name: brand-building
description: Brand strategy, identity, positioning, and voice development. Use when developing brand guidelines, creating positioning statements, defining brand voice, or building brand architecture.

Brand Building

Brand strategy, identity, and positioning for differentiated market presence.

Language & Quality Standards

CRITICAL: Respond in the same language the user is using. If Vietnamese, respond in Vietnamese. If Spanish, respond in Spanish.

Standards: Token efficiency, sacrifice grammar for concision, list unresolved questions at end.

When to Use This Skill

Apply brand expertise when:
- Developing or refreshing brand strategy
- Creating brand guidelines and standards
- Defining brand voice and tone
- Building positioning and messaging frameworks
- Designing brand architecture for multi-product companies
- Ensuring brand consistency across channels

Core Concepts

Brand Foundation Elements

Positioning Framework

Positioning Statement Template:

For [target audience] who [need/opportunity], [product name] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [competitors], we [unique differentiator] because [reason to believe].

Elements of Strong Positioning:
1. Target Audience: Specific, not "everyone"
2. Frame of Reference: Category you compete in
3. Point of Differentiation: Why you're different AND better
4. Reason to Believe: Proof points and credentials

Brand Architecture Models

Branded House
- One master brand across all products
- Sub-brands under umbrella
- Example: Google (Maps, Drive, Cloud, etc.)
- Best for: B2B, trust-dependent, related offerings

House of Brands
- Independent brands, parent company behind scenes
- Each brand has distinct positioning
- Example: P&G (Tide, Pampers, Gillette)
- Best for: Diverse categories, different audiences

Endorsed Brands
- Sub-brands with parent endorsement
- Partial independence with credibility boost
- Example: Marriott (Courtyard by Marriott)
- Best for: Extending into adjacent categories

Hybrid
- Mix of approaches based on strategic fit
- Example: Apple (Apple, Beats by Dr. Dre)

Brand Voice Spectrum

Brand Equity Components

1. Brand Awareness: Recognition and recall
2. Brand Associations: What people think/feel about you
3. Perceived Quality: Expectations of excellence
4. Brand Loyalty: Repeat behavior and advocacy

Best Practices

Strategy Excellence

1. Research First: Base positioning on customer insights, not assumptions
2. Differentiate Meaningfully: Different AND relevant to target audience
3. Own a Word: Be known for one thing (Volvo = Safety)
4. Consistency Over Time: Brand building takes years, not months

Guidelines Excellence

1. Practical Examples: Show don't just tell
2. Do/Don't Examples: Clear boundaries
3. Context-Specific: Guidelines for different channels/situations
4. Living Document: Update as brand evolves

Voice Excellence

1. Character, Not Rules: Define personality, not just word lists
2. Situational Flexibility: Same voice, different tone by context
3. Training Examples: Real-world application samples
4. Vocabulary Bank: Words we use / words we avoid

Agent Integration

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Related Commands

• /brand/voice - Create brand voice guidelines
• /brand/book - Generate comprehensive brand book
• /brand/assets - Manage brand assets

References

• references/brand-strategy.md - Strategic foundation
• references/visual-identity.md - Design guidelines
• references/voice-tone.md - Verbal identity
• references/positioning.md - Market positioning frameworks