Organizational Voice
How to make your messages sound consistent with Pro-Animal Future's style.
Messages from Pro-Animal Future should convey hope and gratitude. Hope that when American voters are asked about what kind of world we should create together, those voters will choose a kinder world for animals. Gratitude that when we give an empathetic ear to people’s hesitations about leaving animal farming behind, they respond with increased moral clarity. This is a movement of regular people just trying to make the future a bit brighter. If we can demonstrate through our choice of words that we’re welcoming everyone to be part of that brighter future, most people will join up.
Guiding Principles
Bold
We’re asking for big, transformative change, and we’re not shy about it.
Do: Confidently state that we are working to evolve away from factory farming, one step at a time.
Don't: Understate our objectives because you’re worried that they won’t be popular.
Progressive
We're boldly marching into a better future and not stuck in the past.
Do: Use language that emphasizes future possibilities, progress, evolution, and what's achievable.
Don't: Rely on arguments based on naturalism or other regressive values, such as claiming that veganism is the only "natural" way to eat.
Don’t: Use the word “progressive” explicitly or rely on it to get this point across.
Political
Our greatest power as individuals and as a movement will come when we act through the political process to change laws and force government action.
Do: Emphasize political action, collective efforts, and societal progress towards a shared goal.
Don't: Insist on veganism or individual ethical consumption as the solution.
Optimistic
We believe that the arc of the moral universe, with our help, bends towards justice. We’re fighting to win, whether in one election or towards our ultimate goal.
Do: Express a belief in positive change and the advancement of justice with our contribution. Even perceived losses can and should be reframed as wins.
Don’t: Dwell on the negative impacts of animal farming without providing an actionable solution.
Caring
We lead with empathy and listen first.
Do: Acknowledge that there will be some losses in the world we're trying to create while pointing towards the future we want.
Don't: Judge, berate, or adopt an adversarial tone.
Mainstream
We're a movement of ordinary people, and everyone is welcome.
Do: Speak in simple, common language that can be easily understood by all. Speak in an inclusive, relatable way that resonates with a broad audience (e.g. using personal stories) to show that anyone who cares about animals is welcome in this movement.
Don't: Position ourselves as radical outsiders or suggest that regular people are immoral or hypocritical. Also avoid using academic, philosophical, or activist-specific jargon.
Grassroots
We're a movement of voters, volunteers, and small donors. We fund ourselves so that we can build an independent movement.
Do: Speak as “we”, use photos of groups of canvassers, and highlight the entire community that is behind these measures. Messaging should emphasize local volunteers, small-dollar donors, and the power of communities in shaping change.
Don't: Focus excessively on a few individual contributors, or use messaging that makes us seem like a big, corporate nonprofit rather than a local and people-powered movement.
Local
We are a collective of local organizations started by activists who want to fight factory farming in our communities.
Do: Have activists from the relevant region speak for PAF regarding their local campaigns. Use "we" when talking about voters from our areas. Lead with local statistics, endorsements, and stories.
Don't: Be shy about the connection between PAF chapters and the collective power we're building together.
Professional
We take ourselves and our work seriously, and it shows. We leave people with the impression of a disciplined organization that operates like a well-oiled machine.
Do: Default to formal language; prefer images of well-groomed volunteers.
Don't: Overuse slang, and be sure to use it correctly. Use too many exclamation marks (i.e., not more than once per paragraph or short post) or swear words (limit to one per piece of content).
Focused
We focus on our core issue of animal rights, without alienating potential supporters with partisan messaging or taking a specific stance on controversial or divisive topics that are unrelated to our mission.
Do: Remain non-partisan with a tone of ‘if you’re pro-animal, you belong here.’
Don’t: Align our brand with specific political parties, views, or stances on divisive topics that are not focused on animal rights.
Phraseology
Animal-free or plant-based (food, diets)
Vegan
"Whether you're vegetarian, vegan, or a meat-eater, we can all agree..."
"It's great to be around other vegans."
He/she/they (to refer to animals)
It (to refer to animals)
Voters, campaigners, community members, volunteers, canvassers
Activists (for voter-facing content), vegans
Our mission is to evolve away from / phase out factory farming
Our mission is to end factory farming / end the farming of animals for food
"A pro-animal world is possible, thanks in part to new technology."
"Cultivated meat will solve our problems"
“We’re pushing back against factory farming / industrial agriculture / mega-farms / the corporate meat industry…”
“We’re pushing back against animal agriculture / ranchers / the meat industry”
(focus on industrial-scale ag or corporations)
“The corporate meat industry is bad”
“Meat is bad”
“Fuck factory farms” on certain merch items like stickers
“Fuck factory farms” on PAF’s social media or other public-facing digital content that may be seen by potential endorsers
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