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Brand & Communication

Pasar Seken has a voice. Not just a style guide, a voice. A way of speaking that is recognisable before a logo appears, consistent whether you are reading a push notification or a 300-word email, and always, without exception, the voice of someone who genuinely loves preloved fashion. This document defines that voice and gives everyone on the team, writer, designer, product manager, agency partner, the tools to use it correctly.

For visual identity (colors, typography, logo usage), see Brand Guidelines.

The master brand voice​

Three words define Pasar Seken's communication character across every format and audience:

SoulfulWe care about people,not just transactions.Personal · EmpatheticNever corporateGroundedReal talk for real lives.No hype, no empty promises.Honest · Direct · SpecificNever vagueAliveFashion is exciting.Thrifting is a hunt. Feel it.Energetic · ConfidentNever exhausting

The test before you publish: Would a cool, trustworthy friend say this?

If yes, publish. If it sounds like a press release, a legal disclaimer, or a TV commercial, rewrite it.

Voice vs tone, understanding the difference​

The voice is fixed. It is who Pasar Seken is. Soulful, Grounded, Alive, always.

The tone shifts. It responds to context, who is reading, what they need right now, what platform they are on. The same person speaks differently at a job interview and at a warung with friends. Same person, different tone.

Voice — never changesSoulful · Grounded · Alive — in every word, on every platformTone — shifts by contextTikTok ≠ email ≠ in-app ≠ push notification

Buyer voice, the 5 pillars​

When writing for buyers, every piece of copy should activate at least one of these five lenses. The best copy activates two or three simultaneously.

01Discovery joyThe thrill of the find. Shopping as adventure, not chore.✅ Sounds like:Dapat [brand] cuma [price]K? Cuma di Seken.❌ Not:Browse our selection of available items.02Smart valueBeing savvy is aspirational. This is taste, not desperation.✅ Sounds like:50% below retail isn't luck — it's knowing where to look.❌ Not:Affordable prices on pre-owned clothing.03Unique identityWhat you wear tells your story. Mass-market can't do this.✅ Sounds like:Style unik yang gak bakal kamu temuin di mall.❌ Not:A wide variety of secondhand fashion items.04Ease & trustNo sketchy DMs. No guessing. Scroll, tap, done.✅ Sounds like:Bayar aman. Barang terjamin. Titik.❌ Not:Our platform facilitates secure peer-to-peer transactions.05Sustainability — worn lightlyBuying secondhand is a conscious choice — not a compromise. Express this through empowerment, never through guilt or lectures.✅ "Beli seken — karena kamu yang menentukan cerita selanjutnya."❌ "Help reduce fashion waste by purchasing secondhand."

Seller voice, the 5 pillars​

Sellers are a different person at a different moment. They need less poetry and more permission, permission to start, permission to believe it's easy, permission to feel good about what they're doing.

01Radical simplicityListing must feel smaller than not listing. Remove all mental friction.✅ Sounds like:3 langkah. 5 menit. Udah bisa cuan.❌ Not:Complete the seller onboarding process to begin listing.02Cuan in handReal money for real things sitting in a real wardrobe right now.✅ Sounds like:Lemarimu menyimpan uang yang belum kamu ambil.❌ Not:Earn passive income by monetizing pre-owned goods.03Real reachMore buyers than any DM, group, or friend network can reach.✅ Sounds like:Ribuan pembeli aktif — bukan sekadar followersmu.❌ Not:Access our broad marketplace for maximum exposure.04You are in controlYour items. Your price. Your pace. We handle the logistics.✅ Sounds like:Kamu tentukan harga. Kamu tentukan kapan. Kami yang urus sisanya.❌ Not:Our platform manages the end-to-end transaction for you.05Passing on, not offloadingReframe the act of selling. You are not getting rid of something — you are giving it a second chapter. This framing is more motivating than any discount.✅ "Baju yang kamu cintai dulu — saatnya dicintai lagi."❌ "Sell your used clothing items on our platform."

The copy test framework​

Before publishing any piece of copy, run it through these four tests in order:

Friend testWould a cool, trustedfriend say this?Yes → proceedNo → rewriteKamu testDoes it use "kamu" not"Anda"? Is it casual?Yes → proceedNo → rewriteStory testDoes it give the itemor person a story?Yes → proceedMissing soul — add itCringe testRead it out loud. Doesanything feel off?No cringe → shipYes → rewrite

Copy rules​

Language and register​

  • Bahasa Indonesia is the primary language, casual, natural, with bahasa gaul where it fits
  • Use "kamu": never "Anda". We are peers, not a bank
  • English is fine for brand names, common loanwords, widely-understood terms (outfit, thrift, vibe)
  • Code-switching is natural and acceptable, "Style kamu beda, dong"
  • If a sentence reads like it was written by a lawyer, a consultant, or a robot, rewrite it

