| name | market-research |
| description | Maps the competitive landscape and market sophistication level for a product category. Use before building any creative strategy. Trigger on: 'research the market', 'what are competitors doing', 'sophistication level of this market'. Requires brand context from brand-guidelines. |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","status":"stable","tags":["research","competitors","sophistication","positioning"],"inputs":["brand-context.md","product category"],"outputs":["market report — sophistication level","competitor map","white spaces","creative implications"],"depends-on":["brand-guidelines"]} |
Market Research
Before Starting
Confirm before starting:
The more precise the category, the more reliable the sophistication analysis.
This skill maps the competitive landscape and market sophistication before any creative strategy begins.
Input: Brand context doc + product category
Output: Market sophistication level + competitor map + positioning gaps + creative implications
Step 1: Competitive Audit
For each of the 3–5 main competitors:
- Primary claim (what they say they are)
- Awareness level they target (Unaware → Most Aware)
- Dominant creative formats (video / static / UGC)
- Angles used (pain / proof / education / identity)
- What's missing from their messaging
Where to look:
- Meta Ad Library (facebook.com/ads/library)
- Competitor websites — hero section, product pages
- Review platforms (Trustpilot, Amazon, Google)
- TikTok and Instagram for organic signals
For research sources: See references/competitors.md
Step 2: Market Sophistication Level
Assess the Schwartz sophistication level for the category.
Key question: What claims are already cliché in this category?
For sophistication framework: See references/sophistication.md
Step 3: Positioning Map
Plot the category on two axes relevant to the product.
Find the white space — where no competitor is positioned.
For positioning frameworks: See references/positioning.md
Step 4: Output
## Market Research Report — [Category] — [Date]
### Sophistication Level
Level [1–5] — [Rationale in 2–3 sentences]
### Saturated Claims (avoid)
- [Claim 1]
### Competitor Map
| Competitor | Primary Claim | Awareness Target | Dominant Format | Gap |
### White Space Opportunities
[2–3 positioning opportunities not currently occupied]
### Creative Implications
[What this means for angle, hook strategy, and awareness stage targeting]
Related Skills
01-audit/brand-guidelines — prerequisite02-research/audience-research — run in parallel03-strategy/creative-brief — market research feeds angle selection
