In this episode of the Words Work at Microsoft Podcast, we talk to Brian McKenna—a respected creative director and copywriter in Seattle who was an integral part of Microsoft Office voice work.

Jenn's disclaimer: I forgot to turn off my Outlook notifications during the recording. We didn't hear it while we were talking, but my computer definitely picked it up. Unfortunately, that means chimes are littered throughout Brian's lovely interview. Mea culpa, Brian. Mea culpa, listeners. Lesson learned. We think Brian's charm will help you ignore the interruptions.

The industry talks a lot about brand voice, customer love, and company values. But it wasn’t always so. One company set the stage for the world to follow. That company was Starbucks, and Brian was one of their early storytellers. And he shares his optimistic perspective with us today on the pod.

On the Words Work At Microsoft Podcast, we’ll be chatting about how Microsoft culture has evolved, starting with the way we talk. In each episode we’ll interview someone within the Microsoft writing community, giving you (dear listener) an inside look at how we approach our work. And, hopefully, offering up a heavy dose of trips and tricks along the way.

Special thanks to Sokolovsky Music for our funky background music: https://soundcloud.com/sokolovskymusic/funk-free-music