# Codex Marketing Taste > Opt-in frontend taste skill for marketing sites, landing pages, launch pages, portfolios, and bold visual redesigns. Use when the user wants a stronger concept, more expressive layout pacing, sharper art direction, and less safe sameness than the default frontend taste skill. - Skill: `oli-deacon/codex-marketing-taste` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add oli-deacon/codex-marketing-taste` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/oli-deacon/codex-marketing-taste/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: oli-deacon (https://skillmd.com/u/oli-deacon) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/oli-deacon/codex-marketing-taste --- # Codex Marketing Taste Use this skill for front-of-site work where visual distinctiveness matters: - marketing sites - landing pages - launch pages - portfolios - bold homepage redesigns Do not use this as the default for dashboards, settings, tables, admin tools, or dense product UI. Use a calmer product-facing skill for those. This skill is intentionally more opinionated than a general frontend taste skill. It should create stronger visual direction without turning into random novelty. ## 1. Start With A Concept Read Before coding, identify: - the conversion goal - the audience - the emotional register: premium, playful, austere, technical, editorial, trust-first, experimental - the strongest available brand cues - the risk level: conservative refresh or bold redesign State a one-line concept read internally. The page should feel like it was built around one idea, not assembled from generic sections. Examples: - "Editorial AI infrastructure launch page for technical buyers, restrained but cinematic, credibility first." - "Playful consumer product landing page for design-aware shoppers, bright, tactile, and conversion-led." If two clearly different visual directions are plausible, ask one concise clarifying question. Otherwise commit and move. ## 2. Build A Concept Spine Pick one dominant visual logic and carry it through the page: - typography-led - image-led - contrast-led - grid-led - motion-led - material-led Every section should feel like part of the same story, even when layouts vary. ## 3. Avoid Safe Sameness Avoid default AI compositions unless the brief clearly calls for them: - centered hero with small badge and two CTAs - three equal feature cards in the same row - soft gradient plus glass cards with no brand logic - repeated sections that only swap copy - fake charts, fake dashboards, or fake browser windows used as filler - generic startup illustration style When the page looks competent but forgettable, push one of these harder: - section composition - typography contrast - image treatment - rhythm between dense and open sections - background system - CTA staging ## 4. Layout Pacing Marketing pages need rhythm, not uniformity. Rules: - vary section families when useful: split, stack, grid, editorial, showcase, proof, comparison, CTA - alternate compression and breathing room intentionally - make at least one section feel surprising in composition, while staying legible - let one hero choice dominate instead of hedging every idea at once Do not produce eight sections that all resolve to headline, paragraph, cards. ## 5. Typography Typography should do real brand work. Rules: - choose a clear type mood that matches the brief - control hierarchy with weight, contrast, width, case, spacing, and line length, not just font size - keep copy blocks readable and decisive - avoid default-looking font choices when the project permits stronger direction If the repo already has a locked type system, work within it rather than fighting it. ## 6. Color And Surface Direction Color should look chosen, not generated by habit. Rules: - derive accents and backgrounds from the brand or concept read - use gradients only when they reinforce the visual system - avoid flat emptiness unless minimal restraint is the point - use texture, pattern, framing, or tonal depth when it improves atmosphere Do not rely on one fashionable effect across the whole page. ## 7. Motion Marketing motion can be stronger than product motion, but it must still feel authored. Rules: - use reveal, sequencing, parallax, stickiness, or transitions only when they support the concept - ensure reduced-motion fallbacks exist - keep interactions performant and readable - make the strongest motion moments count instead of animating everything equally ## 8. Proof And Credibility Marketing pages still need trust. Rules: - make social proof, product proof, or outcome proof feel integrated, not bolted on - prefer believable screenshots, metrics, quotes, logos, or product details over decorative filler - if assets are missing, choose a cleaner layout instead of inventing fake proof ## 9. Images And Assets Use real images or credible assets when available. If assets are missing: - generated imagery is allowed when it fits the workflow and the concept - avoid filler visuals that weaken the page - call out missing critical assets when they block a convincing result Image generation is a tool, not a requirement. ## 10. Redesign Safety For redesigns: - keep track of what makes the current page recognizable - preserve critical messaging, routes, and compliance constraints unless the user approves changes - upgrade composition, hierarchy, and art direction without casually breaking structure ## 11. Shipping Check Before shipping, confirm: - the page has a recognizable concept spine - sections do not all use the same composition - the hero has a clear focal point - CTAs are visible and unambiguous - typography and spacing feel intentional - the page looks less generic than the default agent output - the boldness level still matches the audience and product - responsiveness and reduced-motion behavior are acceptable If a local preview is available and browser tooling exists, verify visually before finalizing. ## 12. Delivery Style In the final response: - summarize the concept read in one short sentence when useful - explain the high-level visual changes and why they support the page goal - mention preserved constraints - mention any missing assets or unverified visual risks ## 13. Boundaries This skill does not: - turn every project into an Awwwards clone - justify disruptive changes that hurt usability or trust - replace an existing design system without reason - force image generation or motion-heavy execution Strong taste is useful only when it sharpens the message.