| name | ad-concept-generator |
| description | Use this skill when the user asks Claude to generate ad concept directions, brainstorm new creative angles, or plan a batch of ads before any image generation happens. Concept-first work — produces strategic directions grounded in avatar + offer + awareness level, not generic prompts. |
Ad Concept Generator
Purpose: Generate strategic concept directions for static ads. Concepts are diversity layers — different angles, different awareness levels, different proof types. They are NOT images.
A concept is "render-ready" when it has: avatar, awareness level, hook type, message frame, visual direction, and CTA style — all decided.
A CONCEPT'S 7 FIELDS
| Field | Example (Palm Aura) |
|---|
| Concept name | "Morning Pain Relief Ritual" |
| Avatar | 50+ morning stiffness sufferer |
| Awareness level | Problem-aware |
| Hook type | Pain-first |
| Message frame | "Before/after the warm-up" |
| Visual direction | Hands cradling mug, soft morning light, ceramic + linen |
| CTA style | Soft — "See how it works" |
| Why distinct | This concept owns "morning routine" — no other ad set hits that time-of-day specificity |
GENERATION PROCESS
Step 1 — Diverge
Generate 8-12 raw concept seeds. Don't filter yet.
Step 2 — Cluster
Group seeds by avatar OR by angle. Look for redundancy.
Step 3 — Score against gates
For each concept candidate, gate-check:
- Brand fit (palette + voice + aesthetic) — pass/fail
- Avatar specificity (which avatar SPECIFICALLY, not "wellness shoppers") — pass/fail
- Awareness level honesty (does the hook match where this person actually is?) — pass/fail
- Compliance (Meta policy + brand claim discipline) — pass/fail
- Distinct from other concepts in this batch — pass/fail
Step 4 — Converge to 5
Keep the 5 highest-fit concepts. Reject the rest with a one-line reason.
Step 5 — Render the concept brief for each
Use the 7-field template above.
DIVERSITY HEURISTICS
Across a batch of 5 concepts, aim for variety across these dimensions:
| Dimension | Spread to aim for |
|---|
| Avatar | Hit 2-3 distinct avatars across the batch |
| Awareness level | Mix problem-aware + solution-aware + product-aware |
| Hook type | Mix pattern interrupt + curiosity + pain-first + proof-led |
| Visual mood | Mix calm + energetic + intimate + bold |
| Format hint | Suggest mix of static + video-frame-first + UGC-style |
If all 5 concepts hit the same avatar, awareness, and hook type — you're not testing breadth, you're testing micro-variants. Restart.
ANTI-PATTERNS
- "Make me 5 hand massager ads" → no avatar, no angle, no awareness level. Refuse and ask for one.
- 5 concepts that are all "morning routine" → no diversity. Test variants WITHIN a concept after a hero is validated, not BEFORE.
- Concepts that name the product in the hook → product-aware framing for a cold audience usually fails. Hook the pain or curiosity, not the SKU.
- Generating concepts without reading brand pack → guarantees off-brand outputs. Always read first.
OUTPUT FORMAT
Write to plans/concept-batch-<brand>-<date>.md:
# Concept Batch — <Brand> — <Date>
**Offer:** <current offer>
**Test round:** <N>
**Generated:** <count> seeds → <count> finalists
## Concept 1: <Name>
- Avatar: ...
- Awareness level: ...
- Hook type: ...
- Message frame: ...
- Visual direction: ...
- CTA style: ...
- Why distinct: ...
- Higgsfield brief reference: <link to higgsfield-brief file>
## Concept 2: ...
...
## Rejected (with reason)
- [Concept] — rejected because [redundant / off-brand / not distinct / etc.]
## Next action
- Jake reviews and approves which concepts go to Higgsfield
INTEGRATION WITH WIKI
If a brand brain exists, consult wiki/hooks-that-work.md and wiki/competitor-angles.md before generating concepts. The brain already knows what's been tested and what's saturated — don't regenerate concepts the brain has already failed on.
If a brand brain doesn't exist yet, that's a flag to consider running the dtc-second-brain mode first.
