brand-analyzer skill

---
name: brand-analyzer
description: This skill should be used when the user requests brand analysis, brand guidelines creation, brand audits, or establishing brand identity and consistency standards. It provides comprehensive frameworks for analyzing brand elements and creating actionable brand guidelines based on requirements.
---

# Brand Analyzer

## Overview

This skill enables comprehensive brand analysis and guidelines creation. It analyzes brand requirements, identifies brand personality and positioning, and generates professional brand guidelines documents. The skill uses established brand frameworks including Jung's 12 archetypes and industry-standard brand identity principles.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user requests:
- Brand analysis or brand audit
- Creation of brand guidelines or brand standards
- Brand identity development or refinement
- Brand consistency evaluation
- Brand positioning and differentiation analysis
- Brand archetype identification
- Recommendations for brand improvements
- Documentation of existing brand elements

## Core Workflow

### Step 1: Determine Analysis Type

Identify what type of brand work is needed:

**A. New Brand Development**
- Starting from scratch or rebranding
- Requires comprehensive brand identity creation
- Output: Complete brand guidelines document

**B. Existing Brand Analysis**
- Analyzing current brand state
- Identifying inconsistencies and gaps
- Output: Brand analysis report with recommendations

**C. Quick Brand Audit**
- Fast assessment of brand health
- Checking for consistency issues
- Output: Quick audit checklist with scores

**D. Brand Guidelines Creation**
- Documenting existing brand elements
- Formalizing standards and rules
- Output: Professional brand guidelines

### Step 2: Gather Brand Information

Collect relevant information based on analysis type. Use the questions from `references/brand_analysis_framework.md` as a guide.

**Essential Information**:
- Brand name and tagline
- Mission and vision statements
- Core values
- Target audience details
- Industry and competitive context
- Existing brand materials (if any)

**Visual Identity Information**:
- Logo and variations
- Color palette (with codes)
- Typography (font families)
- Imagery style preferences
- Design elements

**Voice and Messaging**:
- Brand personality traits
- Tone of voice
- Key messages
- Value proposition
- Language preferences

**Additional Context**:
- Brand history and evolution
- Customer perception
- Competitive positioning
- Business goals
- Brand touchpoints

### Step 3: Analyze Brand Archetype

Identify the brand's personality using the 12 archetypes framework from `references/brand_archetypes.md`.

**Analysis Process**:
1. Review brand's core desire and goals
2. Assess personality traits and values
3. Consider target audience aspirations
4. Evaluate competitive positioning
5. Identify primary archetype (60-70% influence)
6. Identify secondary archetype (30-40% influence)

**Archetypes Quick Reference**:
- **Innocent**: Happiness, optimism, simplicity
- **Sage**: Knowledge, wisdom, expertise
- **Explorer**: Freedom, adventure, discovery
- **Outlaw**: Rebellion, disruption, change
- **Magician**: Transformation, vision, innovation
- **Hero**: Courage, achievement, mastery
- **Lover**: Passion, intimacy, beauty
- **Jester**: Fun, humor, enjoyment
- **Everyman**: Belonging, authenticity, relatability
- **Caregiver**: Nurturing, protection, support
- **Ruler**: Control, leadership, success
- **Creator**: Innovation, imagination, artistic expression

Load `references/brand_archetypes.md` for detailed characteristics, visual directions, and messaging patterns for each archetype.

### Step 4: Conduct Brand Analysis

Perform comprehensive analysis using the framework from `references/brand_analysis_framework.md`.

**Key Analysis Areas**:

**1. Brand Identity**
- Mission/vision clarity and alignment
- Values authenticity and consistency
- Personality definition and expression
- Archetype fit and application

**2. Visual Identity**
- Logo effectiveness and variations
- Color palette appropriateness and accessibility
- Typography hierarchy and readability
- Imagery style consistency
- Overall visual coherence

**3. Voice and Messaging**
- Voice consistency across channels
- Tone adaptation for contexts
- Message clarity and relevance
- Language effectiveness
- Value proposition strength

**4. Target Audience Alignment**
- Audience definition completeness
- Brand-audience fit
- Messaging resonance
- Visual appeal to audience
- Problem-solution alignment

**5. Market Position**
- Competitive differentiation
- Unique value proposition
- Market positioning clarity
- Brand promise delivery

**6. Brand Consistency**
- Cross-channel consistency
- Touchpoint alignment
- Quality standards maintenance
- Experience coherence

### Step 5: Generate Output Document

Create the appropriate deliverable based on analysis type using templates from `assets/`.

