Branding Strategy Guide

Branding

by kostja94 · MIT license · ★ 1,006 on GitHub

When the user wants to define, audit, or apply brand strategy—purpose, values, positioning, storytelling, voice, narrative (not only visuals). Also use when the user mentions "brand strategy," "brand story," "brand storytelling," "brand…

---
name: branding
description: When the user wants to define, audit, or apply brand strategy—purpose, values, positioning, storytelling, voice, narrative (not only visuals). Also use when the user mentions "brand strategy," "brand story," "brand storytelling," "brand voice," "brand identity," "brand guidelines," "brand purpose," "brand values," "origin story," "brand narrative," "brand personality," "brand archetype," "slide deck branding," "PPT brand colors," or "document style guide." For typography, colors, design tokens, and frontend visuals, use brand-visual-generator.
license: MIT
metadata:
  version: 1.2.0
---

# 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.

**Keywords**: brand strategy, brand guidelines, visual identity, storytelling, brand voice, design tokens, slide deck, corporate identity, style guide, positioning

**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

Overview

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.

What you get

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 web specs)
Design token table(colors, type scale, spacing) when deliverable must be implementation-ready

Manual install (npx, ZIP)

Claude Codenpx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill branding -g -a claude-code

Claude Code (degit)npx degit kostja94/marketing-skills/skills/strategies/brand/branding#main ~/.claude/skills/branding

Claude.ai / desktopZip the folder and upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Codex, Cursor, other agentsPoint them at SKILL.md. The other files are plain text.

Connects with Agent Alley MCP · agentalley.io/mcp

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Strategies: Branding

Keywords: brand strategy, brand guidelines, visual identity, storytelling, brand voice, design tokens, slide deck, corporate identity, style guide, positioning

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

Project context: Read root contextus.md when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.

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"

Contextus brand module: Maintain project-specific voice, tone, prohibited language, and preferred terms in Contextus.

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

Visual Specification Delivery (Design Tokens)

When the user needs actionable specs (not only strategy)—for web, slides, or print—produce a token table the team can paste into a design system, media kit, or slide master. Align with brand-visual-generator for full web/CSS detail.

Token category	What to document	Example fields
Colors	Named roles + values for light/dark if applicable	Primary `#______`, text primary `#______`, background `#______`, accent 1–3, CTA, border, error/success
Typography	Family, weight, size scale, line-height	Display / H1–H3 / body / caption; web-safe or system fallbacks
Spacing	Base unit and scale	e.g. 8px base; section gaps; logo clear space in `em` or `px`
Non-text accents	Charts, shapes, dividers	Rotate accent colors; avoid arbitrary one-off hues outside palette

Applying tokens across surfaces

Web / product: CSS variables or design tokens; see brand-visual-generator.
Slides (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote): Set slide master background + default title/body fonts from token table; map theme colors to primary/secondary/background/text; reuse one accent per deck section where possible.
Documents (Word, Google Docs, PDF): Define paragraph styles (Title, Heading 1–3, Normal, Caption) with fonts and colors from tokens; set default page background if brand uses off-white.

If the user pastes an existing brand PDF or bullet list, extract and normalize into this token table before suggesting implementation.

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 web specs)
Design token table (colors, type scale, spacing) when deliverable must be implementation-ready
Slide/document notes (master fonts, theme colors) when touchpoints include decks or docs
Contextus for maintained project-specific brand and visual identity

