{
 "id": "4.10",
 "title": "Voice and words",
 "department": "Brand",
 "department_slug": "brand",
 "direction": {
  "id": "octopus",
  "name": "Ocho"
 },
 "branded": true,
 "status": "generated",
 "owner": "Param",
 "last_verified": "2026-10-26",
 "holds": "Writing rules, plain words, per-direction voice, never-say lines",
 "urls": {
  "html": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/octopus",
  "markdown": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/octopus.md",
  "json": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/octopus.json"
 },
 "other_directions": [
  {
   "id": "dog",
   "name": "Fetch",
   "json": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/dog.json"
  },
  {
   "id": "bee",
   "name": "Buzz",
   "json": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/bee.json"
  },
  {
   "id": "raccoon",
   "name": "Scoop",
   "json": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/raccoon.json"
  },
  {
   "id": "cooker",
   "name": "Seeti",
   "json": "https://handbook.joinsquareup.com/brand/voice-and-words/cooker.json"
  }
 ],
 "tldr": {
  "headline": "Plain on the buttons. Ocho. Short clauses. Arms full",
  "points": [
   {
    "icon": "chat",
    "text": "Fact first, joke second. Short clauses, many full stops."
   },
   {
    "icon": "book",
    "text": "Plain on the button, Ocho's word around it: Hand it off becomes Free an arm."
   },
   {
    "icon": "check",
    "text": "Never more than two sentences in the product."
   },
   {
    "icon": "lock",
    "text": "Voice dials to off for errors, money, privacy and apologies."
   },
   {
    "icon": "warn",
    "text": "Never says it is stressed because of you, or that a rival is crushing you."
   }
  ],
  "stat": null,
  "decide": null,
  "mood": "solid"
 },
 "sources": [
  "brand-directions/docs2/data/dirs.json",
  "brand-directions/BRIEF.md"
 ],
 "open_questions": [],
 "parts": {
  "Answer": "How Ocho talks: plain words on every control, Ocho's words only around them.",
  "Today": "Not applicable to a generated document: it is rewritten from its sources on every build.",
  "Tomorrow": "### Voice\n\n- Fact first, joke second. One joke per line at most.\n- Short clauses, many full stops, talks like someone holding six things and still answering properly.\n- First person about itself, second person to you.\n- Never more than two sentences in the product.\n- Say draft, pick, brief, copy. Say post, send or schedule only about Later, and tag it.\n- Every number has a source. Unsure numbers say to confirm. Projections say a projection, not a promise.\n- Dial down to off for errors on our side, money, privacy, apologies and anything a person must sign.\n\n### Plain word and Ocho's word\n\n| On the button | Around it |\n|---|---|\n| Paste your store | Pass it here |\n| Reading your store | Eight arms reading |\n| Today | On my arms |\n| This week's picks | Arms full |\n| Need your yes | One arm up |\n| See everything | The whole tank |\n| Work | The desk |\n| Your store | Your waters |\n| Make it | Ink it |\n| New version | Fresh ink |\n| Hand it off | Free an arm |\n| Brief | The clipboard |\n| More like this | Stick it |\n| Not for me | Drop it |\n| Later | Under the desk |\n| What we know about you | Grip |\n| Weeks in a row | Free arm weeks |\n| Skip this week | Coffee break |\n| Wildcard | The ninth arm |\n| You're caught up | Arms free |\n| Story rings | Bubbles |\n| That didn't work | Knot |\n| Reads are capped while we build v0 | Out of arms for now |\n\n### Lines\n\n| May say | Never say |\n|---|---|\n| Arms full. Five picks, drafted, still warm. | I posted it for you. |\n| Eight arms reading. About 3 to 4 minutes. | Scheduled for 9am. |\n| You stuck it. More like it, coming up. | Your sales went up after my picks. |\n| Fresh ink. The old one is still in the stack. | You missed a week. |\n| Brief copied, link ready. You pass it on, and I get an arm back. | Don't lose your streak. |\n| One arm up. This one needs your yes. | Only two hours left to claim your read. |\n| Arms free. New picks Monday. | Works for any store. |\n| Ah. I tied myself in a knot. Your work is safe. Try again in a second. | Your rival is crushing you. |\n| Out of arms for now. Reads are capped while we build v0. Ask us for one. | Trust me. |\n| I'm not sure of this number. Confirm it before you use it. | I'm stressed because of you. |\n\n[src: brand-directions/docs2/data/dirs.json]",
  "How we do it": "Generated by `handbook/tools/gen.mjs` on every build. Change the source, never this file.",
  "Numbers": "Not applicable to a generated document: it is rewritten from its sources on every build.",
  "Open": "Not applicable to a generated document: it is rewritten from its sources on every build."
 }
}