Strategies: Branding

Guides brand strategy: purpose, values, positioning, storytelling, voice, and visual identity. Companies with consistent branding see 23–33% revenue lift; people remember stories ~22× more than facts alone. Use this skill when defining a new brand, auditing consistency, or aligning messaging across touchpoints.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Scope

Brand strategy: Purpose, values, positioning, differentiation, target audience
Brand storytelling: Origin story, hero's journey, narrative arc, brand archetypes
Brand voice & tone: Voice, tone, avoid terms, preferred wording
Brand visual identity: Colors, typography, logo rules—strategy layer; implementation in brand-visual-generator, logo-generator

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If

.claude/product-marketing-context.md

.cursor/product-marketing-context.md

exists, read Sections 2 (Positioning), 3 (Value Proposition), 8 (Brand & Voice), 12 (Visual Identity).

Identify:

Scope: New brand, audit, or alignment
Touchpoints: Website, social, product UI, directories, content
Existing assets: Brand guide, logo, style guide

Brand Strategy Pillars

Pillar	Purpose
Brand purpose	Why the brand exists beyond profit; one sentence
Brand values	4–5 core values; what you stand for; differentiators
Target audience	Who you serve; ICP; jobs to be done
Positioning	For [customer] who [need], our [product] is a [category] that [benefit]. Unlike [competitor], we [differentiator] because [reasons]
Differentiation	Why you, not alternatives; concrete, not vague

Brand Storytelling

Origin Story

What: Journey, founding, milestones, personal experiences that shaped the company
Why: Emotional connection; 58% of customers buy based on company values
Elements: Who founded it; why created; challenges overcome; vision; how it evolved

Hero's Journey (Customer as Hero)

Element	Content
Hero	Your customer; their needs, wants, context
Problem	What they face; how they solve it now
Inciting insight	Reframing that creates urgency
Brand's role	Guide, tool, or partner—not hero; how you enable resolution
Transformation	What better future looks like; proof (case studies, testimonials)

Brand Narrative Arc

Protagonist: Customer facing a challenge
Stakes: What happens if nothing changes
Proof: Data, case studies, testimonials
CTA: Place call to action in the story; provoke action

Brand Archetypes (12 Types)

Archetype	Tone	Example
Creator	Innovative, imaginative	Adobe
Caregiver	Nurturing, supportive	Johnson & Johnson
Ruler	Authoritative, premium	Mercedes-Benz
Innocent	Simple, optimistic	Coca-Cola
Sage	Wise, knowledgeable	Google
Explorer	Adventurous, independent	Patagonia
Outlaw	Rebellious, disruptive	Harley-Davidson
Magician	Transformative, visionary	Disney
Hero	Courageous, determined	Nike
Lover	Passionate, sensual	Chanel
Jester	Playful, fun	M&M's
Everyman	Relatable, down-to-earth	IKEA

Align archetype to customer personality; strengthens storytelling.

Brand Voice & Tone

Element	Definition	Example
Voice	Brand personality; consistent across touchpoints	Professional / Friendly / Technical / Bold
Tone	How you say it; adapts to context	Confident but not arrogant; helpful; concise
Avoid	Buzzwords, terms to never use	"streamline," "revolutionize," "synergy"
Preferred	Terms to use consistently	"audit" not "analysis"; "customer" not "user"

Product marketing context Section 8: Document voice, tone, avoid, preferred terms. See product-marketing-context template.

Brand Visual Identity (Strategy Layer)

Element	Strategy	Implementation
Colors	Primary, secondary, CTA; industry mapping	brand-visual-generator
Typography	Display + body; hierarchy; pairing	brand-visual-generator
Logo	Variants, clear space, minimum size	logo-generator
Imagery	Tone, subject matter, visual mood	Brand guidelines
Consistency	Same identity across web, social, product	All touchpoints

For full visual specs (fonts, HEX, spacing), see brand-visual-generator. For logo placement and implementation, see logo-generator.

Brand Guidelines Structure

Single source of truth. Include:

Purpose & values: Why you exist; what you stand for
Positioning: One-liner; differentiation
Story: Origin story; hero's journey summary
Voice & tone: Voice, tone, avoid, preferred
Logo: Usage rules, clear space, variants (light/dark)
Colors: Primary, secondary, CTA (HEX, RGB, CMYK)
Typography: Font families, hierarchy, sizing
Imagery: Photography tone; iconography style

Output Format

Brand strategy (purpose, values, positioning, differentiation)
Story (origin story, hero's journey, narrative arc)
Voice & tone (voice, tone, avoid, preferred)
Archetype (if applicable)
Visual (high-level; defer to brand-visual-generator for specs)
Context template for product-marketing-context Sections 8, 12

Related Skills

about-page-generator: About page implements brand story, mission, values
homepage-generator: Homepage implements value prop, differentiation, brand voice
logo-generator: Logo placement, implementation; branding defines logo rules
brand-visual-generator: Typography, colors, spacing; branding defines visual strategy
media-kit-page-generator: Media kit hosts brand guidelines
directory-submission: Directory copy uses brand voice; Section 8 Brand & Voice
title-tag, meta-description: Metadata uses brand voice
integrated-marketing: Brand awareness across PESO
domain-selection: Domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); do before or with branding when choosing domain
domain-architecture: Domain structure implements brand architecture (Branded House vs House of Brands)
rebranding-strategy: Rebrand execution; domain change, 301, announcement

branding

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content