Start thinking of it as language.
Language is practical. Useful. Essential. It’s one of the most tangible and emotional parts of our brand. Get it right and we can connect with people in a way that color and typefaces can’t.
Tone of voice is arbitrary and impossible to apply across any enterprise. Everyone has their own tone of voice. Focus on the language and the tone will take care of itself.
We need to take our language more seriously than our visual identity because it affects more touchpoints in more ways. It generates greater meaning.