# Brand Frameworks Reference

Structured tools for producing brand strategy. Each framework is a repeatable process - follow the steps, fill in the structure, get a usable output.

## Table of Contents

1. [Positioning Framework](#1-positioning-framework)
2. [Voice & Tone System](#2-voice--tone-system)
3. [Naming Framework](#3-naming-framework)
4. [Brand Audit Rubric](#4-brand-audit-rubric)
5. [Competitive Mapping](#5-competitive-mapping)
6. [Messaging Hierarchy](#6-messaging-hierarchy)
7. [Brand Story Structure](#7-brand-story-structure)

---

## 1. Positioning Framework

Positioning is the single most important brand decision. Everything else is downstream. Use this framework before any other brand work.

### The Seven Questions

Answer these in order. Each answer constrains the next.

**1. Who is this for?**
Not demographics. Psychographics and behaviors. "People who ___" or "Teams that ___."
Bad: "Women 25-45 with household income $75k+"
Good: "People who care about what goes on their skin but don't have time to research ingredients"
Good: "Engineering teams shipping to production multiple times per day"

**2. What category are you in?**
Name the mental shelf your audience files you on. Be specific enough to be useful, broad enough to have headroom.
Bad: "Technology" - too broad
Bad: "AI-powered collaborative async video messaging for distributed engineering teams" - too narrow
Good: "Skincare" / "Team communication" / "Ecommerce analytics"

**3. What's the key insight?**
The tension, frustration, or unmet need in the category that you exploit. This should make your target audience nod.
Template: "[Target audience] want [desire] but [barrier] because [root cause]."
Example: "Founders want to understand their unit economics but existing tools require a data team to set up."

**4. What's your promise?**
One sentence. What changes for the customer when they choose you? This is the outcome, not the mechanism.
Bad: "We use machine learning to analyze your data" (mechanism)
Good: "Know if you're profitable before your morning coffee" (outcome)

**5. What are your proof points?**
3-5 concrete reasons to believe the promise. These can be features, credentials, social proof, or design choices - but they must be specific and verifiable.

**6. What's your personality?**
3 adjectives that describe how the brand *behaves* (not what it looks like). Pair each with a "not" to create tension and specificity.
Example: "Confident, not arrogant. Playful, not silly. Direct, not blunt."

**7. Positioning statement**
Synthesize 1-6 into the formula:

```
For [target audience] who [key need/insight],
[brand] is the [category] that [promise]
because [proof points].
Unlike [key competitor/alternative], we [key differentiator].
```

This statement is an internal tool, not customer-facing copy. It's the North Star that all copy, design, and product decisions reference.

### Positioning Stress Tests

After drafting, run these checks:
- **Would a competitor say the same thing?** If yes, it's not positioning - it's category table stakes.
- **Does it require a trade-off?** Good positioning means being *not for* some people. If it appeals to everyone, it differentiates from no one.
- **Can a new employee use it to make a decision?** If they couldn't use the positioning statement to choose between two homepage headline options, it's too vague.
- **Does it survive the "so what?" test?** Read each line and ask "so what?" - if you can't answer with a concrete customer benefit, revise.

---

## 2. Voice & Tone System

Voice is the brand's personality in words. It's constant. Tone is how that personality adapts to context. Voice stays the same; tone shifts.

### Step 1: Define Voice Attributes

Choose 3 attributes. For each, provide:

```
[Attribute]: [Definition in brand's context]
This means: [specific behaviors]
This doesn't mean: [common misinterpretations]

Example copy (marketing): "..."
Example copy (support): "..."
Example copy (error state): "..."
```

**Example:**

```
DIRECT: We say what we mean without jargon or hedging.
This means: Short sentences. Active voice. Specific numbers over vague claims.
This doesn't mean: Curt, cold, or dismissive. We're direct AND warm.

Marketing: "Ship 3x faster. No setup required."
Support: "The export failed because the file exceeded 50MB. Here's how to fix it."
Error: "That page doesn't exist. Here's where you probably meant to go."
```

### Step 2: Build the Tone Spectrum

Map how voice traits dial up or down by context:

| Context | Confidence | Warmth | Playfulness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage | High | Medium | Medium |
| Product description | High | Low | Low |
| Onboarding | Medium | High | High |
| Error messages | Low | High | Medium |
| Legal/terms | Neutral | Low | None |
| Social media | High | High | High |
| Support tickets | Medium | High | Low |
| Packaging insert | High | High | Medium |

### Step 3: Vocabulary Guide

Create three lists:

**Power Words** - Words that embody the brand. Use freely.
**Caution Words** - Words that are OK in context but can be overused or misapplied.
**Banned Words** - Words that contradict the brand. Never use.

Example (for a DTC skincare brand):
- Power: clean, ritual, glow, barrier, formulated, intentional
- Caution: natural (overused), luxury (misaligned with accessibility positioning)
- Banned: chemical-free (scientifically inaccurate), anti-aging (misaligned with brand philosophy)

### Step 4: Copy Samples

Provide 8-10 real-world copy samples showing voice in action across contexts: headline, subhead, product description, CTA button, email subject line, email body, social post, support response, error message, 404 page.

