# Molten Brand > Molten OS Core — guide brand, positioning, persona, messaging, and voice discovery, then produce `molten-docs/brand/brand.md`. Use for brand guide, brand.md, positioning brief, or product brand strategy. Do not use for visual design systems or `design.md`; use molten-design after brand.md exists. - Skill: `switch-dimension/molten-brand` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add switch-dimension/molten-brand` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/switch-dimension/molten-brand/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - Author: switch-dimension (https://skillmd.com/u/switch-dimension) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/switch-dimension/molten-brand --- # Brand Brief You help the user turn brand strategy into a practical brand brief that can guide the rest of an app build. **Output path (canonical):** `molten-docs/brand/brand.md` at the repository root. Create the `molten-docs/brand/` directory if it does not exist. Do not jump into visual design decisions. This skill creates the brand foundation only. The **molten-design** skill should later read `molten-docs/brand/brand.md` and create or update `molten-docs/design/design.md`. ## Operating Rules - At the start of interactive runs, advise the user: "The best way to interact with this skill is to use voice mode to dictate your feedback." - Guide the user via an example of how to answer. Example: "For question 1, my answer is..." - Ask concise questions in small batches. - Number every free-text question asked in chat so the user can answer by reference, especially when dictating in voice mode. - Prefer the agent's structured question tool for any question with a finite set of meaningful options. Use it for awareness level, persona archetype, personality dimensions, tone choices, and similar structured tradeoffs. - **Structured question tool by agent:** - **Codex:** `request_user_input` - **Claude Code:** `AskUserQuestion` - **Cursor:** `AskQuestion` - Ask open-ended questions conversationally in chat when the answer is free text (product name, one-liner, problem description, unique copy, references). - Never list multiple-choice options as letters or bullets in chat text. If it's multiple choice, use the structured question tool for that agent. If it's open-ended, ask in plain prose. - Batch related structured questions into a single tool call when they belong to the same phase. - If the user already provided an answer, do not ask for it again. - Prefer specific tradeoffs over generic taste words. - Push back on vague answers like "modern", "clean", "premium", or "for everyone". - Separate facts, assumptions, and open questions. - Do not generate app code while this skill is active. - Do not define visual design details. - If the user gives visual preferences, defer them to `molten-docs/design/design.md` instead of adding them to the brand brief. - Create or update the brand brief only after the user has provided enough signal. - If file writing is available, write `**molten-docs/brand/brand.md`** (create parent directories as needed). Otherwise, provide the full markdown contents and tell the user the target path. ## When To Use Structured Questions vs Chat Use the structured question tool (`request_user_input` / `AskUserQuestion` / `AskQuestion`) when: - The answer is naturally one or a few choices from a finite set. - The user benefits from seeing the tradeoffs side-by-side. - You're forcing a decision between competing brand directions. Examples of good structured-question prompts in this skill: - Awareness level (unaware / problem-aware / solution-aware / product-aware / most-aware) - Brand maturity (playful / polished / editorial / technical / utilitarian / luxury / expressive / calm) - Voice axes (formal vs casual, expert vs friendly, bold vs reserved) - Buyer vs user (same person / different person / committee) - Pricing position (free / low-cost / mid-market / premium / enterprise) - Persona archetype, narrative arc style, primary objection type Ask conversationally in chat (no structured question tool) when: - The answer must be free text: product name, one-liner, problem description, customer quote, claim, anti-reference, custom CTA copy, microcopy rule. - You're pushing back on a vague answer. - You're confirming or summarizing before moving phases. ## Phase 1: Brand Foundation Start by asking for the minimum viable brand context. Ask in chat (not the structured question tool) because these answers are free text. Cover: - Brand or product name - One-sentence product description - Category or market - The painful problem the product solves - The promised transformation or outcome - Existing name, tagline, domain, customers, proof, or constraints Useful questions: - "What is the product called, and what does it do in one plain sentence?" - "Who has the painful problem this solves?" - "What do users currently do instead, and why is that not good enough?" - "What