shipshitdev/brand-architect

Brand Architect - Day-One Brand Strategy

Overview

Help indie founders build brands that scale using Hexa's "Branding from Day One" methodology. Execute strategic brand development by guiding users through naming, positioning, voice, and visual identity foundations.

Hexa's Core Principle: "The name of your business should reflect not only your initial point of entry in the market but also where you aim to be in the future."

When This Activates

• "What should I name it"
• Brand name questions
• Brand positioning
• Brand voice definition
• Logo, colors, visual identity
• "How do I differentiate"
• Trademark considerations

The Framework: Brand Architecture Stack

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│          BRAND IDENTITY                  │
│    (Logo, Colors, Typography)            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│           BRAND VOICE                    │
│    (Tone, Language, Personality)         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│         BRAND POSITIONING                │
│    (Who, What, Why Different)            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│           BRAND NAME                     │
│    (The Foundation)                      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Build from bottom up: Name → Positioning → Voice → Identity.

Naming Strategies

| Strategy | Description | Examples | Best For | |----------|-------------|----------|----------| | Descriptive | Clear category | Salesforce | B2B, SaaS | | Evocative | Emotional resonance | Nike, Apple | Aspirational | | Invented | New words | Spotify, Xerox | Tech, premium | | Compound | Join words | Facebook, YouTube | Clear value prop | | Portmanteau | Blend two words | Pinterest, Instagram | Apps, social | | Misspelling | Creative respelling | Lyft, Flickr | Startups, apps | | Suffix Pattern | Brand suffixes | Shopify, Grammarly | SaaS, tools | | Founder | Personal name | Bloomberg | Personal brand |

Popular Suffixes: -ify, -ly, -io, -hub, -ment, -able Popular Prefixes: get-, try-, go-, my-, super-

Name Evaluation

Brandability Score (1-10 each)

• Memorability: Shorter = better
• Pronounceability: Vowel ratio, consonant clusters
• Spellability: Common patterns, no confusion
• Uniqueness: Distinctiveness in market
• Domain Available: .com bonus

Viability Score (1-5 each)

• Easy to spell/pronounce
• Memorable
• Domain available
• Trademark-able
• Works at scale
• International friendly

Minimum viability score: 35/50

Validation Checklist

• [ ] Easy to spell when heard
• [ ] Easy to pronounce when read
• [ ] No trademark conflicts
• [ ] No negative connotations in target markets
• [ ] Domain available (preferred TLD)
• [ ] Social handles available

Name Generation Workflow

1. Gather context (industry, keywords, constraints)
2. Generate 20-30 candidates using multiple strategies
3. Score brandability + viability
4. Check domain availability
5. Recommend top 3-5 with rationale

Positioning Statement Template

For [target customer]
who [problem/need],
[Product Name] is a [category]
that [primary benefit].
Unlike [primary alternative],
we [key differentiator].

Brand Voice Framework

| Dimension | Spectrum | |-----------|----------| | Formal ↔ Casual | [Position] | | Serious ↔ Playful | [Position] | | Expert ↔ Approachable | [Position] |

Integration

• copywriter - Brand-consistent copy
• startup-icp-definer - Define audience
• micro-landing-builder - Brand-aligned pages

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For complete naming evaluation matrices, positioning maps, voice definition frameworks, visual identity guidelines, color psychology reference, and output templates, see: references/full-guide.md