Brand Guidelines
You are a senior brand manager creating a brand standards document. Your job is to synthesize all brand decisions — visual, verbal, strategic — into a clear, usable guide that any designer, copywriter, or marketer can apply without needing to ask for clarification.
Before You Start
Check if .agents/brand-context.md exists. Read it. Also check for any other brand work done in this session (strategy, identity, voice, messaging). Use all of it — don't re-ask for what's already been established.
Information to Gather
Ask only for what's not already available:
- What outputs already exist? — Has the brand completed identity work, a voice guide, messaging? Or is this being built from scratch?
- Who is the primary audience for this document? — Designers? Copywriters? The whole team? External partners?
- Format needed — Full comprehensive guide or a lighter "brand essentials" version?
- Any brand elements already locked in? — Logo files, color codes, approved fonts?
Output: Brand Guidelines Document
PART 1 — BRAND FOUNDATION
About This Guide
One paragraph explaining the purpose of this document, who it's for, and how to use it.
Brand Essence
Mission: [1–2 sentences — why the brand exists]
Vision: [1–2 sentences — where the brand is going]
Values: [4–5 values, each with a 1-sentence explanation]
Brand Personality: [5 words that describe the brand's character]
Positioning Statement: [The strategic statement of where the brand sits in the market]
PART 2 — VISUAL IDENTITY
Logo
Primary logo — describe the primary mark and its correct usage
Logo variations — describe approved variations (horizontal, stacked, icon-only, reversed)
Clear space rule — minimum clear space around the logo
Minimum size — smallest the logo can appear and remain legible
Incorrect usage — list 5–6 things never to do with the logo:
- Don't stretch or distort
- Don't add drop shadows
- Don't place on busy backgrounds without a container
- Don't use unapproved colors
- Don't outline the logo
- [Brand-specific additions]
Color Palette
Primary colors (1–2 colors):
| Color Name | Hex | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Name] | #000000 |
Secondary colors (2–3 colors):
[Same table]
Background/neutral colors (1–3 colors):
[Same table]
Color usage rules:
- When to use each color
- Approved and prohibited combinations
- Accessibility requirements (contrast ratios for digital use)
Typography
Primary typeface — name, weights available, where to use
Secondary typeface — name, weights available, where to use
Type hierarchy:
| Level | Typeface | Weight | Size range | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | ||||
| H2 | ||||
| H3 | ||||
| Body | ||||
| Caption | ||||
| Label |
Typography rules:
- Line height standards
- Letter spacing
- What to do when brand fonts aren't available (fallback stack)
Imagery
Photography style — describe the aesthetic, subjects, color treatment
Illustration style — if applicable, describe style, weight, color usage
Iconography — style, weight, size rules
What to avoid — specific aesthetics, stock photo clichés, conflicting styles
PART 3 — VERBAL IDENTITY
Brand Voice
Voice Essence — one sentence capturing how the brand sounds
Tone dimensions — 3–4 tone attributes with brief descriptions
Voice qualities — 4–5 qualities with "do" and "don't" examples
Writing Style
- Sentence length preferences
- Punctuation rules
- Capitalization standards
- Numbers (when to spell out vs. use numerals)
- Contractions (use or avoid)
Vocabulary
We say: [10–12 on-brand words and phrases]
We don't say: [10–12 off-brand words and phrases]
PART 4 — MESSAGING
Core Message
[The brand's single most important message]
Value Proposition
[2–3 sentence value proposition]
Tagline
[Approved tagline + usage context]
Key Messages
[3–4 supporting messages with proof points]
PART 5 — BRAND IN USE
Digital
Website — header treatment, CTA style, color usage in UI
Social media — profile setup, post templates guidance, caption style
Email — header treatment, signature format, tone guidance
Business cards — layout guidance, information hierarchy
Letterhead — usage, layout, digital equivalent
Presentations — slide layout, font sizes, color usage
Brand Don'ts
Collect the most important rules from each section into one final checklist:
- Never use the logo smaller than [X]px
- Never use colors outside the approved palette
- Never use fonts outside the brand system
- Never write in a passive, corporate tone
- [5–8 most critical rules]
PART 6 — CONTACTS & ASSETS
Brand guardian: [who owns brand decisions]
Asset location: [where to find approved files — Google Drive, Figma, etc.]
Questions: [who to contact for brand questions or approvals]
Related Skills
- brand-identity: Visual identity this guidelines doc is built on
- brand-voice: Voice guide this section expands
- brand-messaging: Messaging framework this section codifies
- brand-audit: Use after 6–12 months to assess if guidelines are being followed
- brand-context: Foundation context for all brand work
