brand-identity-wizard skill

---
name: brand-identity-wizard
description: Create a comprehensive brand identity document that other skills can reference. Use this wizard before running newsletter, podcast, or content skills that need brand context. Outputs a brand-identity.md file with persona, voice, audience, values, and messaging.
---

# Brand Identity Wizard

Create a comprehensive brand identity document that content skills can reference for consistent voice, messaging, and audience targeting.

## Purpose

Many content skills (newsletters, podcasts, social posts, SEO articles) need brand context to produce on-brand content. This wizard creates a single `brand-identity.md` file that all skills can reference.

**Core Philosophy:** Define once, use everywhere. A well-defined brand identity enables consistent content creation across all channels.

## When to Use This Wizard

Use this wizard when:
- Setting up a new skills vault for a brand/company
- Starting content production for a new client
- Your brand identity has evolved and needs updating
- Content feels inconsistent across different skills

**You'll need:**
- 30-60 minutes for the initial interview
- Access to existing brand materials (website, past content, style guides)
- Decision-making authority on brand voice

---

## The 5-Section Framework

### Section 1: Brand Persona

**Goal:** Define who the brand is as if it were a person

#### Questions to Answer:

1. **If your brand were a person, who would they be?**
   - Name, background, expertise
   - What makes them uniquely qualified?
   - What's their origin story?

2. **What's their personality?**
   - Warm vs. reserved
   - Expert vs. peer
   - Serious vs. playful
   - Formal vs. casual

3. **What do they believe deeply?**
   - Core convictions (not just values)
   - What hills will they die on?
   - What conventional wisdom do they reject?

4. **What's their superpower?**
   - What do they do better than anyone else?
   - What unique perspective do they bring?

#### Output Format:

```markdown
## Brand Persona

**Name:** [Name or brand name]
**Role:** [Their role/title in relation to audience]
**Background:** [2-3 sentences on origin story and qualifications]

**Personality Traits:**
- [Trait 1 with brief explanation]
- [Trait 2 with brief explanation]
- [Trait 3 with brief explanation]

**Core Beliefs:**
- [Belief 1]
- [Belief 2]
- [Belief 3]

**Superpower:** [One sentence on unique value proposition]
```

---

### Section 2: Target Audience

**Goal:** Define who this brand serves and what they need

#### Questions to Answer:

1. **Primary Audience Profile:**
   - Demographics (age, location, profession)
   - Psychographics (values, goals, fears)
   - Current situation and pain points

2. **What transformation do they want?**
   - Where are they now? (Before state)
   - Where do they want to be? (After state)
   - What's blocking them?

3. **How do they describe their problem?**
   - Use their words, not industry jargon
   - What do they Google?
   - What do they complain about?

4. **Secondary Audiences:**
   - Who else might consume this content?
   - How do their needs differ?

#### Output Format:

```markdown
## Target Audience

### Primary Audience
**Demographics:** [Age, location, profession, life stage]
**Psychographics:** [Values, lifestyle, interests]

**Current State:**
- [Pain point 1]
- [Pain point 2]
- [Pain point 3]

**Desired State:**
- [Goal 1]
- [Goal 2]
- [Goal 3]

**How They Describe It:**
- "[Quote-style description they'd use]"
- "[Another way they'd say it]"

### Secondary Audiences
**[Audience 2]:** [Brief description and how needs differ]
**[Audience 3]:** [Brief description and how needs differ]
```

---

### Section 3: Voice & Tone

**Goal:** Define how the brand speaks and writes

#### Questions to Answer:

1. **Voice Spectrum Ratings (1-5 scale):**
   - Formal ← → Casual
   - Expert ← → Peer
   - Serious ← → Playful
   - Reserved ← → Opinionated
   - Abstract ← → Concrete

2. **Sentence Patterns:**
   - Average length (short, medium, long)
   - Variation style (punchy fragments? flowing paragraphs?)
   - Signature structures (recurring patterns)

3. **Word Choice:**
   - Vocabulary level (simple, moderate, sophisticated)
   - Contractions (always, sometimes, never)
   - Industry jargon (embrace, explain, avoid)
   - Profanity/informality (none, mild, frequent)

4. **What to NEVER do:**
   - Phrases to avoid
   - Tones that are off-brand
   - Common mistakes

#### Output Format:

```markdown
## Voice & Tone

### Voice Spectrum
- Formal/Casual: [X]/5 - [Brief explanation]
- Expert/Peer: [X]/5 - [Brief explanation]
- Serious/Playful: [X]/5 - [Brief explanation]
- Reserved/Opinionated: [X]/5 - [Brief explanation]
- Abstract/Concrete: [X]/5 - [Brief explanation]

### Sentence Patterns
- **Average length:** [Short/Medium/Long]
- **Variation:** [Description of rhythm]
- **Signature structures:**
  - "[Example pattern 1]"
  - "[Example pattern 2]"

### Word Choice
- **Vocabulary:** [Simple/Moderate/Sophisticated]
- **Contractions:** [Always/Sometimes/Never]
- **Jargon:** [Policy]
- **Informality:** [Level]

### Anti-Patterns (NEVER do)
- ❌ [Thing to avoid 1]
- ❌ [Thing to avoid 2]
- ❌ [Thing to avoid 3]

### Signature Phrases
- "[Phrase this brand uses often]"
- "[Another recurring expression]"
```