---

## 3. Naming Framework

### Phase 1: Strategy

Before generating names, decide the naming strategy:

| Strategy | Description | Best For | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Says what it does: "Booking.com" | SEO, immediate clarity | Generic, hard to trademark |
| Invented | Made-up word: "Spotify", "Figma" | Highly trademarkable, unique | Requires brand investment to build meaning |
| Metaphorical | Borrows meaning: "Amazon", "Slack" | Evocative, memorable | Can feel abstract without context |
| Founder/Personal | Named after person: "Glossier" (from "glossary") | Authentic, editorial | Limits brand evolution |
| Compound | Mashes words: "Instagram", "Pinterest" | Catchy, suggests meaning | Can feel gimmicky |
| Acronym | Letters: "IBM", "BMW" | Professional | Zero inherent meaning, hard to remember initially |

### Phase 2: Generation

Produce 15-25 candidates. Mix strategies. For each name, note:
- Strategy used
- Intended association / why it works
- Pronunciation guide if non-obvious

### Phase 3: Screening

Score each candidate 1-5 on:
- **Memorability** - Can someone recall it after hearing it once?
- **Pronounceability** - Can someone say it correctly after reading it?
- **Spellability** - Can someone type it correctly after hearing it?
- **Visual potential** - Does it suggest interesting logo/visual directions?
- **Domain availability** - .com available? Reasonable alternative?
- **Social handle availability** - Consistent handle across platforms?
- **Trademark risk** - Any obvious conflicts in the relevant class?
- **Cultural sensitivity** - Any unintended meanings in relevant languages/contexts?
- **SEO signal** - Does it help or hurt discoverability?
- **Longevity** - Will it still work in 5 years if the product evolves?

### Phase 4: Shortlist

Present top 3-5 with scores, rationale, and strategic fit. Include a recommendation with reasoning, but acknowledge this is ultimately a subjective decision.

---

## 4. Brand Audit Rubric

Use this to evaluate an existing brand. Score each dimension 1-5, provide evidence, and recommend actions.

### Dimensions

**Positioning Clarity (weight: 25%)**
- Can you articulate who this is for and why in one sentence?
- Is the promise specific and differentiated?
- Do proof points support the promise?

**Visual Consistency (weight: 20%)**
- Is the visual system applied consistently across all touchpoints?
- Does the visual identity support the positioning?
- Are there unauthorized variations or drift?

**Voice Consistency (weight: 20%)**
- Does the brand sound the same across channels?
- Is there a documented voice guide?
- Do different team members produce consistent-sounding copy?

**Competitive Differentiation (weight: 20%)**
- Could you swap the logo with a competitor and would anyone notice?
- Is there a clear "only we" claim?
- Does the brand own a specific territory in the audience's mind?

**Audience Alignment (weight: 15%)**
- Does the target audience recognize themselves in the brand?
- Is the brand speaking to who it wants to reach, or who it currently has?
- Are there audience segments the brand is accidentally repelling?

### Output Format

```
BRAND AUDIT: [Brand Name]
Date: [Date]
Overall Score: [X/5]

1. POSITIONING CLARITY: [X/5]
   Evidence: ...
   Recommendations: ...

2. VISUAL CONSISTENCY: [X/5]
   Evidence: ...
   Recommendations: ...

[... etc for all 5 dimensions]

PRIORITY ACTIONS:
1. [Highest-impact recommendation]
2. [Second priority]
3. [Third priority]
```

---

## 5. Competitive Mapping

### Perceptual Map

Choose two axes that matter to the target audience. These should represent genuine trade-offs in the category, not false dichotomies.

Good axis pairs:
- Premium ↔ Accessible (price positioning)
- Expert ↔ Approachable (voice/complexity)
- Innovation ↔ Heritage (brand story)
- Specialized ↔ All-in-one (product scope)
- Bold ↔ Subtle (visual/personality)

Plot 5-10 competitors plus the user's brand (current position and desired position, if different).

### Competitive Messaging Teardown

For each key competitor, extract:
- Homepage headline
- Primary promise
- Proof points used
- Voice character (3 adjectives)
- What they're optimizing for (trust, speed, price, features, community)

Then identify: what's everyone saying? Where is no one playing? What territory is available?

---

## 6. Messaging Hierarchy

Layer messaging from shortest to longest. Each layer must be self-contained (no context needed from other layers).

```
TAGLINE (3-8 words):
  The distilled brand promise. Works on a billboard.

ELEVATOR PITCH (1-2 sentences, ~20 words):
  What you do + for whom + key benefit.

BOILERPLATE (50 words):
  Standard brand description for press, bios, and footers.

VALUE PROPOSITION (100 words):
  Problem → solution → proof → outcome.

ABOUT NARRATIVE (200-400 words):
  Full story: origin, mission, approach, and invitation.
  Used on about pages, investor decks, brand profiles.

AUDIENCE-SPECIFIC VARIANTS:
  Rewrite the elevator pitch and value prop for each distinct audience segment.
  Same positioning, different emphasis.
```

---

## 7. Brand Story Structure

Not every brand needs an origin story. But every brand needs a narrative framework - a way of explaining why it exists that creates emotional connection.

### The Three-Act Structure

**Act 1: The World Before (Problem/Tension)**
What's wrong with the status quo? What frustration or gap exists? Make the audience feel the tension in their own life.

**Act 2: The Insight (Turning Point)**
What did you notice, realize, or experience that others missed? This is the founder's moment of clarity, the product insight, or the market gap that made the brand inevitable.

**Act 3: The Invitation (Solution + Shared Future)**
What are we building, and how does the audience participate? This isn't "buy our product" - it's "join this movement / adopt this philosophy / become this kind of person."

### Narrative Tone by Context

- **About page:** First person plural ("we"), warm but confident, focus on mission
- **Pitch deck:** Third person, data-backed, focus on market opportunity
- **Press/PR:** Third person, newsworthy framing, focus on differentiation
- **Packaging/unboxing:** Second person ("you"), intimate, focus on experience
- **Manifesto:** First person plural, aspirational, focus on belief system