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

1	---
2	name: branding
3	description: When the user wants to define, audit, or apply brand strategy—purpose, values, positioning, storytelling, voice, narrative (not only visuals). Also use when the user mentions "brand strategy," "brand story," "brand storytelling," "brand voice," "brand identity," "brand guidelines," "brand purpose," "brand values," "origin story," "brand narrative," "brand personality," "brand archetype," "slide deck branding," "PPT brand colors," or "document style guide." For typography, colors, design tokens, and frontend visuals, use brand-visual-generator.
4	license: MIT
5	metadata:
6	version: 1.2.0
7	---
8
9	# Strategies: Branding
10
11	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.
12
13	Keywords: brand strategy, brand guidelines, visual identity, storytelling, brand voice, design tokens, slide deck, corporate identity, style guide, positioning
14
15	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.
16
17	## Scope
18
19	- Brand strategy: Purpose, values, positioning, differentiation, target audience
20	- Brand storytelling: Origin story, hero's journey, narrative arc, brand archetypes
21	- Brand voice & tone: Voice, tone, avoid terms, preferred wording
22	- Brand visual identity: Colors, typography, logo rules—strategy layer; implementation in brand-visual-generator, logo-generator
23
24	## Initial Assessment
25
26	Project context: Read root `contextus.md` when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.
27
28	Identify:
29	1. Scope: New brand, audit, or alignment
30	2. Touchpoints: Website, social, product UI, directories, content
31	3. Existing assets: Brand guide, logo, style guide
32
33	## Brand Strategy Pillars
34
35	\| Pillar \| Purpose \|
36	\|--------\|---------\|
37	\| Brand purpose \| Why the brand exists beyond profit; one sentence \|
38	\| Brand values \| 4–5 core values; what you stand for; differentiators \|
39	\| Target audience \| Who you serve; ICP; jobs to be done \|
40	\| Positioning \| For [customer] who [need], our [product] is a [category] that [benefit]. Unlike [competitor], we [differentiator] because [reasons] \|
41	\| Differentiation \| Why you, not alternatives; concrete, not vague \|
42
43	## Brand Storytelling
44
45	### Origin Story
46
47	- What: Journey, founding, milestones, personal experiences that shaped the company
48	- Why: Emotional connection; 58% of customers buy based on company values
49	- Elements: Who founded it; why created; challenges overcome; vision; how it evolved
50
51	### Hero's Journey (Customer as Hero)
52
53	\| Element \| Content \|
54	\|---------\|---------\|
55	\| Hero \| Your customer; their needs, wants, context \|
56	\| Problem \| What they face; how they solve it now \|
57	\| Inciting insight \| Reframing that creates urgency \|
58	\| Brand's role \| Guide, tool, or partner—not hero; how you enable resolution \|
59	\| Transformation \| What better future looks like; proof (case studies, testimonials) \|
60
61	### Brand Narrative Arc
62
63	- Protagonist: Customer facing a challenge
64	- Stakes: What happens if nothing changes
65	- Proof: Data, case studies, testimonials
66	- CTA: Place call to action in the story; provoke action
67
68	### Brand Archetypes (12 Types)
69
70	\| Archetype \| Tone \| Example \|
71	\|-----------\|------\|---------\|
72	\| Creator \| Innovative, imaginative \| Adobe \|
73	\| Caregiver \| Nurturing, supportive \| Johnson & Johnson \|
74	\| Ruler \| Authoritative, premium \| Mercedes-Benz \|
75	\| Innocent \| Simple, optimistic \| Coca-Cola \|
76	\| Sage \| Wise, knowledgeable \| Google \|
77	\| Explorer \| Adventurous, independent \| Patagonia \|
78	\| Outlaw \| Rebellious, disruptive \| Harley-Davidson \|
79	\| Magician \| Transformative, visionary \| Disney \|
80	\| Hero \| Courageous, determined \| Nike \|
81	\| Lover \| Passionate, sensual \| Chanel \|
82	\| Jester \| Playful, fun \| M&M's \|
83	\| Everyman \| Relatable, down-to-earth \| IKEA \|
84
85	Align archetype to customer personality; strengthens storytelling.
86
87	## Brand Voice & Tone
88
89	\| Element \| Definition \| Example \|
90	\|---------\|------------\|---------\|
91	\| Voice \| Brand personality; consistent across touchpoints \| Professional / Friendly / Technical / Bold \|
92	\| Tone \| How you say it; adapts to context \| Confident but not arrogant; helpful; concise \|
93	\| Avoid \| Buzzwords, terms to never use \| "streamline," "revolutionize," "synergy" \|
94	\| Preferred \| Terms to use consistently \| "audit" not "analysis"; "customer" not "user" \|
