04-brand-voice-intake

name	04-brand-voice-intake
description	Use when defining verbal and visual direction after the audience is understood. Produces brand voice guide and visual identity brief; use `03-audience-personas` when that neighbouring contract is the closer match.
metadata	{"portable":true,"compatible_with":["claude-code","codex"]}

Brand Voice and Visual Identity Brief Generator

Produce one standalone brand document. This is the definitive tone and identity reference for the client account. It covers written voice, platform adjustments, vocabulary, emoji and hashtag policy, and visual identity direction for briefing a designer. Apply the east-african-english skill for tone throughout this document's own prose — but note that the brand voice being defined may differ from EA standard if the client specifies a different style.

Use When

• Use this skill for defining verbal and visual direction after the audience is understood.
• Confirm that 03-audience-personas is not the closer route before proceeding.

Do Not Use When

• Use 03-audience-personas when its narrower output is requested.
• Do not publish, spend, change a live account, certify compliance, or invent missing client evidence.

Required Inputs

Artefact	Source/provider	Required?	If absent
Approved client brief, personas and existing brand assets	Client, approved systems, or dated platform exports	Yes	Stop the affected decision; request it or mark the field unknown and narrow the output.
Purpose, audience and approval boundary	Client brief or accountable owner	Yes	Return discovery questions; do not infer approval.

Outputs

Artefact	Consumer	Acceptance condition
Brand voice guide and visual identity brief	Client lead and next workflow owner	Every recommendation traces to an input, names an owner or next action, and marks assumptions and unassessed checks.

Evidence Produced

Evidence	Format	Acceptance condition
Decision and source register	Table in the deliverable	Each material claim records its source/date or is labelled unverified; missing evidence never becomes a pass.

Capability and permission boundary

Read and search access to the supplied artefacts are required; calculation or file-rendering capability is optional. Planning and drafting are read-only with respect to client accounts and source records. Editing the deliverable requires explicit authorisation; publishing, production mutation, destructive action, spend, and certification claims require separate explicit authority and evidence.

Degraded mode

If files, platform access, network, rendering, fonts, or calculation tools are unavailable, return the narrowest useful qualified brand voice guide and visual identity brief. Mark each blocked check not assessed, state the consequence, and provide the exact evidence needed to resume. Never convert an unavailable check into a pass.

Decision rules

Choice	Action	Failure or risk avoided
Approved client brief, personas and existing brand assets is current and attributable	Produce the full brand voice guide and visual identity brief and cite the evidence used.	Decisions based on stale or unrelated evidence.
A material input is missing or contradictory	Stop that decision, request clarification, or issue a labelled partial result.	Fabricated precision and false confidence.
The requested outcome belongs to 03-audience-personas	Route there and hand over the verified inputs already collected.	Neighbour collision and duplicated work.

Workflow

1. Confirm the requested decision, consumer, market, period and permission boundary; route to 03-audience-personas if its contract is closer.
2. Inventory the required inputs and their provenance. Stop any decision whose critical evidence is absent; recover by requesting it or recording a bounded assumption.
3. Apply the domain method in the core sections below, following the decision table whenever evidence conflicts or scope changes.
4. Verify calculations, dates, named platforms and claims against the supplied sources; label inference and uncertainty.
5. Produce the brand voice guide and visual identity brief, decision/source register and explicit next owner. Do not mutate live systems without separate authority.
6. Run the repository anti-slop ship gate. If a blocking factual, permission or evidence defect remains, fix it or withhold release.

Quality Standards

The output is client-specific, uses British English and the stated market/currency, distinguishes observed fact from inference, exposes gaps, and gives a checkable acceptance condition. Recommendations must be feasible within the confirmed budget, capacity and permissions.

Anti-Patterns

• Using an undated benchmark as the client's result. Fix: use account evidence or label the benchmark as a provisional comparator.
• Producing the brand voice guide and visual identity brief without approved client brief. Fix: stop the affected decision or issue a clearly bounded partial output.
• Treating missing access or data as a successful check. Fix: record not assessed, its risk and the recovery input.
• Absorbing 03-audience-personas into this workflow. Fix: route the neighbouring output and hand over verified inputs.
• Publishing, spending or editing a live account during planning or review. Fix: obtain separate explicit authority and retain action evidence.

