# Astra — Voice & Tone

Bright-eyed and forward-looking · Cinematic, not overdramatic · Retro-futurist charm · Warmly guiding · Curious and expansive

## Personality

- **Funny ↔ Serious:** leans funny (-1) — Astra uses light wit and playful space-age turns, but the entertainment experience should still feel premium and cinematic.
- **Formal ↔ Casual:** leans casual (+1) — The voice is approachable and easy to browse with, using contractions and plain language rather than studio-formal phrasing.
- **Respectful ↔ Irreverent:** leans respectful (-1) — Astra can be playful, but it treats viewers’ time, payments, families, and fandoms with warmth and care.
- **Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact:** enthusiastic (-2) — Optimism is central to Astra’s retro-futurist promise; the brand should make discovery feel bright, inviting, and full of possibility.

## Traits

- **Bright-eyed and forward-looking** — Astra speaks with optimism, momentum, and a sense that something wonderful is just ahead.
  - Why: The brand’s retro-futurist space-age identity should feel like the promise of tomorrow: sleek, hopeful, and a little starstruck without becoming cheesy.
  - e.g. "Your next favorite world is coming into view."
- **Cinematic, not overdramatic** — Use vivid, screen-ready language that creates atmosphere while staying clear and useful.
  - Why: As a streaming and media brand, Astra should make every title, collection, and product moment feel curated and transportive—but users still need to know what to watch and what to do next.
  - e.g. "Drift into a midnight lineup of thrillers, mysteries, and slow-burn discoveries."
- **Retro-futurist charm** — Borrow lightly from space-age language—launch, orbit, signal, transmission, capsule, voyage—without turning every message into a gimmick.
  - Why: Astra’s distinctiveness lives in the blend of vintage sci-fi wonder and modern streaming ease. The voice should nod to that world, not trap users inside a theme park.
  - e.g. "New episodes have landed. Queue up when you’re ready."
- **Warmly guiding** — Helpful, human, and reassuring. Astra explains what’s happening and what to do next with calm confidence.
  - Why: Streaming should feel effortless. Even in errors, billing, account setup, and parental controls, Astra needs to keep the magic alive while solving the practical problem.
  - e.g. "We lost the signal for a moment. Check your connection, then try again."
- **Curious and expansive** — Invite exploration across genres, moods, eras, and formats. Make discovery feel personal, not algorithmic.
  - Why: Astra is a media universe, not just a catalog. Its voice should encourage viewers to wander, sample, and find unexpected favorites.
  - e.g. "Start with a classic. End up somewhere beautifully strange."

## Tone by context

- **Onboarding and account setup:** Be welcoming, clear, and lightly space-age. Emphasize ease and discovery. Avoid long explanations or forced cosmic metaphors. Example: “Welcome aboard, Mira. Let’s tune Astra to your tastes.”
- **Home screen and recommendations:** Make browsing feel like a curated voyage. Use mood, genre, and occasion language. Keep titles and actions easy to scan. Example: “Because you like slow-burn mysteries” or “A quiet orbit: films for late-night watching.”
- **Playback and controls:** Be nearly invisible. Use simple, familiar language for functional labels. Save personality for empty states and transitions. Example: “Resume,” “Start over,” “Next episode,” “Skip recap.”
- **Success states:** Celebrate lightly with forward motion. Keep it concise. Example: “You’re all set. Your watchlist is ready for launch.”
- **Errors and service interruptions:** Stay calm, direct, and accountable. A small space-age nod is fine, but never make light of user frustration. Always include the next step. Example: “The stream drifted off course. Refresh the page or try again in a moment.”
- **Billing, privacy, and account security:** Drop most of the flourish. Be transparent, respectful, and precise. Example: “Your payment method was updated. Your next bill is due March 12.”
- **Marketing campaigns:** Turn up the wonder, rhythm, and cinematic imagery. Lead with feeling and discovery, then give a clear reason to act. Example: “A new constellation of stories arrives Friday.”
- **Kids and family content:** Keep it cheerful, safe, and plainspoken. Avoid sarcasm, edgy humor, or overly intense space language. Example: “Big adventures for small explorers.”
- **Social media:** Be playful, timely, and fandom-aware without sounding snarky or desperate. Use celestial references sparingly. Example: “Weekend forecast: popcorn, pajamas, and one very dramatic moon base.”

## Messaging

**Audience:** Entertainment lovers who want streaming to feel more imaginative and curated: genre fans, comfort-watchers, film and TV explorers, families, and nostalgia-forward viewers drawn to a hopeful space-age aesthetic.
**Value:** Astra brings a brighter universe of movies, series, and live media into one beautifully curated streaming home.

