Pleasure Chest

Guidelines for our Brand Voice: Content and Copywriting Standards 

Overarching Concepts: 

• Brand Voice: Playful yet professional
• Workshop Focus: Lecture style, yet still engaging. Pleasure Education with a focus on a spectrum from novice to advanced.
• Copywriting standards: Puns, fun, and products (but never too low brow or at the expense of our brand or clientele)

Notes from Brand Book:

The Pleasure Chest is an inclusive environment that serves a diverse audience by validating and embracing the variety of sexual expression. Arousing a seductive experience based on gratification of the senses and provoking strong reactions by unapologetically breaking convention, we gratify the desires and feelings of our audience by offering a higher standard of living. As an experienced and trusted advisor, we are wholeheartedly dedicated to educating our audience and continuing to learn ourselves.

Keywords:

Here are some keywords representative of our range of personality traits as a brand:

• Inclusive, variety, diverse, approachable
• Arousal, sensual, sexual, seductive, experiential, sincere, gender inclusive
• Rebellious, provocative, extroverted, innovative, unafraid, sarcastic
• Aspirational, indulgent, elegant, sassy, sexy, handsome, humorous
• Trustworthy, open-minded, wise, sophisticated, committed, connected, concerned, curious

Gender inclusivity (applied to everything above and below: branding, mission, content, copywriting, workshop descriptions, staff training, product descriptions and reviews, vendor relations, website language, Pleasure Education program…)

• Focus on creating a safe space for staff, customers and workshop attendees.
• Recognizing and appreciating different gender identities.
• One’s gender identity and expression may not fit within the gender binary and/or may not match their sex assigned at birth or their perceived gender.
• Using gender neutral language: Addressing customers and staff as ‘person, people, folks’ 
• No assumption of gender identities or sexual orientations
• Using and asking for people’s pronouns (this is a broad spectrum and sometimes folks like to switch their pronouns based on their surroundings, so it is always best to ask).
• Adopting neutral language when referring to body parts whenever possible: genitals, chest, external, internal, front door, back door…
• Discussion of products focusing on their broad features and functions as opposed to association with a specific gender: Instead of saying ‘for women’ or ‘for men’ use terms such as vulva owner, penis owner, or identify what part of the body the toy will enhance pleasure for. Examples: folks with prostates, g-spot, p-spot play….
• Possible exceptions: In some cases SEO terminology and search terms inform our content and we do defer to gendered terminology (ie: ‘sex toys for men’ ‘men for men’ ‘sex toys for women’) when the content will be obscured, inaccessible or irrelevant to the general public.

Content Writing:

• For blog:
  • (On a range from serious to light/ fun topics and voice): Focus on education, timely topics, seasonal topics (usually related to our campaigns), products, product features, anatomy, featured vendors, featured workshops, special events, toy reviews, guest blogger posts, sexual health… 
  • Format usually starts with introduction to topic, discussion around and in support of it (outside information credited if used), incorporation of products either throughout the blog as relevant or at the end as a featured section to support the main topic. Product-related photos and videos are also inserted when mentioned.
  • No outside links are used. Only internal and product links to our pleasure chest site. 
  • Memes and Gifs can be used for humor / education
  • Guest educators featured at end of blog with an outside link to their social media page

BLOG Fun/ Light Example: (Anal August Blog Intro) It's that time of year when it's all about the rear. And yes, we've got all the gear! 'Butt' there's so much more to anal sex than just plugs, beads, and prostate massagers. Whether you are embarking on your first anal odyssey or are a certified Ass Master, we've got some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your anal adventure!

https://thepleasurechest.com/blog/blog/whatwhatinthebutt/

BLOG Serious/ Historic Example: (Pride Blog Intro) 2019 marks the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall, a New York uprising that ushered in a new era in the Gay Rights Movement. The Stonewall Inn, as most past (and present-day gay bars), served as a place of refuge for LGBTQ+ folks to gather amidst the contentious climate that both condemned and criminalized queer culture in small and big cities alike. https://thepleasurechest.com/blog/blog/50-years-of-pride/

