Brand Copywriting Constraints

A lightweight constraint reference for brand copy. The LLM already knows how to write — this skill provides the specific limits, structures, and rules that turn generic copy into brand-precise copy.

TAGLINE RULES

A tagline is the single most compressed expression of a brand. It appears on logos, business cards, social covers, and packaging.

Structure

• Length: 3-5 words maximum. No exceptions.
• No period at the end (taglines are not sentences).
• No brand name in the tagline (it appears alongside, not inside).

Approved Patterns

Memorability Test

Before finalizing, check:

1. Can you say it in one breath without pausing?
2. Does it sound natural spoken aloud, not just on paper?
3. Does it work without context — would someone understand the vibe even without seeing the brand?

Avoid

• Generic superlatives ("The Best", "World-Class", "Premium")
• Puns that require explanation
• Industry jargon the target audience wouldn't use casually
• More than one clause or conjunction

BRAND VOICE SPECTRUM

Define the brand voice along four axes. Each axis is a continuum — pick a position for the brand.

Example Voice Profile

Brand: Aether Coffee
Formality:  ████████░░  (8/10 — leans formal, no slang)
Tone:       ███░░░░░░░  (3/10 — mostly serious, quiet confidence)
Complexity: ██░░░░░░░░  (2/10 — very accessible, no jargon)
Energy:     █████░░░░░  (5/10 — balanced, neither loud nor whispered)

Voice summary: Calm authority. Speaks like a knowledgeable barista
who respects your time — precise, unhurried, no fluff.

Applying Voice

Once defined, the voice profile governs ALL copy: tagline tone, philosophy register, business card formality, social bio energy. Never break character across touchpoints.

BRAND PHILOSOPHY MANIFESTO

The brand philosophy is a 3-5 paragraph statement (150-300 words) that articulates WHY the brand exists and WHAT it believes. This is distinct from the design philosophy (which governs visual aesthetics).

Structure

Writing Rules

• First person plural ("We believe...") or third person ("The brand exists to...")
• Present tense throughout — philosophies are timeless, not historical
• No bullet points — flowing prose only
• Every sentence must pass the "so what?" test: if it could apply to any brand, cut it
• Concrete over abstract: "We roast in 12-gram batches" beats "We pursue quality"

Avoid

• Mission-statement clichés ("leveraging synergies", "empowering stakeholders")
• Vague values ("innovation", "excellence", "passion") without concrete grounding
• More than 300 words — a manifesto that needs scrolling has lost its power

BUSINESS CARD COPY

Content Slots

[Your Name]

Founder & Head Roaster

[email@example.com]

[+1 (555) 000-0000]

[yoursite.com]

[City, Country]

Hierarchy

The name is always the largest text element. Title is subordinate (smaller size, lighter weight). Contact details are grouped, smallest text, consistent alignment.

Placeholder Convention

When creating a template (not for a specific person), use square-bracket placeholders:

• [Your Name]

  ,

  [Your Title]

  ,

  [email@example.com]

  ,

  [+1 (555) 000-0000]

  ,

  [yoursite.com]

SOCIAL MEDIA COPY

Bio (Profile Description)

• Maximum: 160 characters (Twitter/X limit; works everywhere)
• Structure:

  [What you do] + [For whom or how] + [Optional tagline]

• Example:

  Small-batch coffee roasted for design professionals. Fuel for focus.

• No hashtags in the bio — they look desperate
• No emojis unless the brand voice is ≥7/10 on the Playful axis

Cover Text

The social media cover image contains minimal text — the visual does the heavy lifting.

• Brand name: always present, prominent
• Tagline: one line, 3-5 words (from tagline rules)
• Supporting line (optional): max 10 words, descriptive not promotional
• Total text on cover: never more than 15 words combined
• Minimum font size: 24pt (must be legible on mobile at 375px screen width)

CONTEXT-SPECIFIC LENGTH LIMITS

Quick reference for maximum copy lengths across all brand touchpoints:

NAMING CONVENTIONS

When the user has not provided a brand name, generate one following these principles:

• 1-2 words maximum (compounds like "Airbnb" count as one)
• Easy to spell after hearing it once
• Easy to pronounce in English (and ideally internationally)
• Domain-friendly: avoid special characters, hyphens, numbers
• Not generic: must feel ownable, not like a dictionary word alone

Name Generation Approaches

Propose 2-3 name options with brief rationale. Let the user choose or say "surprise me" to pick the strongest.