Afternoon Social Club is a new pickleball based lifestyle brand in the US and Australia. The brand is meant to feel like the best sunshining part of the day. Hazy, lazy, but just active enough – for casually competitive athletes. So the question was how to write like the breeze? Pickleball was booming, but the category had no voice for this kind of casual athlete culture. Everyone was either too serious or too ironic. We needed a tone that felt effortless, confident, and welcoming.
To start, we drew inspiration from images and vibes from the pre-irony era. DGAF short shorts, tan lines, koozies, and plastic sunnies. 1985. Three’s Company. LA. Magnum P.I.ish. The literal band Tanlines. Bobby McFarrin. What does it feel like being 25 in McCarren Park and Bondi Beach with nothing weighing on the conscious? Slightly buzzed. Buzzing with your mates. Satisfaction guaranteed.
From there, like a great Bob Guccione photoshoot, the language flowed. We created principles around feeling chill with hums of Energy. Confident. Welcoming. Cheeky. The brand promise became simple: the most super chill sports brand on the planet, built for people who want to feel good.
Then we wrote instructions for writing:
“It’s Afternoon time, boys and girls. And for all you writers out there, time to pack your finest summertime vibey language. Because this is a safe space to take in the moment and write what feels good. To get experimental with words like swinging, paddles, pickles, and balls. AKA it’ll be the best chill-time copy assignment of your life. In other words, this is a tone that feels like a warm sunny day. With sunglasses and full glasses, probably. So just write stuff that feels lively and unbored. And never go all overboard or try hard. (Because that would feel like arriving way too early at the office before coffee.)
Feel very free to write about things like: Tan lines and horizon lines. Street signs and skylines. Summer lovin’. Mates. Dates. Tom Waits. Lazy, hazy days. China Beaches and Bondi Towns. Whatever comes to mind. Never mind. Just chill and write like the Afternoon.”
We built language that would work across all brand touchpoints: site, apparel, product, social. Here are a few examples of voice in action:
“Dink shots then drink shots.”
“No presh pickleball.”
“Welcome to the friend zone.”
At the end of the day, we’re luxuriating a bit in anti-writing. Throwing the copy rules out the window. But still, you know, good writing. Casual caring, but not too much. Like the right amount of sun. A voice that’s familiar and still new. Like the best part of any good day. The voice is the invitation, the vibe is the membership, and the whole point is simple: come for the game, stay for the afternoon.
Credits:
Creative Director: Dave Clark, Andrew Guirguis
Copywriter: Dave Clark
Designer: Andrew Guirguis
Agency: George
Client: Joel Sussman, Founder Afternoon Social Club
Afternoon Social Club is a new pickleball based lifestyle brand in the US and Australia. The brand is meant to feel like the best sunshining part of the day. Hazy, lazy, but just active enough – for casually competitive athletes. So the question was how to write like the breeze? Pickleball was booming, but the category had no voice for this kind of casual athlete culture. Everyone was either too serious or too ironic. We needed a tone that felt effortless, confident, and welcoming.
To start, we drew inspiration from images and vibes from the pre-irony era. DGAF short shorts, tan lines, koozies, and plastic sunnies. 1985. Three’s Company. LA. Magnum P.I.ish. The literal band Tanlines. Bobby McFarrin. What does it feel like being 25 in McCarren Park and Bondi Beach with nothing weighing on the conscious? Slightly buzzed. Buzzing with your mates. Satisfaction guaranteed.
From there, like a great Bob Guccione photoshoot, the language flowed. We created principles around feeling chill with hums of Energy. Confident. Welcoming. Cheeky. The brand promise became simple: the most super chill sports brand on the planet, built for people who want to feel good.
Then we wrote instructions for writing:
“It’s Afternoon time, boys and girls. And for all you writers out there, time to pack your finest summertime vibey language. Because this is a safe space to take in the moment and write what feels good. To get experimental with words like swinging, paddles, pickles, and balls. AKA it’ll be the best chill-time copy assignment of your life. In other words, this is a tone that feels like a warm sunny day. With sunglasses and full glasses, probably. So just write stuff that feels lively and unbored. And never go all overboard or try hard. (Because that would feel like arriving way too early at the office before coffee.)
Feel very free to write about things like: Tan lines and horizon lines. Street signs and skylines. Summer lovin’. Mates. Dates. Tom Waits. Lazy, hazy days. China Beaches and Bondi Towns. Whatever comes to mind. Never mind. Just chill and write like the Afternoon.”
We built language that would work across all brand touchpoints: site, apparel, product, social. Here are a few examples of voice in action:
“Dink shots then drink shots.”
“No presh pickleball.”
“Welcome to the friend zone.”
At the end of the day, we’re luxuriating a bit in anti-writing. Throwing the copy rules out the window. But still, you know, good writing. Casual caring, but not too much. Like the right amount of sun. A voice that’s familiar and still new. Like the best part of any good day. The voice is the invitation, the vibe is the membership, and the whole point is simple: come for the game, stay for the afternoon.
Credits:
Creative Director: Dave Clark, Andrew Guirguis
Copywriter: Dave Clark
Designer: Andrew Guirguis
Agency: George
Client: Joel Sussman, Founder Afternoon Social Club
Further Reading