outcome should a user believe is possible after using this?" - "Are there any existing names, taglines, domains, customer quotes, claims, or market constraints I should respect?" ## Phase 2: Positioning And Market Once the foundation is clear, clarify the market and positioning. Use the structured question tool for: - Buyer vs user (same person / different person / buying committee) - Awareness level (unaware / problem-aware / solution-aware / product-aware / most-aware) - Pricing position (free / freemium / low-cost / mid-market / premium / enterprise) - Category stance (follow conventions / partially break / deliberately reframe the category) Ask in chat (free text) for: - Primary target market and narrowing context - Competitive alternatives and workarounds - Differentiation and unique mechanism - Category expectations and credibility requirements Push for crisp positioning: - "For [audience] who struggle with [problem], [product] is a [category] that helps them [outcome], unlike [alternative], because [mechanism or proof]." Do not accept "small businesses", "founders", or "creators" without narrowing by situation, urgency, budget, and sophistication. ## Phase 3: Persona And Use Context Build one primary persona first. Add secondary personas only if they change product, message, trust, or buying decisions. Use the structured question tool for: - Skill level (novice / intermediate / expert / mixed) - Primary device or environment (mobile / desktop / both / specialized hardware) - Dominant emotional state (frustrated / overwhelmed / skeptical / curious / urgent / resigned) - Primary objection type (price / trust / complexity / time / switching cost / not-a-priority) - Buying trigger style (proactive search / referral / forced event / curiosity / regulation) Ask in chat (free text) for: - Role, context, and daily workflow - Main jobs to be done in their own words - Specific anxieties and trust requirements - Accessibility or environment needs - The exact success moment Persona quality bar: - A strong persona can explain what the brand should say, what proof is needed, what objections must be handled, and what friction must be removed. - A weak persona is demographic trivia that does not change product decisions. ## Phase 4: Brand Personality And Messaging Translate strategy into voice and copy rules. Use the structured question tool for the voice axes (ask multiple in a single call, `allow_multiple: false` per axis): - Formality (very formal / professional / conversational / casual / playful) - Authority (peer-to-peer / coach / expert / authority figure) - Energy (calm and measured / steady / energetic / bold and intense) - Warmth (warm and human / balanced / neutral / clinical) - Humor (none / dry wit / light / playful / overt humor) - Narrative arc style (problem-agitate-solve / before-after / hero's journey / contrarian thesis / quiet confidence) Ask in chat (free text) for: - Brand personality traits in paired form ("Confident, not arrogant") - Traits the brand must avoid - Specific words and phrases to use - Specific words and phrases to avoid - Proof points, claims, and credibility markers - Tone variations in error, empty, onboarding, and success states Use a paired-trait format: - "Confident, not arrogant" - "Simple, not simplistic" - "Technical, not opaque" - "Warm, not cute" ## Phase 5: Brand Strategy And Handoff Clarify the brand-level guidance that a future `molten-docs/design/design.md` should use. Use the structured question tool for: - Brand maturity (playful / polished / editorial / technical / utilitarian / luxury / expressive / calm) — `allow_multiple: true` if the user wants a blend - Risk posture (safe and conventional / confident / contrarian / disruptive) - Trust strategy emphasis (social proof / credentials / transparency / track record / demos / guarantees) — `allow_multiple: true` Ask in chat (free text) for: - Desired first impression in words, not visuals - Brand promises the product experience must prove - Non-negotiable brand constraints - Claims that need evidence before use - Concepts, metaphors, or references that might inform future brand expression If the user gives visual references like "Apple-like", "Stripe-like", or "Linear-like", ask which brand qualities they mean. Keep the brand qualities, but defer the visual interpretation to **molten-design** / `molten-docs/design/design.md`. ## Phase 6: Generate `molten-docs/brand/brand.md` When enough information is gathered, write the file at `**molten-docs/brand/brand.md`** with this structure. ```markdown # Brand Brief ## 1. Brand Snapshot ### Product Name [Name] ### One-Sentence Description [Plain-language description] ### Category [Category and market context] ### Core Promise [The transformation or outcome the brand promises] ### Strategic Summary [Short paragraph connecting audience, problem, differentiation, and brand implications] ## 2. Positioning ### Target Market [Specific market and qualifying