Costco vs Marathon Petroleum: Tone of Voice Compared

A side-by-side comparison of how Costco and Marathon Petroleum communicate — tone words, language style, sentence structure, and taglines.

In short

Costco (Retail) and Marathon Petroleum (Energy) play in different arenas — and it shows in how they speak. Costco sounds ethical, reliable, writing in commanding language, while Marathon Petroleum sounds proud, purposeful, writing in assertive language. They share no tone words at all. Costco's tagline, "Do the right thing", captures its voice; Marathon Petroleum answers with "Fueling the American Spirit".

Voice comparison

DimensionCostcoMarathon Petroleum
Tone wordsEthical, ReliableProud, Purposeful
Language styleCommandingAssertive
Sentence typeCommandStatement
TensePresentPresent
ExpressionStraightforwardImaginative
Tagline"Do the right thing""Fueling the American Spirit"

What Costco and Marathon Petroleum share

Costco and Marathon Petroleum share no tone words.

Where they differ

Costco leans ethical, reliable. Marathon Petroleum leans proud, purposeful.

Positioning & strategy

DimensionCostcoMarathon Petroleum
Brand messageDeliver value while doing right by peopleDeliver energy with American pride
MissionContinually provide members with quality goods at the lowest possible pricesFuel the economy and spirit of the nation
Core conceptBusiness with IntegrityPatriotism in Power
Core tensionProfit vs. EthicsTradition vs. Innovation

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Costco's tone of voice different from Marathon Petroleum's?

Costco uses an ethical, reliable tone with commanding language, while Marathon Petroleum uses a proud, purposeful tone with assertive language. They share no tone words.

What is Costco's tagline and what is Marathon Petroleum's tagline?

Costco's tagline is "Do the right thing". Marathon Petroleum's tagline is "Fueling the American Spirit".

Do Costco and Marathon Petroleum target the same market?

Not directly — Costco operates in Retail while Marathon Petroleum operates in Energy.

Is Costco or Marathon Petroleum more figurative in its messaging?

Costco's messaging is straightforward, while Marathon Petroleum's is imaginative.

Browse 3,202 brands by sector

  • Technology brand voices
  • Food & Beverage brand voices
  • Consumer Goods brand voices
  • Finance brand voices
  • Sports & Fitness brand voices
  • Fashion brand voices
  • Travel & Hospitality brand voices
  • Healthcare brand voices
  • Investment brand voices
  • Automotive brand voices
  • Industrial brand voices
  • Services brand voices
  • Entertainment brand voices
  • Retail brand voices
  • Cryptocurrency brand voices
  • Beauty brand voices
  • Luxury brand voices
  • Energy brand voices
  • Media brand voices
  • Gaming brand voices
  • E-commerce brand voices
  • Insurance brand voices
  • Education brand voices
  • Home & Garden brand voices
  • Real Estate brand voices
  • Aerospace brand voices
  • Design brand voices
  • Telecom brand voices
  • Home
  • Compare brands
  • Top lists
  • Taglines
  • Glossary
  • About