**Output Options**:

**A. Brand Guidelines Document** (`assets/brand_guidelines_template.md`)
- Complete, professional brand guidelines
- Includes all identity elements
- Usage rules and examples
- Application across channels
- Resource section

**B. Brand Analysis Report** (`assets/brand_analysis_report_template.md`)
- Comprehensive analysis findings
- Strengths and opportunities
- Competitive positioning
- Recommendations and roadmap
- Success metrics

**C. Quick Brand Audit** (`assets/quick_brand_audit_template.md`)
- Rapid assessment checklist
- Health scores by category
- Priority action items
- Consistency check across channels

**File Naming Convention**:
- Guidelines: `brand-guidelines-BRANDNAME-YYYY-MM-DD.md`
- Analysis: `brand-analysis-BRANDNAME-YYYY-MM-DD.md`
- Audit: `brand-audit-BRANDNAME-YYYY-MM-DD.md`

**Storage Location**:
Create in project root or in `brand-documents/` directory if multiple documents.

### Step 6: Provide Recommendations

Based on analysis, provide actionable recommendations:

**Prioritization Framework**:
- **High Impact + Low Effort**: Quick wins - do immediately
- **High Impact + High Effort**: Strategic initiatives - plan carefully
- **Low Impact + Low Effort**: Nice-to-haves - do when possible
- **Low Impact + High Effort**: Avoid - not worth resources

**Recommendation Categories**:
1. **Visual Identity Improvements**: Logo refinements, color adjustments, typography updates
2. **Voice and Messaging**: Tone consistency, message clarification, language refinement
3. **Documentation**: Creating or updating guidelines, standards documentation
4. **Consistency**: Fixing inconsistencies across touchpoints
5. **Strategic**: Repositioning, rebranding, major initiatives

### Step 7: Create Implementation Roadmap

Provide phased approach for implementing recommendations:

**Phase 1: Immediate (0-30 days)**
- Critical fixes
- Quick wins
- Documentation updates
- High-priority inconsistencies

**Phase 2: Short-term (1-3 months)**
- Medium-priority improvements
- Guideline development
- Team training
- Channel optimization

**Phase 3: Long-term (3-6+ months)**
- Strategic initiatives
- Major redesigns
- Comprehensive rollouts
- Measurement and refinement

## Advanced Features

### Competitive Brand Analysis

When comparing to competitors:
1. Identify 3-5 key competitors
2. Analyze their positioning and differentiation
3. Map brand attributes on positioning matrix
4. Identify gaps and opportunities
5. Recommend differentiation strategy

### Brand Health Scoring

Provide quantitative assessments:
- **Visual Identity**: Logo, colors, typography coherence
- **Brand Foundation**: Mission, values, personality clarity
- **Voice & Messaging**: Consistency and effectiveness
- **Consistency**: Cross-channel alignment
- **Audience Alignment**: Target fit and appeal
- **Differentiation**: Competitive uniqueness
- **Documentation**: Guidelines completeness

Scale: 1-10 for each category, with overall average.

### Multi-Channel Audit

Assess brand consistency across touchpoints:
- Website
- Social media (platform-specific)
- Email communications
- Print materials
- Packaging
- Signage and environmental
- Customer service
- Product/service delivery

## Usage Examples

### Example 1: New Brand Guidelines

**User Request**: "Create comprehensive brand guidelines for our eco-friendly packaging startup called GreenWrap."

**Execution**:
1. Ask discovery questions about mission, values, target audience
2. Gather visual identity details (colors, fonts, logo variations)
3. Identify brand archetype (likely Explorer or Caregiver)
4. Reference `references/brand_analysis_framework.md` for structure
5. Use `assets/brand_guidelines_template.md` as base
6. Fill in all sections with specific details
7. Save as `brand-guidelines-greenwrap-2025-03-15.md`
8. Provide implementation recommendations

### Example 2: Brand Audit

**User Request**: "Audit our existing brand for consistency issues."

**Execution**:
1. Request access to brand materials across channels
2. Use `references/brand_analysis_framework.md` audit checklist
3. Assess each brand element category
4. Score consistency across touchpoints
5. Identify gaps and inconsistencies
6. Use `assets/quick_brand_audit_template.md`
7. Complete all checklist items with findings
8. Provide prioritized action items
9. Save as `brand-audit-[name]-[date].md`

