# Mercura — Voice & Tone

Polished minimalism · Future-literate · Curated intensity · Quiet authority · Sensory sophistication

## Personality

- **Funny ↔ Serious:** leans serious (+1) — Mercura can be evocative, but its premium positioning calls for restraint over humor.
- **Formal ↔ Casual:** balanced (0) — The voice is polished and composed, but still modern and direct enough for a music platform.
- **Respectful ↔ Irreverent:** leans respectful (-1) — Mercura treats listeners, artists, and sound with care; it should never feel flippant about music.
- **Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact:** leans enthusiastic (-1) — The brand carries controlled energy and desire, but avoids loud hype or excessive excitement.

## Traits

- **Polished minimalism** — Say only what earns its place. Use clean, composed language with a premium finish—no clutter, no filler, no hard sell.
  - Why: Mercura’s high-shine product feel should sound as refined as it looks: sleek, intentional, and confident without excess.
  - e.g. "Your sound, tuned to the moment."
- **Future-literate** — Speak with fluency about next-gen audio, personalization, and discovery without leaning on dense tech language.
  - Why: Mercura is positioned as a next-generation platform, so the voice should feel advanced and intelligent while remaining effortless to understand.
  - e.g. "Mercura learns the shape of your listening—then brings the next track into focus."
- **Curated intensity** — Bring energy through sharp verbs, vivid sonic imagery, and momentum—not hype, slang, or exclamation points.
  - Why: Music is emotional and kinetic, but Mercura’s premium world calls for controlled voltage rather than loud enthusiasm.
  - e.g. "Press play. Let the room shift."
- **Quiet authority** — Guide users with calm confidence. Be direct, reassuring, and precise, especially around controls, errors, subscriptions, and audio settings.
  - Why: A premium platform should feel trustworthy and expertly made. The voice should make complex experiences feel smooth and under control.
  - e.g. "We saved your mix settings. They’ll follow you across devices."
- **Sensory sophistication** — Use language that evokes texture, space, clarity, depth, and motion—like a well-mastered track.
  - Why: Mercura lives in music and audio, so its voice should make people feel sound, not just understand features.
  - e.g. "Deeper bass. Cleaner vocals. More room around every note."

## Tone by context

- **Onboarding:** Make setup feel like unlocking a premium listening environment. Keep steps short, benefit-led, and smooth. Avoid over-explaining personalization or making the product feel complicated.
- **Discovery and recommendations:** Sound discerning and intuitive. Frame recommendations as refined signals, not random suggestions. Use phrases like “picked for this hour,” “in your rotation,” and “based on your recent plays.”
- **Playback and controls:** Be crisp and functional. Use clear verbs: play, pause, tune, save, resume, cast, download. The interface should feel immediate and invisible.
- **Success states:** Keep confirmations elegant and brief. No cheerleading. Reinforce control, continuity, or quality.
- **Errors and interruptions:** Stay calm, precise, and accountable. Explain what happened in plain language and give a clean next step. Avoid blame, jokes, or technical codes unless necessary.
- **Subscription, billing, and upgrades:** Sound premium, transparent, and composed. Lead with the value of the upgrade, but keep pricing and terms direct. Never pressure the user.
- **Marketing and launch moments:** Use cinematic, high-contrast language. Make the experience feel desirable and advanced, but avoid inflated claims like “the future of all music” unless backed by a specific feature.
- **Artist, creator, or editorial content:** Be reverent toward the work. Use music-literate language without gatekeeping. Let the artist or sound remain the focal point.

## Messaging

**Audience:** Design-conscious listeners, early adopters, audiophiles, creators, and culture-forward music fans who want discovery, fidelity, and control in one premium audio environment.
**Value:** Mercura turns every listening moment into a refined, adaptive audio experience—high-fidelity sound, intelligent discovery, and seamless control in one sleek platform.

- **Refined discovery** — Mercura reads listening patterns, context, and taste signals to surface music and audio that feels selected, not sprayed at random.
- **Premium sound** — High-fidelity playback, precise controls, and immersive audio settings make every track feel closer, cleaner, and more dimensional.
- **Seamless flow** — From phone to desktop to connected speakers, Mercura keeps sessions moving without friction, clutter, or repeated setup.
- **A platform with taste** — Editorial intelligence, beautiful design, and music-literate guidance create an experience that feels curated rather than crowded.