95
96	Contextus brand module: Maintain project-specific voice, tone, prohibited language, and preferred terms in Contextus.
97
98	## Brand Visual Identity (Strategy Layer)
99
100	\| Element \| Strategy \| Implementation \|
101	\|---------\|----------\|-----------------\|
102	\| Colors \| Primary, secondary, CTA; industry mapping \| brand-visual-generator \|
103	\| Typography \| Display + body; hierarchy; pairing \| brand-visual-generator \|
104	\| Logo \| Variants, clear space, minimum size \| logo-generator \|
105	\| Imagery \| Tone, subject matter, visual mood \| Brand guidelines \|
106	\| Consistency \| Same identity across web, social, product \| All touchpoints \|
107
108	For full visual specs (fonts, HEX, spacing), see brand-visual-generator. For logo placement and implementation, see logo-generator.
109
110	## Brand Guidelines Structure
111
112	Single source of truth. Include:
113
114	- Purpose & values: Why you exist; what you stand for
115	- Positioning: One-liner; differentiation
116	- Story: Origin story; hero's journey summary
117	- Voice & tone: Voice, tone, avoid, preferred
118	- Logo: Usage rules, clear space, variants (light/dark)
119	- Colors: Primary, secondary, CTA (HEX, RGB, CMYK)
120	- Typography: Font families, hierarchy, sizing
121	- Imagery: Photography tone; iconography style
122
123	## Visual Specification Delivery (Design Tokens)
124
125	When the user needs actionable specs (not only strategy)—for web, slides, or print—produce a token table the team can paste into a design system, media kit, or slide master. Align with brand-visual-generator for full web/CSS detail.
126
127	\| Token category \| What to document \| Example fields \|
128	\|----------------\|------------------\|----------------\|
129	\| Colors \| Named roles + values for light/dark if applicable \| Primary `#______`, text primary `#______`, background `#______`, accent 1–3, CTA, border, error/success \|
130	\| Typography \| Family, weight, size scale, line-height \| Display / H1–H3 / body / caption; web-safe or system fallbacks \|
131	\| Spacing \| Base unit and scale \| e.g. 8px base; section gaps; logo clear space in `em` or `px` \|
132	\| Non-text accents \| Charts, shapes, dividers \| Rotate accent colors; avoid arbitrary one-off hues outside palette \|
133
134	Applying tokens across surfaces
135
136	- Web / product: CSS variables or design tokens; see brand-visual-generator.
137	- Slides (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote): Set slide master background + default title/body fonts from token table; map theme colors to primary/secondary/background/text; reuse one accent per deck section where possible.
138	- Documents (Word, Google Docs, PDF): Define paragraph styles (Title, Heading 1–3, Normal, Caption) with fonts and colors from tokens; set default page background if brand uses off-white.
139
140	If the user pastes an existing brand PDF or bullet list, extract and normalize into this token table before suggesting implementation.
141
142	## Output Format
143
144	- Brand strategy (purpose, values, positioning, differentiation)
145	- Story (origin story, hero's journey, narrative arc)
146	- Voice & tone (voice, tone, avoid, preferred)
147	- Archetype (if applicable)
148	- Visual (high-level; defer to brand-visual-generator for web specs)
149	- Design token table (colors, type scale, spacing) when deliverable must be implementation-ready
150	- Slide/document notes (master fonts, theme colors) when touchpoints include decks or docs
151	- Contextus for maintained project-specific brand and visual identity
152
153	## Related Skills
154
155	- about-page-generator: About page implements brand story, mission, values
156	- homepage-generator: Homepage implements value prop, differentiation, brand voice
157	- logo-generator: Logo placement, implementation; branding defines logo rules
158	- brand-visual-generator: Typography, colors, spacing; branding defines visual strategy
159	- media-kit-page-generator: Media kit hosts brand guidelines
160	- directory-submission: Directory copy uses brand voice; Section 8 Brand & Voice
161	- title-tag, meta-description: Metadata uses brand voice
162	- integrated-marketing: Brand awareness across PESO
163	- domain-selection: Domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); do before or with branding when choosing domain
164	- domain-architecture: Domain structure implements brand architecture (Branded House vs House of Brands)
165	- rebranding-strategy: Rebrand execution; domain change, 301, announcement
166