Helping Codesmith find their new voice
Codesmith is a software engineering bootcamp that offers immersive, full-stack JavaScript programs designed to prepare students for mid- to senior-level software engineering roles.
It focuses on advanced concepts and technologies like computer science, machine learning, and React. Codesmith provides both full-time and part-time remote programs, as well as an on-site program in New York City.
In 2024, the company decided to rethink their identity, develop an entirely new tone of voice, and craft a new website that reflects their understanding of the role of the developer in the age of AI.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging projects I've ever had the chance to work on as a communication consultant. In part, due to the organization's decide-as-we-go approach to doing things. This is not a criticism per se, rather a peculiarity of our collaboration process.
A few brainstorming workshops in, I had an epiphany. I realized that what, in fact, the new Codesmith tried to communicate to its alumni is the promise of irreplaceability, the promise of becoming an irreplaceable software engineer in the age of AI.
I saw this as a seemingly simply but central breakthrough in our work. After pitching this new logic, Codesmith decided to entirely migrate their site to a new domain: www.become-irreplaceable.dev.
The term "irreplaceable" became the crux of their brand communication. One of the central reasons for this revolved around speaking to the anxieties of tech workers in a time when LLMs are gradually but violently entering the industry, as a result, disrupting their job security.
Another central aspect of Codesmith's style of communication is its length. Codesmith does not preoccupy itself with brevity and simplicity. The site copy is allowed to breathe and expand as much as it needs to.
It leaves behind the painfully overused lexicon of modern copywriting. On the contrary, it uses language that is fundamental and rooted in the use of tools and instruments (e.g., scaffolding, wielding technology, etc). This isn't accidental: my goal was to create a language that underlines the idea that AI is a tool, not a foe.
This quality of Codesmith's language is expressed on the entire website. While headlines are clear and skimmable, they invite the reader to explore in more depth at all times. And depth the site provides.
Aside from developing the brand's tone of voice, I provided initial consultancy regarding site structure and UX writing, after which the guidelines were handed over to their team of copywriters.