Create Tagline

You are helping a startup founder create a memorable brand tagline. The tagline distills the brand's essence into a few powerful words that stick in customers' minds.

Context Loading

Brand Name (required): @docs/00-BRAND/00-DISCOVERY/04-brand-name.md

Purpose/Mission/Vision (required): @docs/00-BRAND/01-STRATEGY/01-purpose-mission-vision.md

Core Values (optional): @docs/00-BRAND/01-STRATEGY/02-core-values.md

Positioning (required): @docs/00-BRAND/01-STRATEGY/03-positioning.md

Archetype (optional): @docs/00-BRAND/01-STRATEGY/04-archetype.md

Brand Voice (required): @docs/00-BRAND/01-STRATEGY/05-brand-personality-voice.md

Messaging Framework (required): @docs/00-BRAND/02-MESSAGING/01-messaging-framework.md

Check above: If brand name, purpose/mission/vision, positioning, brand voice, or messaging framework content is missing, STOP and tell the user to complete prerequisites first.

Optional tagline direction: $ARGUMENTS

Your Role

CRITICAL: ALWAYS use the AskUserQuestion tool for ANY question to the user. Never ask questions as plain text output. The AskUserQuestion tool ensures a guided, interactive experience with structured options. Every single user question must go through this tool.

CRITICAL: You MUST use the Task tool to launch the brand-tagline-creator agent. Do not create taglines yourself — that's what the specialized agent is for.

Your job is to:

1. Verify prerequisites exist
2. Extract key context from loaded documents
3. Prepare a comprehensive, structured prompt for the agent
4. Launch the agent
5. Help founder select from options
6. Save and review the results

Interactive Experience (CRITICAL)

ALWAYS use the AskUserQuestion tool when interacting with the user. This ensures a guided, interactive experience where the founder feels engaged and consulted throughout the branding process.

Use AskUserQuestion to:

• Gather preferences before launching agents
• Present options with clear tradeoffs
• Validate agent outputs before saving
• Get feedback and iterate on results

Never save final outputs without user approval.

Human-Sounding Writing Protocol

BEFORE launching the brand-tagline-creator agent, you MUST:

1. Use the Skill tool to invoke claude-vibes:ai-writing-detection

   • This loads expert-level knowledge of AI writing patterns to avoid

2. Use the Sequential Thinking MCP tool (ultrathink) to prepare AI-aware instructions:

   • Review vocabulary patterns to avoid: "delve", "tapestry", "multifaceted", "leverage", "crucial", "comprehensive", "foster", "harness", "navigate", "landscape", "realm", "beacon", "pivotal"
   • Review phrases to avoid: "It's important to note", "In today's fast-paced world", "At its core", "Let me explain"
   • Review structural patterns to avoid: uniform sentence lengths, excessive tricolons, em dash overuse (LLMs use em dashes formulaically to create "punched up" sales rhythms—swapping to commas doesn't help; vary your structures instead)

3. Include AI-aware instructions in the agent prompt so output is human-sounding from the start

Launch the Agent

Use Task tool with subagent_type: "claude-vibes:BRANDING:brand-tagline-creator" and this prompt:

Create brand tagline options. ultrathink

## BRAND CONTEXT

**Brand Name**: [From brand name document]
**Purpose (WHY)**: [From purpose-mission-vision.md]
**Mission (HOW)**: [From purpose-mission-vision.md]
**Vision (WHERE)**: [From purpose-mission-vision.md]
**Core Values**: [From core-values.md]
**Positioning**: [From positioning.md — the territory we claim]
**Onlyness Statement**: [From positioning.md]
**Voice Traits**: [From brand-personality-voice.md]
**Archetype**: [From archetype.md — primary and secondary]

## VALUE PROPOSITION

**Core Value Proposition**: [From messaging-framework.md]
**Key Benefits**: [From messaging-framework.md — functional, emotional, self-expression]
**Brand Pillars**: [From messaging-framework.md — the key themes]

## FOUNDER CONTEXT

**Founder's Vision**: [From founder brief — what they want to achieve]
**Brands They Admire**: [From founder brief — tagline references]

## COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

**Competitor Taglines**: [From competitive audit if exists]
**Tagline Differentiation Opportunity**: [What angles competitors don't own]

## CRITICAL: INTERACTIVE DISCOVERY

**ALWAYS use the AskUserQuestion tool to ensure an interactive, guided experience:**
- Gather preferences and opinions before making recommendations
- Present options with clear tradeoffs for the user to choose from
- Validate findings and get feedback before proceeding
- Confirm final outputs resonate before saving

Never make significant decisions without user input. The brand identity belongs to them.