BLOG Sexual Health Focused: (Benefits of Prostate Massage): Prostate massage has health and erotic benefits that have been well documented for centuries. The writings of Tantra and Tao described the prostate as an energetic and erotic center of vitality and virility. Up until the middle of the 20th century, massage of the gland was the gold standard for prostate ailments. Interestingly enough the new millennium has seen a rediscovery of the power of prostate massage for a variety of purposes ranging from erotic amplification to sexual health and wellness. https://thepleasurechest.com/blog/blog/the-pros-of-prostate-massage/

• For products:
  • Research of product gathered via vendor link or website
  • Main assets of product summarized
  • Copy written for site in a fun yet informative manner, usually in 3-4 sentences. (Brevity is often best, but sometimes it’s stronger if it’s longer). This can range from more straight-forward to whimsical, as long as it contains all the major features/ selling points of the product(s)
  • Written in a way that highlights what makes the product stand out and what it may achieve for the user
  • Gender neutral language is used (see above for guidelines)
  • Puns, alliteration, pop culture have all been used in product copy, but following the AAVE (?) guidelines and never at the expense of the product, brand or customer
  • Most importantly, copy expresses the features and highlights of the product 

PRODUCTS Example: Le Wand Chrome Bullet Black

Is it time to upgrade your bullet vibe? Le Wand is setting a new standard of sexy with their Le Chrome line. This beautiful, travel-friendly bullet is fully encased in body-safe metal and houses 11 easy to control vibration modes that will bring you to a new echelon of elegance and ecstasy. Pop on one of the included textured silicone attachments for a softer touch and heightened sensation!

PRODUCTS Example: Turbo Baller

Experience a truly next level joyride. This Baller delivers right out the box with a 360 circulating motion, 8 powerful vibration modes, sculpted G-spot precision and is made of luxurious lifelike premium silicone. Turn them all on at once and the Turbo Baller 2.0 will definitely return the favor. Enjoy all the balls and whistles with the wireless remote and hours of waterproof play. Comes in "chocolate" and "vanilla".

• For Web: SEO rich category descriptions
  • Homepage copy updates made to reference seasonal campaigns or sales and link to various categories or new categories we create based on seasonal sales or featured vendors. These are short blurbs to fit better in desktop and mobile views using as much SEO as possible. Broken down into 3 homepage banners visible at www.pleasurechest.com.

WEB COPY Examples: 

• Homepage banner 1: It’s our Anniversary! Enjoy Free Shipping all month (link to most popular sex toys page)
• Homepage banner 2: Cruise our most popular dildos recommended by staff and customers alike. (Link to most popular dildos page)
• Homepage banner 3: With great power comes great orgasms! (Link to powerful vibes page)

• Web Category descriptions reference SEO keywords master list while using engaging and descriptive examples of products.

Like playing games? Here are a few that will bring you closer. Break the ice, find your partner’s hidden fetish or uncover any secret desires with erotic Truth or Dare games, Kama Sutra position guides, and redeemable Sex Coupons. Roll the Dirty Dice and see where the night takes you.

Sex Position Aids

Prep and prop yourself for deeper penetration, more comfortable angles and more stable positioning for all sizes and abilities with these pleasure position aids. Try adding under the bed restraints, a sex sling, or padded position wedge for longer, stronger and safer sex. Start with a how-to Sex Guide for inspiration!

Sensation Play

From tickling to tingling, enjoy new sensations with just about anyone. Heighten your senses with a padded or leather blindfold, nipple clamps, Neon Wand Electro Sex Kit, paddles, crops, ticklers, massage oil candles and more. Don’t forget the friction-activated sensation lube. You’ve been warmed!