### Example 3: Brand Analysis with Recommendations

**User Request**: "Analyze our tech startup brand and suggest improvements."

**Execution**:
1. Gather current brand information
2. Load `references/brand_archetypes.md` to identify archetype
3. Use `references/brand_analysis_framework.md` for analysis structure
4. Evaluate all brand elements (visual, voice, positioning)
5. Assess competitive differentiation
6. Identify strengths and opportunities
7. Use `assets/brand_analysis_report_template.md`
8. Complete comprehensive report with scores
9. Provide implementation roadmap
10. Save as `brand-analysis-[name]-[date].md`

## Reference Files

This skill includes detailed reference documentation:

### `references/brand_analysis_framework.md`
Comprehensive framework covering:
- Core brand elements (identity, visual, voice, audience, position)
- Discovery and analysis questions
- Brand consistency checkpoints
- Guideline categories and structure
- Audit checklists
- Output frameworks

**When to load**: For any brand analysis or guidelines creation to ensure comprehensive coverage.

### `references/brand_archetypes.md`
Complete guide to Jung's 12 brand archetypes:
- Detailed descriptions of each archetype
- Core desires, goals, and strategies
- Voice and visual characteristics
- Example brands for each type
- How to identify and apply archetypes
- Mixed archetype strategies

**When to load**: When identifying brand personality or determining visual/voice direction.

## Asset Templates

This skill includes three professional templates in `assets/`:

### `brand_guidelines_template.md`
Complete brand guidelines document template with sections for:
- Brand story and foundation
- Visual identity (logo, colors, typography, imagery)
- Voice and messaging
- Brand applications (digital, print, environmental)
- Usage examples and checklist

### `brand_analysis_report_template.md`
Comprehensive analysis report template covering:
- Executive summary and key findings
- Detailed analysis of all brand elements
- Competitive positioning
- Touchpoint audit
- Strengths and opportunities
- Implementation roadmap with phases
- Success metrics

### `quick_brand_audit_template.md`
Rapid assessment checklist including:
- Visual identity verification
- Brand foundation check
- Voice and messaging evaluation
- Consistency across channels
- Audience alignment assessment
- Competitive position review
- Health scores and priority actions

## Best Practices

### Discovery Phase
- Ask open-ended questions to understand brand deeply
- Review all existing materials before making recommendations
- Understand business goals and how brand supports them
- Consider customer perspective and perception

### Analysis Phase
- Use both references files for comprehensive framework
- Be objective in assessments - identify both strengths and gaps
- Provide specific examples when noting issues
- Consider industry context and competitive landscape

### Documentation Phase
- Use clear, actionable language
- Include specific measurements and standards
- Provide both good and bad examples
- Make guidelines accessible and easy to follow

### Recommendation Phase
- Prioritize based on impact and effort
- Provide rationale for each recommendation
- Include estimated timelines and resources
- Connect recommendations to business goals

### Follow-up
- Suggest regular brand audits (quarterly or bi-annually)
- Recommend brand guideline updates as brand evolves
- Provide guidance on implementing changes
- Offer to create supporting materials

## Common Scenarios

### Scenario 1: Inconsistent Brand
**Symptoms**: Different colors/fonts across channels, unclear messaging
**Approach**: Quick audit → Identify inconsistencies → Prioritize fixes → Create guidelines
**Output**: Quick audit + Brand guidelines document

### Scenario 2: Undefined Brand
**Symptoms**: No clear values, personality, or visual standards
**Approach**: Discovery → Define all elements → Document in guidelines
**Output**: Complete brand guidelines document

### Scenario 3: Rebranding
**Symptoms**: Old brand doesn't fit current direction
**Approach**: Full analysis → Competitive positioning → New identity development
**Output**: Brand analysis report + New brand guidelines

### Scenario 4: Brand Expansion
**Symptoms**: Entering new market or launching new product line
**Approach**: Review core brand → Adapt for new context → Extension guidelines
**Output**: Brand guidelines with extension sections

## Tips for Effective Brand Analysis

1. **Start with Why**: Understanding purpose drives better brand decisions
2. **Think Long-term**: Brand should be enduring, not trendy
3. **Stay Authentic**: Brand must reflect true organizational values
4. **Be Consistent**: Repetition builds recognition
5. **Consider Context**: Brand exists in competitive and cultural context
6. **Measure Impact**: Track brand health metrics over time
7. **Evolve Thoughtfully**: Brands should evolve, but deliberately
8. **Empower Team**: Guidelines should enable, not restrict creativity