

  • Channel: Social (LinkedIn)

  • Audience: Press, partners, customers

  • Flex: Inform-entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re getting into the product specifics – in real terms. 


  1. Opening with a simple statement with subtle rhythm

  2. Removing repetition to get to the point

  3. Showing a point of view in the opening and closing statements

Product detail page

Channel: Website 

Audience: Customers 

Flex: Inform-entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re getting into the product specifics – in real terms.

  1. Bringing in contrast to describe the mood

  2. Using everyday words to explain features 

  3. Building on the visuals to reference use cases  

Meta description

  • Channel: Google search results  

  • Audience: Customers and partners  

  • Flex: Inform-entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We're still hitting keywords – but in a more distinctive way.

  1. Bringing in rhythm through contrast in the headline 

  2. Adding natural use of keywords

  3. Offering a point of view in ‘Wear what makes you happy’

Newsletter signup

  • Channel: Website 

  • Audience: Customers

  • Flex: Inform-entertain

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re using contrasting patterns to make every word count.  

  1. Bringing alliterative rhythm into the headline

  2. Making the benefits more vivid 

  3. Ending with irreverent wordplay 

Talent on social

  • Channel: Social (Instagram)

  • Audience: Customers

  • Flex: Entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re connecting to the content with more personality.

  1. Bringing in rhythm with the list of three

  2. Making an irreverent self reference 

  3. Getting specific with Lukas’ rituals

Inspiration on social

  • Channel: Social (TikTok)

  • Audience: Customers

  • Flex: Entertain

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re going past the obvious to find an angle based on insight. 

  1. Drawing on consumer language ‘the apps’ for a smarter reference to Valentine’s day

  2. Opening with a question – and giving our POV

  3. Bringing in an unexpected, irreverent edge

Stories trend report

  • Channel: Website

  • Audience: Customers

  • Flex: Entertain 

Before
After

What’s changed? 

We’re balancing insight with unexpected phrasing to show our expertise.

  1. Opening with a perspective and vivid language 

  2. Getting to the point with a streamlined list of style details

  3. Adding an irreverent – and judgement free – angle on the reality of vintage fashion