• Social Media:
• Photo and posting guidelines are dictated by each different social media medium: Facebook (4 total pages), Twitter (3 total accounts), Instagram (one main account for all stores), Fetlife.com (3 total accounts).
• Main platform for daily posting: Instagram
• Main platform for circulating industry relevant articles and listing events: Facebook
• Mostly events posting: Fetlife.com
• Mostly retweeting comments and mentions: Twitter
• Instagram is our most used platform and is used to share events (on and off site), products, featured vendors, staff content, sales, seasonal campaign content and imagery.
• The feed is curated by social media manager only at the beginning of the month or once all the assets and content for the month have been finalized and shared with input from others.
• Stories are shared by all managers with a set of guidelines submitted in a separate doc.
• Voice is a little more playful and relatable/ engaging: Examples: www.instagram.com/pleasurecheststores

• Workshops:
•       Mission: To help you have the best sex of your life.
• To support our community’s sexual growth and exploration by pioneering a sex positive culture, with an emphasis on education, enjoyment, and inclusivity. 
• Adults 18+ of all genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and relationship statuses are welcome in our stores and at our workshops. 
• Workshop copy for street facing banners and certain press outlets/ external promotional outlets (ie timeout.com, LA Weekly…) must be edited to fit those guidelines. Example: ‘Blowjobs’ should be changed to ‘BJ’s’ and ‘Pussy Pleasing’ to ‘Vulva Pleasure’…
• Workshop lineups are delivered quarterly: Q1-Q4 and uploaded to the google drive based off descriptions from our Master List. New classes and content are also allowed, but revised and copy edited/ copy checked before finalized and posted on web, social media (mostly Facebook and Fetlife), and our in-store flyers.
• Our Master List contains an evolving list of workshops, workshops descriptions, and shortened blurbs for our in-store workshop flyers. Link to workshop master list: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1zyMjkmyeyFUIctc3v-H-1-DLPMYy3LCW

Workshop Description Example: 

Blowjobs & Beyond

Blurb for in-store flyers or abbreviated for other outlets when needed: We’ll cover anatomy, tips and tricks, and deep throating, plus other sexy secrets that are sure to have your partner begging for more.

Main description for web/ social media: Want to have them squirming in their seat? Our Sex Specialists will show you how to use your mouth, hands, and more to give mind-blowing blowjobs. We’ll cover anatomy, tips and tricks, the truths and myths of “deep throat” plus other sexy secrets that are sure to have them begging for more.

Newsletters (Mailchimp) also follows PC brand voice and all rules above:

• Newsletter format: Header image (recommended size 800 x800). Short copy below reflecting our current seasonal campaign verbiage or any featured vendors, products or sales. (This is usually taken from a few blurbs from whichever blog we have written at the beginning of the month highlighting these features)
• Featured products: 3-4 featured products are chosen with an image and description, including price. Copy is grabbed and sometimes adjusted/shortened from our web descriptions to flow better in the newsletter copy area for each product. 
• Workshops: Same as above
• Footer: Any big news, important guest educator, off site event Pleasure Chest will be attending, sale, featured workshop, seasonal messaging goes here with a  small blurb underneath
• IMPORTANT NEWSLETTER NOTE: (can possibly affect SEO). Any links to products must be changed to outside links via the bit.ly site to avert spam filters. Any images containing ‘spam detectable’ words must also be changed before importing into mailchimp. Names of products and workshops are not hyperlinked due to this issue, instead short blurbs about products and workshop dates and times are hyperlinked with descriptions below. ALL spam detectable words must find workarounds for newsletter titles, subtitles, main headers and any links.

Newsletter Example:

Header image and blurb. Links to sale links or pleasurechest.com. Featured promo and toys.

All links are shortened via bit.ly to avoid spam filters unless linking directly to pleasurechest.com.

List of weekly featured workshops with descriptions. Any image file names must be changed before importing if contain spam detectable content, ie: blowjob, sex, etc. Footer (second image) contains any seasonal features, sales, off-site events, etc. 

Etc notes: Four different newsletters are made each month with content reflecting each cities specific events. Social media buttons in each footer must be updated to reflect each different city’s corresponding social media pages.