---

### Section 4: Values & Mission

**Goal:** Define the brand's purpose and principles

#### Questions to Answer:

1. **Mission Statement:**
   - What problem does this brand exist to solve?
   - In one sentence, what's the mission?

2. **Core Values (3-5):**
   - Not aspirational, but actually practiced
   - How does each value show up in content?

3. **What This Brand Stands For:**
   - Positions it takes publicly
   - Causes or movements it supports
   - Industry practices it challenges

4. **What This Brand Opposes:**
   - What does it stand against?
   - What conventional wisdom does it reject?
   - What practices does it criticize?

#### Output Format:

```markdown
## Values & Mission

### Mission
[One clear sentence on why this brand exists]

### Core Values
1. **[Value 1]:** [How it shows up in content]
2. **[Value 2]:** [How it shows up in content]
3. **[Value 3]:** [How it shows up in content]

### What We Stand For
- [Position 1]
- [Position 2]
- [Position 3]

### What We Oppose
- [Opposition 1]
- [Opposition 2]
```

---

### Section 5: Messaging Framework

**Goal:** Create reusable messaging elements

#### Questions to Answer:

1. **Tagline/Positioning Statement:**
   - How do you describe the brand in 10 words or less?

2. **Elevator Pitch (30 seconds):**
   - Full explanation of what, for whom, and why

3. **Key Messages (3-5):**
   - Core themes that appear across all content
   - What should every piece of content reinforce?

4. **Proof Points:**
   - Credentials, stats, testimonials
   - Stories that demonstrate credibility
   - Results that build trust

5. **Content Themes:**
   - Categories of content this brand creates
   - Topics that are always relevant
   - Topics that are off-limits

#### Output Format:

```markdown
## Messaging Framework

### Positioning
**Tagline:** [10 words or less]
**Elevator Pitch:** [30-second version]

### Key Messages
1. [Message 1]
2. [Message 2]
3. [Message 3]

### Proof Points
- **Credentials:** [Expertise, qualifications]
- **Stats:** [Numbers that demonstrate value]
- **Testimonials:** [Quotes from satisfied customers/readers]
- **Stories:** [Signature stories to reference]

### Content Themes
**Always Relevant:**
- [Theme 1]
- [Theme 2]
- [Theme 3]

**Off-Limits:**
- [Topic 1 - why]
- [Topic 2 - why]
```

---

## Wizard Workflow

### Step 1: Discovery Interview
Walk through each section's questions. Document answers as you go.

### Step 2: Synthesize Answers
Convert raw answers into the output format for each section.

### Step 3: Review & Refine
Present draft to user. Iterate until it feels right.

### Step 4: Save Document
Create file: `brand-identity.md` in the vault root or designated location.

### Step 5: Reference in Other Skills
Point content skills to this file:
- In CLAUDE.md: "For brand voice, see brand-identity.md"
- In individual skills: "Load voice/messaging from brand-identity.md"

---

## Output File Template

```markdown
# Brand Identity: [Brand Name]

*Last updated: [Date]*

---

## Brand Persona
[Section 1 content]

---

## Target Audience
[Section 2 content]

---

## Voice & Tone
[Section 3 content]

---

## Values & Mission
[Section 4 content]

---

## Messaging Framework
[Section 5 content]

---

## Quick Reference

**For Newsletter Writers:**
- Voice: [Summary]
- Audience: [Summary]
- Key themes: [Summary]

**For Podcast Production:**
- Interview style: [Summary]
- Guest selection: [Summary]
- Episode framing: [Summary]

**For Social Media:**
- Platform personalities: [Any variations]
- Hashtag strategy: [Overview]
- Content pillars: [Summary]
```

---

## Success Criteria

A complete brand identity document:

✅ **Persona feels like a real person** - You can imagine them speaking
✅ **Audience is specific** - Not "everyone interested in X"
✅ **Voice is distinctive** - Couldn't be swapped with a competitor
✅ **Values are actionable** - Show up in actual content decisions
✅ **Messaging is reusable** - Other skills can reference it

---

## Related Skills

- **voice-analyzer** - Create custom voice style from writing samples
- **voice-[style]** - Individual voice implementations
- **anti-ai-writing** - Ensure content matches brand voice authentically

---

*A well-defined brand identity is the foundation for all consistent content. Define once, reference everywhere.*