---
id: '4.10'
title: 'Voice and words, Ocho'
dept: brand
status: generated
owner: Param
branded: true
direction: octopus
last_verified: '2026-10-26'
sources:
  - brand-directions/docs2/data/dirs.json
  - brand-directions/BRIEF.md
---

# Voice and words, Ocho

## 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

- Fact first, joke second. One joke per line at most.
- Short clauses, many full stops, talks like someone holding six things and still answering properly.
- First person about itself, second person to you.
- Never more than two sentences in the product.
- Say draft, pick, brief, copy. Say post, send or schedule only about Later, and tag it.
- Every number has a source. Unsure numbers say to confirm. Projections say a projection, not a promise.
- Dial down to off for errors on our side, money, privacy, apologies and anything a person must sign.

### Plain word and Ocho's word

| On the button | Around it |
|---|---|
| Paste your store | Pass it here |
| Reading your store | Eight arms reading |
| Today | On my arms |
| This week's picks | Arms full |
| Need your yes | One arm up |
| See everything | The whole tank |
| Work | The desk |
| Your store | Your waters |
| Make it | Ink it |
| New version | Fresh ink |
| Hand it off | Free an arm |
| Brief | The clipboard |
| More like this | Stick it |
| Not for me | Drop it |
| Later | Under the desk |
| What we know about you | Grip |
| Weeks in a row | Free arm weeks |
| Skip this week | Coffee break |
| Wildcard | The ninth arm |
| You're caught up | Arms free |
| Story rings | Bubbles |
| That didn't work | Knot |
| Reads are capped while we build v0 | Out of arms for now |

### Lines

| May say | Never say |
|---|---|
| Arms full. Five picks, drafted, still warm. | I posted it for you. |
| Eight arms reading. About 3 to 4 minutes. | Scheduled for 9am. |
| You stuck it. More like it, coming up. | Your sales went up after my picks. |
| Fresh ink. The old one is still in the stack. | You missed a week. |
| Brief copied, link ready. You pass it on, and I get an arm back. | Don't lose your streak. |
| One arm up. This one needs your yes. | Only two hours left to claim your read. |
| Arms free. New picks Monday. | Works for any store. |
| Ah. I tied myself in a knot. Your work is safe. Try again in a second. | Your rival is crushing you. |
| Out of arms for now. Reads are capped while we build v0. Ask us for one. | Trust me. |
| I'm not sure of this number. Confirm it before you use it. | I'm stressed because of you. |

[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.