Worked example

Given verified approved client brief, the skill produces a brand voice guide and visual identity brief with source dates and named assumptions. If that evidence cannot be accessed, it returns only the supported sections plus a recovery list; it does not fill gaps with East African defaults.

Read next

• 03-audience-personas for the neighbouring contract.
• anti-ai-slop during production.
• ai-slop-audit at the release checkpoint.

References

• Anti-AI slop production gate
• Follow the directly linked repository skills above and any domain references named in the core sections below. Verify current platform, price, legal and regulatory claims before use.

Required Input

Ask for the following before generating anything:

• Client name and industry — as recorded in the 01-client-brief
• Three brand tone adjectives — from Section 6 of the 01-client-brief; these are the client's own words
• Brand colours and fonts — hex codes and font names if available; descriptive if not (e.g. "dark green and gold", "a bold sans-serif")
• Brands the client admires — 2–3 brands with a note on what the client likes about each
• Brands the client does NOT want to sound like — 3 brands with a note on what to avoid
• Country / city — defaults to Kampala, Uganda if not specified
• Completed 03-audience-personas — provide as context if available; tone decisions should align with persona messaging notes

If the three tone adjectives are missing, do not proceed — they are the foundation of all voice decisions. Ask for them.

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Section 1: Brand Voice Guide

Tone Attributes

Derive 4–6 tone attributes from the three client adjectives. Each attribute is a nuanced phrase that clarifies how the adjective applies in practice — not a synonym.

Format for each attribute:

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Attribute [N]: [Attribute phrase — e.g. "Warm but professional"]

Definition: One sentence explaining what this means in practice for this brand. Be specific — do not write a dictionary definition.

Right:

• [Example phrasing that embodies this attribute — a real sentence or caption style]
• [Second example]

Wrong:

• [Example phrasing that violates this attribute — show where a writer could go astray]
• [Second example]

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Repeat for all 4–6 attributes.

Guidance on deriving attributes from adjectives:

• A single adjective like "Bold" generates attributes such as "Bold in opinion, not in self-promotion" and "Confident without being aggressive"
• "Friendly" might generate "Friendly in tone, formal in grammar" for a professional services brand
• "Innovative" in an EA context might become "Forward-looking, but grounded in practical local reality"
• Ensure at least one attribute addresses the tension between the brand's professional sector and the warmth expected in EA communication

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Brand Voice Summary Paragraph

Write one paragraph (5–7 sentences) that the entire team reads before writing anything for this client. Synthesise all tone attributes into a coherent description of who this brand sounds like. Use the analogy of a person: if this brand were a person walking into a room, who would they be? What would they say? What would they never say?

This paragraph must be client-specific — it should be impossible to copy it to a different client without rewriting.

Example register: "[Client name] sounds like a trusted colleague who has genuinely useful advice — never a salesperson, never an academic. The brand speaks plainly, uses real-world examples, and treats the audience as intelligent adults who have seen enough marketing to recognise when they are being sold to. It is warm but efficient: it respects the reader's time. It does not shout to be heard. On the rare occasions it celebrates an achievement, it is brief and backs it up with evidence. It never uses the word 'groundbreaking'."

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Section 2: Platform Tone Adjustments

The brand voice is consistent across all platforms. The tone adjusts to match platform norms. Generate a platform adjustment for every platform the client is active on, plus any the client plans to use.

For each platform, provide:

• A one-sentence tone description for that platform
• 2 platform-specific tone rules
• One worked example using the sample message below

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Sample message for worked examples: Use a product or service announcement relevant to the client's industry. If no specific announcement is available, use: "[Client name] is pleased to introduce [new product/service], now available at [location/online]."