## Lexicon

**Use:** `sound`, `audio`, `listen`, `play`, `tune`, `mix`, `signal`, `flow`, `depth`, `clarity`, `texture`, `space`, `rotation`, `session`, `studio-grade`, `high-fidelity`, `lossless`, `adaptive`, `curated`, `in focus`, `made for this moment`, `your sound, refined`, `pick up where you left off`, `bring the next track into focus`
**Avoid:** `bangers`, `vibes only`, `jamz`, `lit`, `fire tracks`, `OMG`, `awesome sauce`, `revolutionary`, `game-changing`, `world-class experience`, `disrupting music`, `content`, `users`, `consumers`, `algorithm magic`, `AI-powered everything`, `cheap`, `free stuff`, `limited-time frenzy`, `Oopsie`, `Uh-oh, something went wrong`, `invalid input`, `please be advised`

## Mechanics

- **Capitalization:** Sentence case for UI, email, and product copy. Title case only for proper product names, playlist titles, and campaign headlines when design requires it.
- **Contractions:** yes
- **Emoji:** Never in core product UI, billing, errors, or premium messaging. Avoid in marketing unless part of a partner or artist campaign with a deliberately casual tone.
- **Reading level:** Grade 8–10. Clear and concise, with occasional elevated sensory language for brand moments.

## Boilerplate

- **Short:** Mercura is a next-gen music and audio platform built for refined discovery, premium sound, and seamless listening.
- **Medium:** Mercura is a next-gen music and audio platform that brings high-fidelity playback, intelligent discovery, and sleek control into one premium experience. Designed for listeners who want more than shuffle, Mercura tunes every session to the moment—clearer, deeper, and more personal.
- **Long:** Mercura is a next-gen music and audio platform designed for people who listen with intent. Blending high-fidelity playback, adaptive discovery, editorial taste, and seamless cross-device control, Mercura turns every session into a more refined audio experience. From the first track to the final fade, the platform brings sound into sharper focus—helping listeners find what fits the moment, hear more detail in every mix, and move through music with less friction.

## Voice in action

**Hero headline**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Enter Mercura | Get started | The on-voice version feels premium and immersive while still being clear. The generic version is usable but misses Mercura’s high-shine world. |

**Hero subhead**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | High-fidelity sound, adaptive discovery, and every session tuned to the moment. | Stream millions of songs and podcasts with personalized recommendations. | The off-voice line is accurate but ordinary. Mercura should lead with refinement, fidelity, and intentional listening. |

**Recommendation module**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| hero-headline | In focus for tonight | Recommended for you | The on-voice line makes personalization feel curated and contextual rather than algorithmic. |

**Save confirmation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Saved to your rotation. | Added to your library successfully. | Both are clear, but Mercura’s version is shorter, warmer, and more music-native. |

**Audio quality setting**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Lossless is on. More detail, more depth. | You have enabled lossless audio quality. | The on-voice version explains the sensory benefit instead of simply confirming a setting. |

**Empty playlist state**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Start with one track. We’ll help shape the rest. | This playlist is empty. Add songs to begin. | The generic version is functional, but the Mercura version feels guided, elegant, and discovery-led. |

**Playback error**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | Playback paused. Your connection softened—try again when the signal returns. | Unable to play media due to network error. | Mercura should stay calm and human while still telling the listener what happened. |

**Subscription upgrade**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Unlock studio-grade listening | Upgrade now to access premium features | The on-voice CTA leads with elevated audio value instead of generic SaaS upgrade language. |

**Billing confirmation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | You’re set. Mercura Premium renews on May 12. | Your payment was successful and your subscription is active. | The Mercura version is transparent and polished, with the key billing detail included. |

**Push notification**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| notification | A sharper mix for your late-night rotation is ready. | New recommendations are available for you. | The on-voice version feels specific, sensory, and timely without sounding gimmicky. |