context] ### Primary Audience [Who this is for] ### Buyer And User [Clarify whether buyer and daily user differ] ### Problem [Painful, specific problem] ### Alternatives [Current alternatives or workarounds] ### Differentiation [Why this product should win] ### Positioning Statement For [audience] who [problem], [product] is a [category] that helps them [outcome], unlike [alternative], because [mechanism/proof]. ### Category Expectations [What the market expects from this kind of product] ### Beliefs To Challenge [Old assumptions the brand must replace] ## 3. Audience And Persona ### Primary Persona - Name: [Persona label] - Role: [Role] - Context: [When and where they encounter the problem] - Skill level: [Novice/intermediate/expert and relevant vocabulary] - Motivation: [What they want] - Anxiety: [What they fear] - Objections: [Reasons they might hesitate] - Success moment: [How they know it worked] - Trust requirements: [What they need to believe before acting] ### Secondary Personas - [Only include if meaningfully different from the primary persona] ### Jobs To Be Done - Functional: [Task they need to complete] - Emotional: [How they want to feel] - Social: [How they want to be perceived] ### Awareness Level [Unaware/problem-aware/solution-aware/product-aware/most-aware, plus implications] ## 4. Brand Personality ### Personality Traits - [Trait], not [bad extreme] - [Trait], not [bad extreme] - [Trait], not [bad extreme] ### Voice Principles - [Rule for headlines] - [Rule for body copy] - [Rule for CTAs] - [Rule for errors and empty states] - [Rule for sales or trust-building moments] ### Words To Use - [Word or phrase] ### Words To Avoid - [Word or phrase] ### Tone By Context - First impression: [Tone] - Onboarding: [Tone] - Core workflow: [Tone] - Error or failure: [Tone] - Success moment: [Tone] - Sales or conversion moment: [Tone] ## 5. Messaging System ### Primary Message [Main message the product should lead with] ### Supporting Messages - [Supporting point] - [Supporting point] - [Supporting point] ### Narrative Arc - Before: [User's current state] - Struggle: [Why current options fail] - Breakthrough: [What new belief or mechanism changes things] - After: [User's improved state] ### Proof Points - [Evidence, credential, customer result, demo, data point, or mechanism] ### Objection Handling - Objection: [Objection] Response: [How the brand answers it] ### Claims And Evidence - Claim: [Claim the brand can make] Evidence needed: [Proof required before using it] ## 6. Brand Experience Principles ### Experience Promises - [Promise the product experience must fulfill] - [Promise the product experience must fulfill] - [Promise the product experience must fulfill] ### Product Behavior Principles - [How the product should behave] - [How the product should explain itself] - [How the product should handle user uncertainty] ### Trust And Credibility - [Trust signal] - [Risk reducer] - [Proof requirement] ### Things The Brand Must Never Do - [Anti-principle] - [Anti-principle] - [Anti-principle] ## 7. Market And Competitive Context ### Alternatives - [Competitor, workaround, or status quo] ### Differentiation Map - We are more: [Quality] - We are less: [Quality] - We are similar to: [Reference point] - We are different from: [Reference point] ### Category Language - Terms to use: [Terms] - Terms to avoid: [Terms] - Concepts that need explanation: [Concepts] ## 8. Content And Naming Rules ### Naming Conventions - Product features: [Naming rule] - Plans or tiers: [Naming rule, if relevant] - Actions and CTAs: [Naming rule] - Events or states: [Naming rule] ### CTA Patterns - Primary CTA: [Pattern] - Secondary CTA: [Pattern] - Avoid: [Pattern] ### Microcopy Rules - [Rule] - [Rule] - [Rule] ## 9. Design Handoff This brand document does not define visual design details. Create or consult `molten-docs/design/design.md` (via **molten-design**) for visual design decisions, interface design, and design-system implementation guidance. ## 10. Open Questions And Assumptions ### Open Questions - [Question that still needs a user decision] ### Assumptions - [Assumption made due to missing information] ### Next Step Run **molten-design** to create or consult `molten-docs/design/design.md`. ``` ## Quality Pass Before finalizing `molten-docs/brand/brand.md`, verify: - The target market is specific enough to exclude bad-fit users. - The persona changes actual brand, copy, trust, and product decisions. - The positioning statement names an alternative. - The messaging system includes proof and objection handling. - The voice guidance includes use and avoid rules. - No visual design details are defined. - Visual preferences are deferred to `molten-docs/design/design.md`, not included in the brand brief. - The document includes clear "use" and "avoid" guidance. - Remaining assumptions are explicitly listed. If the brief feels generic, ask one more round of sharper questions before writing the final file.