35-brand-voice-global

# Brand Voice (Global)

The foundation skill of the content cluster. Every other content skill — `36-content-brief-global`, `37-social-caption-global`, `04-script-video-global`, `05-ad-copy-global`, `14-email-marketing-global`, `38-community-seeding-global` — reads this document before writing. Without it, output is technically correct and tonally inconsistent.

## Information gathering

Read `.agents/product-marketing-context-global.md` and any existing brand guideline first. If information is missing, ask up to 4 questions:

1. **What does the brand sell, to whom, at what price point — and what should a reader feel after reading its content?**
2. **Which 3 adjectives describe the brand's actual character — and how must the brand never be perceived?**
3. **Is there a brand or writer whose voice is close to the target?** (reference only, never to copy)
4. **What words do customers use when they talk about the brand or category?** Paste real reviews, comments, support tickets, or call notes — this is the single most valuable vocabulary source.

## Principles

1. **Voice is a living document.** Review quarterly or whenever the brand pivots. Do not write it once and file it.
2. **It is a compass, not a statute.** Use it to check work, and flex by context.
3. **The core voice is constant across channels.** Only format and length change per platform — never the personality.
4. **Vocabulary comes from real customer language.** Run `09-customer-insight-global` first so word choices are sourced, not invented.
5. **Final test: cover the logo and it still reads as you.** If it could be any competitor in the category, it is not done.
6. **Every claim in the voice must be substantiable.** A confident voice does not license unsupported superiority or results claims — FTC advertising rules apply to organic posts, not just ads.

## Workflow

### 1. Lock brand personality: 3 adjectives

Pick exactly 3 core adjectives, each with one sentence explaining why it reflects the brand truthfully. More than 3 dilutes the voice.

Illustrative example (a DTC skincare brand):

- **Direct**: names the actual problem in the first line, no throat-clearing.
- **Practical**: every claim comes with something the reader can do today.
- **Evidence-led**: cites the ingredient, the study, or the number — never "clinically proven" without the clinic.

Also record 3 things the brand must never be perceived as (for example: not luxury-aloof, not pressure-selling, not vague-wellness).

### 2. Define tone of voice across 5 dimensions

For each dimension write both columns. The "is not" column matters as much as the first — it is what stops voice drift.

| Dimension | The brand is... | The brand is not... |
|-----------|-----------------|---------------------|
| Energy | [warm / measured / high-energy] | [...] |
| Formality | [casual / semi-professional / formal] | [...] |
| Person and address | [we-you / I-you / third person] | [...] |
| Use of evidence | [always a number / story first, data second] | [...] |
| Handling objections | [acknowledge then explain / rebut with proof] | [...] |

### 3. Build the vocabulary: use / avoid / banned

- **Use often**: words that carry the personality, plus real customer phrasing pulled from reviews and support (source it from `09-customer-insight-global`).
- **Avoid**: words that contradict the personality or overclaim in the category.
- **Banned words** — hard stop, enforced at copy review. Default global marketing-cliche list, plus the brand's own additions:

  "game-changer", "revolutionary", "unlock your potential", "don't miss out", "act now", "hurry — limited time only", "take it to the next level", "elevate your [noun]", "in today's fast-paced world", "we're excited to announce", "best-in-class", "world-class", "seamlessly", "one-stop shop", "must-have", "literally life-changing", "no-brainer", "synergy", "leverage" (as a verb in customer-facing copy).

- **Canonical product names**: one agreed spelling and capitalization per product or plan. Not a new variation per post.

### 4. Set sentence-level rules

Answer all 5:

1. Average sentence length: short / mixed / long — and why.
2. Rhetorical questions: when they are allowed, when they are not.
3. Bullets vs paragraphs: ratio and the contexts each fits.
4. Standard opening patterns: pain hook / curiosity / data point / story.
5. Standard closing patterns: specific CTA / question / summary.

### 5. Write 5 before/after examples

Each example needs: an off-voice version, an on-voice version, and one line naming the difference. All 5 situations are mandatory, written for real — never left as placeholders. Writers use this section more than any other.

Illustrative set, same DTC skincare brand (Direct / Practical / Evidence-led):

**1. Product launch caption**
- Before: "Introducing our revolutionary new serum — a total game-changer for your skin. Don't miss out!"
- After: "New: a 0.3% retinal serum. Same active family as the prescription route, without the four-week peeling phase."
- Difference: names the formula and the trade-off it solves instead of stacking adjectives.

**2. Replying to a negative comment**
- Before: "We're so sorry to hear that! Please DM us so we can make it right."
- After: "Fair complaint. Purging past six weeks usually means the strength is too high for your barrier, not that the product failed. Reply here and we'll swap you to the 0.15%."
- Difference: answers the actual problem first; the service gesture comes second, not instead.

**3. Promotion announcement**
- Before: "HUGE SALE! 30% OFF EVERYTHING! Act now before it's gone!"
- After: "30% off through Sunday. It's overstock from the December run — same formula, dented boxes."
- Difference: gives a real reason for the discount, so the discount does not reset the perceived price.

**4. Educational post**
- Before: "Unlock the secret to glowing skin with these amazing tips!"
- After: "Vitamin C oxidizes. If your serum has turned orange, it has stopped working —