Brand Identity Guide

---
name: brand-identity-guide
description: "Creates comprehensive brand identity guidelines with logo usage, color codes, typography, imagery style, voice, and application examples. Use when documenting your brand standards."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Brand Identity Guide

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Document brand guidelines for consistent visual and verbal identity
- Create a brand book for freelancers, agencies, or new team members
- Establish standards for logo, color, typography, and imagery usage
- Formalize brand rules that currently live in the founder's head

**DO NOT** use this skill for logo design, website design, or marketing strategy. This is for documenting and codifying existing brand identity decisions.

---

## Core Principle

A BRAND GUIDE IS ONLY USEFUL IF IT IS SPECIFIC ENOUGH THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER MET YOU CAN PRODUCE ON-BRAND WORK — VAGUE GUIDELINES PRODUCE INCONSISTENT BRANDS.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Brand name** | "What is your brand name?" | Must be provided |
| **Logo files** | "Do you have a logo? Share files or describe it." | Must have or describe desired direction |
| **Colors** | "Do you have established brand colors? (hex codes if possible)" | Will recommend |
| **Typography** | "Any fonts you use consistently?" | Will recommend |
| **Brand personality** | "Describe your brand in 3-5 adjectives." | Must be provided |
| **Audience** | "Who will use this guide? (internal team, freelancers, agency partners)" | Freelancers and team |
| **Existing materials** | "Share any existing branded materials (website, social, packaging)." | Website URL |

**GATE: Confirm brief before proceeding.**

---

## Phase 2: Outline

### Brand Guide Sections

1. **Brand overview** — mission, vision, values, positioning statement
2. **Logo** — primary mark, variations, clear space, minimum size, misuse examples
3. **Color palette** — primary, secondary, accent colors with hex/RGB/CMYK values
4. **Typography** — heading font, body font, hierarchy, web and print specifications
5. **Imagery style** — photography direction, illustration style, icon guidelines
6. **Brand voice** — tone, vocabulary, dos and don'ts, writing examples
7. **Applications** — business cards, social media, email signatures, presentations
8. **Do's and don'ts** — visual examples of correct and incorrect usage

**GATE: Confirm which sections to include and depth level.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### Writing Rules

- Include specific values (hex codes, font sizes, spacing ratios) — not "use brand blue"
- Show visual examples: correct usage AND incorrect usage for every element
- Provide file format guidance: which logo file for which use case
- Write usage rules as clear commands: "Always maintain 20px clear space around the logo"

### Color Documentation Format

For each color:
- Name, hex code, RGB, CMYK (for print), Pantone (if applicable)
- Accessibility rating (contrast ratio against white and dark backgrounds)
- Usage context (primary for CTAs, secondary for backgrounds, accent for highlights)

### Typography Documentation Format

For each font:
- Font name, weight, and style
- Where to obtain (Google Fonts link, Adobe Fonts, or license info)
- Size hierarchy: H1, H2, H3, body, caption with exact sizes
- Line height and letter spacing recommendations

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### Final Deliverables

1. **Complete brand identity guide** — all sections formatted cleanly
2. **Quick-reference card** — one-page cheat sheet with logo, colors, and fonts
3. **Asset checklist** — list of all brand assets needed (logo files, font files, templates)
4. **Handoff notes** — what to send freelancers or agencies along with the guide

---

## Example 1: Solo Brand (Personal brand, digital business)

**Scope:** Logo usage, 4-color palette, 2 fonts, social media templates, email signature.
**Format:** Google Doc with embedded examples, shareable link for freelancers.

## Example 2: Growing Brand (Product company, 5+ team members)

**Scope:** Full brand book with logo system, extended color palette, typography scale, photography direction, voice guidelines, application mockups.
**Format:** PDF brand book + Figma component library link.

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## Anti-Patterns

- **Vague color names** — "brand blue" without a hex code means every designer picks a different blue. Specify exact values.
- **No misuse examples** — showing only correct usage leaves room for creative interpretation. Show what NOT to do.
- **Guide too long to read** — a 60-page brand book nobody opens is worse than a 5-page guide everyone uses. Prioritize brevity.
- **Missing digital specifications** — print specs without web specs (or vice versa) leaves half the use cases uncovered.
- **Static, never updated** — brands evolve. Review and update the guide annually.

---

## Recovery

- **No logo yet:** Document color, typography, and voice guidelines first. Add logo section after design is complete.
- **User cannot articulate brand personality:** Ask them to name 3 brands they admire and 3 they do not. Extract personality traits from the contrast.
- **Inconsistent existing materials:** Document the aspirational standard, not the current inconsistency. Flag materials that need updating.
- **No budget for professional fonts:** Recommend high-quality free alternatives from Google Fonts that match the desired personality.