Brand Guidelines

---
name: brand-guidelines
description: Use when user mentions "brand", "Open Session colors", "Aperol", "Charcoal", "Vanilla", "brand guidelines", or works on UI following Open Session standards.
version: 1.0.0
triggers:
  - brand
  - brand guidelines
  - brand voice
  - Aperol
  - Charcoal
  - Vanilla
  - Open Session
  - color palette
  - brand colors
  - brand identity
---

# Brand Guidelines

Apply consistent brand standards across all creative work, including visual identity, color usage, typography, and voice guidelines.

## Purpose

Enable Claude to apply consistent brand standards across all creative work. This skill provides both a framework for brand consistency and a customizable template for organization-specific guidelines.

## When to Activate

Use this skill when:
- Creating any branded content or communications
- Reviewing work for brand compliance
- Making design decisions that affect brand consistency
- Generating copy that needs to match brand voice
- Working with Open Session colors (Aperol, Charcoal, Vanilla)

---

## Brand Identity Framework

### Brand Essence
One sentence that captures what the brand stands for.

### Core Values
1. **[Value 1]** - Brief description
2. **[Value 2]** - Brief description
3. **[Value 3]** - Brief description

### Brand Personality
List 3-5 personality traits that define how the brand communicates.

---

## Visual Identity

### Color Palette

#### Primary Colors
| Name | Hex | RGB | Usage |
|------|-----|-----|-------|
| Primary | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | Headlines, CTAs |
| Secondary | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | Supporting elements |

#### Accent Colors
| Name | Hex | RGB | Usage |
|------|-----|-----|-------|
| Accent 1 | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | Highlights |
| Accent 2 | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | Secondary highlights |

#### Neutral Colors
| Name | Hex | Usage |
|------|-----|-------|
| Dark | #000000 | Text, backgrounds |
| Light | #FFFFFF | Backgrounds, contrast |

### Typography

#### Primary Typeface
- **Name:** [Font name]
- **Weights:** [Available weights]
- **Usage:** Headlines, key messaging

#### Secondary Typeface
- **Name:** [Font name]
- **Weights:** [Available weights]
- **Usage:** Body text, UI elements

#### Type Scale
| Element | Size | Weight | Line Height |
|---------|------|--------|-------------|
| H1 | [size] | [weight] | [line-height] |
| H2 | [size] | [weight] | [line-height] |
| Body | [size] | [weight] | [line-height] |

---

## Voice & Tone

### Voice Attributes
1. **[Attribute 1]** - Description and examples
2. **[Attribute 2]** - Description and examples
3. **[Attribute 3]** - Description and examples

### Tone Variations

| Context | Tone Adjustment |
|---------|-----------------|
| Marketing | How voice adapts |
| Support | How voice adapts |
| Error messages | How voice adapts |
| Celebrations | How voice adapts |

### Writing Guidelines

**Always:**
- Use active voice
- Be concise and direct
- Lead with value

**Never:**
- Use jargon without explanation
- Be condescending
- Overpromise

### Vocabulary

**Preferred Terms:**
| Instead of... | Use... |
|---------------|--------|
| [Word] | [Preferred word] |

**Banned Words:**
- Words/phrases to avoid

---

## Application Guidelines

### Digital Applications
- Web: consistent color tokens, typography scale
- App: maintain brand feel across platforms
- Email: branded templates, consistent voice

### Social Media
- Platform-specific adaptations
- Maintain visual consistency
- Voice can be more casual

### Photography & Imagery
- Style guidelines
- Subject matter
- Treatment and editing

---

## Compliance Checklist

When creating branded content, verify:

- [ ] Colors match brand palette
- [ ] Typography follows type system
- [ ] Logo used correctly (if applicable)
- [ ] Voice and tone are consistent
- [ ] Imagery style matches guidelines
- [ ] Terminology uses preferred vocabulary

---

## Examples

### On-Brand Example
Content that correctly applies brand standards with appropriate voice, colors, and typography.

### Off-Brand Example
Content that deviates from guidelines — useful for training recognition.

---

## Questions to Ask

When unsure about a brand decision:
1. Does this feel like the brand?
2. Would this be recognizable without the logo?
3. Does this align with core values?
4. Is this how we want to be perceived?

---

## Related Skills

- brand-voice
- frontend-design
- design-system-quality

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*Version: 1.0.0*