Rewrite this announcement in the correct tone and format for each platform:

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LinkedIn

• Tone: Formal, evidence-based, peer-to-peer professional. Write as though publishing a short industry insight.
• Rules: Lead with a relevant industry observation or data point before the announcement. Use full sentences. No more than one emoji if used at all.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for LinkedIn]

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Facebook

• Tone: Warm, conversational, community-focused. Write as though addressing a neighbourhood group.
• Rules: Use a question or invitation to open. Keep paragraphs short. A friendly emoji or two is appropriate.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for Facebook]

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Instagram

• Tone: Visual-first, aspirational or relatable depending on the client's personas. Caption supports the image — it is not the main event.
• Rules: Open with a strong hook (first line must work without the "more" button). Keep it short. Hashtags go at the end or in a comment.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for Instagram]

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WhatsApp

• Tone: Direct, personal, and value-led. This is a private channel — treat it as a one-to-one message, not a broadcast.
• Rules: Never open with a promotional hook. Lead with context and value. End with a clear, single call to action. Maximum 3 sentences.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for WhatsApp]

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TikTok

• Tone: Informal, energetic, hook-first. The first second of video and first word of caption must earn attention.
• Rules: Write the caption as a teaser, not a summary. Use the vocabulary and phrasing the persona actually uses. Trends and sounds are fair game.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for TikTok — caption and video hook line]

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X / Twitter

• Tone: Punchy, opinion-led, topical. One strong idea per post.
• Rules: Cut every word that is not working. If the post can be said in 10 words, do not use 20. A question or a take — not a press release.
• Example: [Rewritten announcement for X/Twitter]

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Only include platforms the client is active on or has confirmed plans to use. If a platform is not relevant, omit it.

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Section 3: Vocabulary List

Words and Phrases to Use

Generate 10–15 brand-specific terms, preferred vocabulary, and power words. Draw from:

• The client's three tone adjectives
• The industry vocabulary appropriate to the client's sector
• The EA professional register from the east-african-english skill
• The language used by the admired brands the client identified

Format as a list with a one-line note on why each term fits the brand:

Word / Phrase	Why it fits
[Term]	[One-line rationale]

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Words and Phrases to Avoid

Generate 10–15 items — jargon, competitor terms, off-brand language, and anything that conflicts with the tone attributes. Include:

• At least 3 items specific to the client's industry (common jargon or clichés)
• At least 2 items that reflect what the "brands to avoid" use
• The standard EA avoid list: "groundbreaking", "revolutionary", "game-changing", "amazing", "awesome", "unleash", "skyrocket"

Format as a list with a one-line note on why each term is off-brand:

Word / Phrase	Why to avoid
[Term]	[One-line rationale]

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Section 4: Emoji Policy

State the emoji policy for this brand clearly. Decisions should align with the tone attributes — a "professional and authoritative" brand uses fewer emojis than a "warm and approachable" brand.

Platform-by-platform emoji usage:

Platform	Emojis used?	Frequency	Types appropriate	Notes
LinkedIn	Yes / No / Sparingly	(e.g. max 1–2 per post)	Functional only
Facebook
Instagram
WhatsApp
TikTok
X / Twitter

Emoji types — define the policy:

• Functional emojis — used to organise or direct (tick, arrow, pin, link): permitted / not permitted
• Expressive emojis — convey emotion or tone (smile, celebration, heart): permitted / limited / not permitted
• Decorative emojis — pure decoration, no semantic value (star, sparkle): permitted / not permitted

Emojis to avoid — list 5–8 emojis that are off-brand for this client with a brief note on why. Common candidates include the fire symbol (overused), 100 symbol (informal/aggressive), tears-of-joy face (too casual for professional brands), and rocket (startup cliché).