- **Discovery with wonder** — Astra turns browsing into exploration, helping viewers find beloved classics, new releases, cult favorites, and unexpected gems.
- **A universe for every mood** — From family adventures to late-night sci-fi, comfort sitcoms, documentaries, and live events, Astra organizes entertainment around how people actually want to feel.
- **Effortless streaming** — The product experience is simple, fast, and dependable, with clear guidance from signup to playback to account management.
- **Optimistic retro-futurism** — Astra’s identity makes media feel special again: polished, playful, cinematic, and inspired by the imagined future of the space age.

## Lexicon

**Use:** `watch`, `stream`, `discover`, `tune in`, `queue up`, `landed`, `launch`, `orbit`, `signal`, `transmission`, `constellation`, `capsule`, `voyage`, `worlds`, `stories`, `lineup`, `screening`, `feature`, `episode`, `season`, `classic`, `cult favorite`, `new arrival`, `hidden gem`, `for tonight`, `ready when you are`, `coming into view`, `back on course`
**Avoid:** `content consumption`, `users`, `eyeballs`, `engagement drivers`, `synergy`, `premium experience`, `best-in-class entertainment solution`, `binge until you drop`, `addictive`, `doomscroll`, `kill time`, `must-watch or else`, `limited-time only!!!`, `blast off!!!`, `Houston, we have a problem`, `live long and prosper`, `out of this world`, `to infinity and beyond`, `algorithmically selected`, `seamless ecosystem`, `disrupting entertainment`

## Mechanics

- **Capitalization:** Sentence case for product copy, navigation, buttons, and headlines. Title case may be used for official collection names, franchises, and editorial series.
- **Contractions:** yes
- **Emoji:** Use sparingly, mostly on social or campaign copy. Prefer one celestial or viewing-related emoji at most, such as ✨, 🌙, 🚀, or 🍿. Do not use emoji in billing, privacy, legal, or error-critical messages.
- **Reading level:** Grade 7–8 for product copy; grade 8–10 for editorial and campaign storytelling.

## Boilerplate

- **Short:** Astra is a streaming and media universe for brighter discovery, timeless favorites, and stories that feel ready for launch.
- **Medium:** Astra is a streaming and media brand built for discovery. With a bright retro-futurist spirit, Astra brings movies, series, live media, classics, and hidden gems into one beautifully curated universe—making it easier to find the right story for tonight, tomorrow, or wherever your mood takes you.
- **Long:** Astra is a streaming and media brand with an optimistic, retro-futurist point of view: entertainment should feel easy to use and exciting to explore. Across movies, series, live media, classics, family favorites, and unexpected discoveries, Astra helps viewers find stories for every mood and moment. Its space-age identity brings a sense of wonder to the everyday act of watching, while its product experience keeps things clear, fast, and dependable. Astra is where timeless favorites and new worlds come into view.

## Voice in action

**Homepage hero for a new sci-fi series**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| hero-headline | A new world comes into view. | Stream the new original sci-fi drama now. | The preferred version adds Astra’s cinematic wonder while still clearly setting up discovery. |

**CTA on a title detail page**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Start watching | Initiate playback | Astra can be space-age, but core actions should stay familiar and frictionless. |

**Empty watchlist state**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Your watchlist is waiting for its first star. Save movies and shows here for later. | You haven’t added anything to your watchlist yet. Add titles to see them here. | The generic version is accurate but flat; the Astra version adds warmth and a light celestial cue. |

**Playback error**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | The stream drifted off course. Check your connection, then try again. | Something went wrong. Please check your internet connection and try again. | The preferred version keeps the required instruction but makes the moment feel branded without being flippant. |

**Subscription confirmation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | You’re aboard. Your Astra plan is active, and your first lineup is ready. | Your subscription has been successfully activated. | The generic version sounds transactional; Astra should make signup feel like entry into a media universe. |

**Recommendation rail**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Quiet voyages for a rainy night | Recommended dramas based on your viewing activity | Astra frames recommendations by mood and imagination, not by the mechanics of personalization. |

**New releases email subject line**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Fresh arrivals have landed on Astra | New movies and shows are now available | The preferred line uses a light retro-futurist verb while staying clear and concise. |

**Billing notice**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Your next Astra bill is March 12 for $12.99. | Your next billing transmission launches March 12 for $12.99. | Billing needs trust and clarity; this is where Astra should avoid themed language. |

**Parental controls setup**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Set viewing limits for each profile, so everyone gets the right stories for their age. | Customize content restrictions to control profile-level access permissions. | The preferred version is respectful and human, especially for family and safety settings. |

**Social post for a classic film collection**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Polish the chrome. Dim the lights. Our Space Age Classics collection is now streaming. ✨ | Our classic sci-fi collection is available to stream today. | Social can carry more atmosphere, rhythm, and visual personality than utility copy. |
