Wales Cymru

All communications should come straight from Wales.
Not a cold, corporate, faceless organisation.
Using language like 'we' and 'us' is a good start. So is talking about real people and places.
It makes communications sound like they're coming directly from Wales.

We see things differently than other countries.
Wales has its own point of view and opinions on things.
Be proud. Be confident. Be bold.

Don't shy away from truths, good or bad.
Be honest. People will warm to us.
"You can go to Wales and not see a person for miles." It's an honest statement.
"We have 149 pubs, 73 restaurants,125 hotels. And a 75,000 seat Millennium stadium."
That's a confident statement.
No over selling. Not overtly chest beating. Just honest and confident.

You don't have to be a stand up comedian to do this. We have a natural wry sense of humour in Wales. And we should use it. Whoever we're talking to.
Businessmen and students are humans too.  They like a laugh as much as the next man.  Remember humour is engaging, memorable and helps create word of mouth.

Straight talking doesn't mean being blunt. You can be 'to the point' in a fun, plain speaking way. Look at the way we talk about food. We don't talk about lobsters being "locally caught before being delivered to award winning restaurants where they're prepared by some of Wales's most accomplished chef's"
We say "Take our local lobster. Out of the sea, into the kitchen, onto the plate."

Try not to generalise. Use specific examples and true to life facts.
Talk to the man on the street. Visit the places you're writing about.
You may find something that surprises you and the people you're talking to.

Welsh is a beautiful living language.
It's an important part of what makes Wales distinctive.
But if you use it, use it wisely.
Whole paragraphs in Welsh will make it difficult for people to understand us.
Whereas paragraphs with a sprinkling of Welsh will add warmth and sincerity.

It's lazy.
Wales is full of interesting stories and people. Find them. Write about them.
Endear people to them.

It's too easy.
They're simply not us.
We're more original and straight-talking than that.

This is how every brochure, advert and website from a country is written.
People have seen it before.
They don’t need to see it again.

These are great examples that show using honest language and specific examples is far more human than using flowery, pretentious clichés. Write it as you would say it and you won't go far wrong.

These are phrases that are used by every country's marketing departments.
So if you think you've seen it before, you probably have.
And if it looks like it could be said by any other destination, don’t do it.

Yawn, yawn. Does this look familiar? You've probably read it a thousand times before. Same old cliches. Same old generalisations. It could be anywhere.  If you see Wales being described like this, it's time to rip it up and start again.