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Section 5: Hashtag Brand Identity

Branded Hashtags

Generate 1–3 branded hashtags unique to this client. Requirements:

• Not already in widespread use (advise the client to search on Instagram and TikTok before publishing)
• Short enough to be memorable and typeable on a mobile keyboard
• Specific enough to be brand-owned — not a generic industry term
• Consistent across platforms

For each hashtag:

#[Hashtag]

• Purpose: [What this hashtag is for — e.g. all organic content / campaign-specific / community UGC]
• Platforms: [Which platforms to use it on]
• Usage rule: [All posts / Campaigns only / Specific content types]
• How to encourage audience use: [One-line instruction for growing hashtag adoption]

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Community and Discovery Hashtags

Provide guidance on supplementary hashtags — not branded, but relevant for reach:

• Industry hashtags (2–3 examples relevant to the client's sector)
• Location hashtags (2–3 examples for Uganda/EA or the client's specific city, e.g. #Kampala #UgandaBusiness)
• Platform-specific trending hashtags — note that these change weekly; the content team should review weekly

State clearly: branded hashtags are permanent; community hashtags rotate; trending hashtags are time-limited.

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Section 6: Visual Identity Brief (For Designer Briefing)

This section is guidance for briefing a graphic designer or photographer. It does not produce design files. The output is a written brief the client can hand to their designer.

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Photography Style Direction

State clearly and briefly:

• Subject matter: [What should appear in photos — people, products, environments, combinations]
• People in images: Yes or No; if yes — clients, staff, models, or user-generated; posed or candid; demographic alignment with personas
• Setting: Indoor / Outdoor / Both; specific settings that work for this brand (e.g. "office environments", "market settings", "outdoor lifestyle")
• Mood: [Choose: Warm / Neutral / Bold / Calm / Energetic] — and one sentence on what this looks like in practice
• Professional vs. authentic: [Highly produced / Balanced / Raw and authentic] — state the dial position and why it matches the personas
• Stock photography policy: Permitted with conditions / Avoid entirely / Permitted for specific platforms only — state the rule and the reason

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Colour Palette Usage

Using colours from the 01-client-brief (hex codes if provided):

Colour role	Colour (hex or description)	When to use
Primary		Main brand colour — dominant in all content
Secondary		Supporting colour — used for accents and contrast
Accent		Highlight colour — used sparingly for CTAs
Background		Default background for graphics
Text on dark		Colour used for text overlays on dark images
Text on light		Colour used for text overlays on light images

Note any colours to avoid — especially colours associated with competitors or that clash with brand colours.

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Typography Guidance

Using fonts from the 01-client-brief:

• Heading font: [Name] — personality note: [e.g. "Serif — conveys tradition and authority"; "Bold sans-serif — modern and direct"]
• Body font: [Name] — personality note:
• On social media graphics: [Which font to use for headlines on posts; which for captions/subtext]
• Font size guidance: Minimum 24px for mobile legibility on social graphics
• Fonts to avoid: [Any typefaces that conflict with brand personality — e.g. "No Comic Sans, no script fonts that are difficult to read at small sizes"]

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Image Do's and Don'ts

Do:

• [Specific instruction, e.g. "Use images that feature real staff and real customers where possible"]
• [Specific instruction]
• [Specific instruction]
• [Specific instruction]

Do not:

• [Specific instruction, e.g. "Do not use stock images of people who do not reflect the EA demographic of the client's audience"]
• [Specific instruction]
• [Specific instruction]
• [Specific instruction]

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Quality Criteria

• Tone attributes are derived logically from the client's three adjectives — a reader can trace the connection
• Each attribute's "Right" and "Wrong" examples are distinct and clearly illustrate the difference — not variations on the same sentence
• The brand voice summary paragraph is specific to this client; it cannot be applied to another client without rewriting
• Platform tone adjustments show a genuine tonal shift between platforms using the same source message — not the same message with a different emoji
• Vocabulary lists contain at least 3 items specific to the client's industry; generic EA professional vocabulary does not fill the list
• Emoji policy is specific enough to act on without further discussion — ambiguous entries such as "use occasionally" are not acceptable
• Branded hashtags are distinct, searchable, and accompanied by a usage rule
• Visual identity brief is written as a practical designer brief — not as abstract brand theory
• British English spelling throughout; tone of this document's own prose follows the east-african-english skill