| name | brand-voice-guidelines |
| description | Develop brand voice, tone matrices, messaging frameworks, and brand book documentation. Use when the user asks about brand voice, tone of voice, brand guidelines, messaging framework, or brand consistency. |
| license | MIT |
| origin | custom |
| author | Rebecca Rae Barton |
| author_url | https://github.com/thatrebeccarae |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","category":"strategy","domain":"brand-identity","updated":"2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z","tested":"2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z","tested_with":"Claude Code v2.1"} |
Brand Voice & Guidelines
Develop, document, and maintain consistent brand voice across all channels.
Install
git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/brand-voice-guidelines ~/.claude/skills/
Voice vs Tone
Voice = who you are (consistent). Tone = how you adapt to context (variable).
- Voice is your brand personality — it does not change
- Tone shifts based on situation: celebration vs crisis, social vs support, blog vs legal
Voice Development Process
Step 1: Audit Existing Content
Analyze 10-20 pieces of existing content across channels:
- What adjectives describe the writing?
- What is consistent? What is inconsistent?
- How does your audience describe you?
Step 2: Define Voice Attributes
Choose 3-5 attributes that define your brand voice. Each attribute sits on a spectrum:
| Attribute | We Are | We Are NOT |
|---|
| Confident | Bold, direct, opinionated | Arrogant, dismissive, preachy |
| Approachable | Warm, conversational, human | Unprofessional, sloppy, too casual |
| Expert | Knowledgeable, precise, credible | Jargon-heavy, condescending, academic |
| Playful | Witty, creative, surprising | Silly, forced, distracting |
Step 3: Brand Personality Archetypes
| Archetype | Voice | Brands |
|---|
| The Sage | Knowledgeable, thoughtful, guiding | Google, TED, McKinsey |
| The Creator | Innovative, expressive, visionary | Apple, Adobe, Figma |
| The Hero | Bold, confident, empowering | Nike, Patagonia, Slack |
| The Jester | Playful, irreverent, entertaining | Old Spice, Mailchimp, Duolingo |
| The Caregiver | Warm, supportive, trustworthy | Dove, TOMS, Headspace |
| The Rebel | Provocative, disruptive, direct | Harley-Davidson, Basecamp, Cards Against Humanity |
| The Explorer | Adventurous, curious, independent | Airbnb, North Face, REI |
| The Ruler | Authoritative, premium, exclusive | Rolex, Mercedes, Bloomberg |
| The Everyperson | Relatable, honest, grounded | IKEA, Target, Slack |
Step 4: Create Tone Matrix
Define how voice adapts across contexts:
| Context | Confidence Level | Formality | Humor | Empathy |
|---|
| Marketing website | High | Low-medium | Light | Medium |
| Blog post | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Social media | Medium-high | Low | High | Medium |
| Customer support | Medium | Medium | None | Very high |
| Error messages | Low (humble) | Low | Light if appropriate | High |
| Legal/compliance | Medium | High | None | Low |
| Crisis comms | High | High | None | Very high |
| Sales emails | High | Medium | Light | High |
Step 5: Messaging Framework
## Brand Promise
[One sentence: what you promise your customers]
## Value Propositions (3-5)
1. [VP 1]: [Proof point]
2. [VP 2]: [Proof point]
3. [VP 3]: [Proof point]
## Tagline Options
- [Tagline 1]
- [Tagline 2]
- [Tagline 3]
## Elevator Pitch (30 seconds)
[2-3 sentences that explain what you do, who you serve, and why it matters]
## Boilerplate (for press/about)
[Standard paragraph used in press releases, about pages, speaker bios]
Writing Style Guide
Grammar & Mechanics
| Decision | Our Standard | Why |
|---|
| Oxford comma | Yes | Clarity |
| Contractions | Yes (we are → we're) | Conversational |
| Exclamation marks | Max 1 per page | Not shouty |
| Emoji | [Platform-specific rules] | Context-dependent |
| Capitalization | Sentence case for headings | Modern, approachable |
| Numbers | Spell out 1-9, numerals 10+ | Standard convention |
| Pronouns | We (company), you (customer) | Direct and personal |
Vocabulary
| Instead Of | Use | Why |
|---|
| Utilize | Use | Simpler |
| Leverage | Use, apply | Less jargon |
| Synergy | Collaboration, combined | Real words |
| Best-in-class | Leading, top-performing | Less cliche |
| Disruptive | [describe what actually changed] | Show, do not label |
| Solution | [name the actual thing] | Be specific |
Voice Consistency Audit
Audit Checklist
Deliverable: Brand Voice Document
Document Structure
# [Brand] Voice Guide
## Who We Are (1 paragraph)
## Our Voice Attributes (3-5 with Do/Don't examples)
## Tone Matrix (context-specific adjustments)
## Messaging Framework (promise, VPs, tagline, elevator pitch)
## Writing Style Guide (grammar, vocabulary, formatting)
## Channel-Specific Guidelines (website, email, social, support)
## Examples (before/after rewrites for each voice attribute)
Integration with Other Skills
- content-creator — Brand voice analyzer script validates consistency
- seo-content-writer — Apply voice guidelines while optimizing for SEO
- copywriting-frameworks — Use frameworks within your established voice
- social-media-strategy — Platform-specific tone adaptations
- email-composer — Maintain voice in professional communications