Structure and rhythm​

  • Lead with the benefit or emotion, not the feature
  • Short sentences. One idea per sentence. White space is your friend.
  • Use specific numbers: they are more credible and more surprising than vague language
Instead ofWrite
"Harga murah""Cuma 75K"
"Mudah digunakan""3 langkah"
"Hemat banyak""50% di bawah harga mall"
"Proses cepat""60 detik"
  • Questions work as hooks: they create a gap the reader wants to close
HookWhy it works
"Baju lama kamu kemana?"Opens a loop. The wardrobe question everyone has.
"Sudah berapa lama kamu pakai baju yang sama?"Creates gentle restlessness
"Kamu tahu berapa harga asli baju ini?"Invites the price reveal, the most-clicked content format

Punctuation and formatting​

ElementRule
Exclamation pointsMax 1 per message. Used sparingly, they have power. Used constantly, they mean nothing.
Emoji1-2 per social post. 0 in articles or long-form. Never as a substitute for a word.
ALL CAPSNever for emphasis. Use bold or italics instead.
EllipsisUse sparingly, they can create mystery but also feel weak
HashtagsIn posts, not in captions. They are navigation, not copy.

What to never write​

These are hard stops, not style preferences.

Word / phraseWhy it's bannedSay instead
"Pre-owned"Feels clinical. Pawnshop energy."Seken", "fashion seken"
"Used goods"Devalues the item and the platform"Seken", "bekas yang punya cerita"
"Purchase" / "acquire"Formal to the point of cold"Beli", "dapetin"
"Monetize"SaaS pitch deck, not marketplace"Cuan", "hasilkan", "jual"
"Leverage"Corporate jargonDelete the sentence and say the thing directly
"Utilize"There is always a simpler word"Pakai", "gunakan"
"Even though it's used..."Apologising for what we areNever qualify. We don't apologise for preloved.
"Don't miss out" / "Act now"Fake urgency erodes trustSay what's actually special, not that it ends soon
"Lorem ipsum" / "Coming soon"Placeholder copy should never shipIf you don't have the content, don't publish the section
"Anda"Too formal, kills peer-to-peer feel"Kamu", always
The apology rule

Never write copy that implicitly apologises for Pasar Seken being a secondhand platform. Phrases like "even though it's used", "despite being preloved", or "at a reduced price" all carry the assumption that secondhand is inferior. It is not. Our copy should reflect that conviction in every word.

Tone by channel​

The voice is constant. The tone adapts. Here is how:

TikTokPlayful · High energy · Trend-nativeEntertainment-first. Hook in 2 seconds or lose them forever.e.g. "Guess the price. No seriously, guess. 👇"Instagram FeedAspirational · Styled · Slightly elevatedVisual platform. First impression = brand impression.e.g. "Di sini, setiap barang punya cerita."Instagram StoriesCasual · Spontaneous · RealEphemeral. Feels like texting a friend who has great taste.e.g. "Tebak berapa harga ini — poll di bawah 👇"WhatsAppDirect · Personal · Helpful1:1 or small group. Treat as human conversation, not broadcast.e.g. "Ada item baru dari seller favoritmu — cek dulu"EmailWarm · Informative · Value-firstThey opted in. Respect that. Never send without a reason.e.g. "Harga item wishlistmu baru aja turun."Push notificationsUltra-short · Specific · Earn the tapInterruptive. Every push must justify its existence.e.g. "ada yang beli 🎉 — cek pesananmu"

In-app copy, the special case​

In-app copy operates at a different level of intimacy. The user is in the middle of a task. They need clarity, not creativity. The brand voice still applies, but the tone shifts to instructive, reassuring, and friendly.

MomentTone goalExample
Empty state (no listings yet)Encouraging, low-friction"Lemarimu punya cerita. Mulai dari satu foto."
First listing liveCelebratory, personal"Yes! Barangmu sudah live, pembeli bisa lihat sekarang."
First saleEmotional peak"ada yang beli 🎉, ini momen yang kamu tunggu."
Payment held in escrowReassuring"Pembayaran aman. Akan cair setelah pembeli konfirmasi."
Dispute openedCalm, clear"Kami bantu selesaikan ini. Ceritakan yang terjadi."
Error stateNon-alarming"Ada yang gak beres. Coba lagi?"

Writing for both audiences at once​

Some of the most effective Pasar Seken copy speaks to buyers and sellers simultaneously, because, as Audiences explains, they are often the same person at different moments.

"Dari lemari seseorang — ke hatimu."Buyer receives story · Seller is honoured"Seken: tempat baju lama menemukan rumah baru."Buyer discovers · Seller releases with purpose

When in doubt about which voice to use, write for the person. The Ayu who is also Sari. The one who buys today and sells next Sunday.