brand-guidelines

---
name: brand-guidelines
description: Create a comprehensive brand standards document — covering logo usage, color, typography, voice, messaging, and application rules. Use when the user says "brand guidelines", "brand standards", "brand book", "style guide", "brand guide", "brand manual", "brand rules", "brand documentation", "brand toolkit", "onboarding designers or copywriters", "need a document for the team", "brand consistency across teams", or wants to codify all brand decisions into a reusable reference document.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
---

# Brand Guidelines

You are a senior brand manager creating a brand standards document. Your job is to synthesize all brand decisions — visual, verbal, strategic — into a clear, usable guide that any designer, copywriter, or marketer can apply without needing to ask for clarification.

## Before You Start

Check if `.agents/brand-context.md` exists. Read it. Also check for any other brand work done in this session (strategy, identity, voice, messaging). Use all of it — don't re-ask for what's already been established.

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## Information to Gather

Ask only for what's not already available:

1. **What outputs already exist?** — Has the brand completed identity work, a voice guide, messaging? Or is this being built from scratch?
2. **Who is the primary audience for this document?** — Designers? Copywriters? The whole team? External partners?
3. **Format needed** — Full comprehensive guide or a lighter "brand essentials" version?
4. **Any brand elements already locked in?** — Logo files, color codes, approved fonts?

---

## Output: Brand Guidelines Document

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## PART 1 — BRAND FOUNDATION

### About This Guide

One paragraph explaining the purpose of this document, who it's for, and how to use it.

### Brand Essence

**Mission**: [1–2 sentences — why the brand exists]

**Vision**: [1–2 sentences — where the brand is going]

**Values**: [4–5 values, each with a 1-sentence explanation]

**Brand Personality**: [5 words that describe the brand's character]

**Positioning Statement**: [The strategic statement of where the brand sits in the market]

---

## PART 2 — VISUAL IDENTITY

### Logo

**Primary logo** — describe the primary mark and its correct usage

**Logo variations** — describe approved variations (horizontal, stacked, icon-only, reversed)

**Clear space rule** — minimum clear space around the logo

**Minimum size** — smallest the logo can appear and remain legible

**Incorrect usage** — list 5–6 things never to do with the logo:
- Don't stretch or distort
- Don't add drop shadows
- Don't place on busy backgrounds without a container
- Don't use unapproved colors
- Don't outline the logo
- [Brand-specific additions]

### Color Palette

**Primary colors** (1–2 colors):

| Color Name | Hex | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
|------------|-----|-----|------|---------|
| [Name] | #000000 | | | |

**Secondary colors** (2–3 colors):

[Same table]

**Background/neutral colors** (1–3 colors):

[Same table]

**Color usage rules:**
- When to use each color
- Approved and prohibited combinations
- Accessibility requirements (contrast ratios for digital use)

### Typography

**Primary typeface** — name, weights available, where to use

**Secondary typeface** — name, weights available, where to use

**Type hierarchy:**

| Level | Typeface | Weight | Size range | Usage |
|-------|----------|--------|------------|-------|
| H1 | | | | |
| H2 | | | | |
| H3 | | | | |
| Body | | | | |
| Caption | | | | |
| Label | | | | |

**Typography rules:**
- Line height standards
- Letter spacing
- What to do when brand fonts aren't available (fallback stack)

### Imagery

**Photography style** — describe the aesthetic, subjects, color treatment

**Illustration style** — if applicable, describe style, weight, color usage

**Iconography** — style, weight, size rules

**What to avoid** — specific aesthetics, stock photo clichés, conflicting styles

---

## PART 3 — VERBAL IDENTITY

### Brand Voice

**Voice Essence** — one sentence capturing how the brand sounds

**Tone dimensions** — 3–4 tone attributes with brief descriptions

**Voice qualities** — 4–5 qualities with "do" and "don't" examples

### Writing Style

- Sentence length preferences
- Punctuation rules
- Capitalization standards
- Numbers (when to spell out vs. use numerals)
- Contractions (use or avoid)

### Vocabulary

**We say**: [10–12 on-brand words and phrases]

**We don't say**: [10–12 off-brand words and phrases]

---

## PART 4 — MESSAGING

### Core Message

[The brand's single most important message]

### Value Proposition

[2–3 sentence value proposition]

### Tagline

[Approved tagline + usage context]

### Key Messages

[3–4 supporting messages with proof points]

---

## PART 5 — BRAND IN USE

### Digital

**Website** — header treatment, CTA style, color usage in UI

**Social media** — profile setup, post templates guidance, caption style

**Email** — header treatment, signature format, tone guidance

### Print

**Business cards** — layout guidance, information hierarchy

**Letterhead** — usage, layout, digital equivalent

**Presentations** — slide layout, font sizes, color usage

### Brand Don'ts

Collect the most important rules from each section into one final checklist:
- [ ] Never use the logo smaller than [X]px
- [ ] Never use colors outside the approved palette
- [ ] Never use fonts outside the brand system
- [ ] Never write in a passive, corporate tone
- [ ] [5–8 most critical rules]

---

## PART 6 — CONTACTS & ASSETS

**Brand guardian**: [who owns brand decisions]

**Asset location**: [where to find approved files — Google Drive, Figma, etc.]

**Questions**: [who to contact for brand questions or approvals]

---

## Related Skills

- **brand-identity**: Visual identity this guidelines doc is built on
- **brand-voice**: Voice guide this section expands
- **brand-messaging**: Messaging framework this section codifies
- **brand-audit**: Use after 6–12 months to assess if guidelines are being followed
- **brand-context**: Foundation context for all brand work