## DISCOVERY APPROACH

### Phase 1: Strategic Foundation
Build the positioning foundation before writing:
- Complete the Brand Mantra (3 words: Emotional + Descriptive + Function)
- Write the Trueline (internal positioning truth)
- Identify audience Awareness Level (Schwartz's 5 levels)
- Define what the tagline must communicate, feel, and avoid

### Phase 2: Competitive Analysis
Research the tagline landscape:
- Analyze competitors' taglines (type, approach, gaps)
- Identify white space and differentiation opportunities
- Note overused patterns in this category

### Phase 3: Extensive Brainstorming
Generate options systematically:
- Apply the Distillation Method (USP → cut by half 3x → add device)
- Explore each Tagline Type (Descriptive, Emotional, Aspirational, Imperative, Superlative, Interrogative, Provocative)
- Apply Linguistic Devices (rhyme, alliteration, parallelism, sensory, rhythm)
- Generate 50+ candidates before filtering

### Phase 4: Shortlist and Evaluate
Filter to 5-7 finalists:
- Apply the Onlyness Test to each
- Run Anti-Pattern Check (11 common mistakes)
- Score on Evaluation Matrix (Memorability, Strategic Fit, Emotional Impact, Distinctiveness, Longevity)
- Apply AIDA and ABC tests to top candidates

### Phase 5: Finalize and Test
Prepare recommendation:
- Select top choice with detailed rationale
- Identify runner-up with "when to use instead"
- Create usage guidelines (logo treatment, context usage)
- Document testing protocol

## TOOLS TO USE

- **Sequential Thinking MCP**: Apply the Distillation Method step-by-step, systematically evaluate each option against criteria
- **AskUserQuestion**: Get tagline preferences (type, tone, length), understand emotional direction, validate finalist options
- **WebSearch**: Research competitor taglines and positioning, find famous tagline case studies, discover tagline databases
- **WebFetch**: Read competitor websites to understand their tagline positioning, study famous tagline creation stories for inspiration

## OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS

Deliver the complete tagline documentation using the Tagline Document Template from the `tagline-creation-strategies` skill. Must include:

1. **Strategic Foundation** (onlyness, brand mantra, trueline, awareness level)
2. **Tagline Options** (5-7 options with type, device, rationale, strengths)
3. **Evaluation Matrix** (scoring on 5 criteria)
4. **AIDA Scores** (top 3 candidates)
5. **Anti-Pattern Check** (11 common mistakes filter)
6. **Recommendation** (top choice + runner-up with rationale)
7. **Usage Guidelines** (logo treatment, context usage)
8. **Testing Protocol** (A/B test plan, pre-launch checklist)
9. **Quick Reference Card** (one-page summary)

After Agent Returns

Use AskUserQuestion to help founder select:

"Here are the tagline options. Which resonates most with you?"

• Option A: [tagline] — [brief rationale]
• Option B: [tagline] — [brief rationale]
• Option C: [tagline] — [brief rationale]
• I'd like refinements on one of these
• None of these — try different angles

Guidelines

• Ruthlessly short: If you can cut a word, cut it (aim for 2-4 words)
• Strategy first: Pretty words mean nothing without strategic foundation
• Sound it out: Taglines must sound good spoken aloud
• Test for memory: Can someone remember it after hearing once?
• Check for ownership: Could a competitor use this? Then it's not specific enough
• Consider longevity: Will this date? Will it work in 10 years?
• Great taglines are simple but not simplistic
• They should work with AND without the brand name
• Avoid clichés and industry jargon
• The "tattoo test": Would a customer feel proud to say it?

Output

After the founder selects their tagline:

1. Ensure docs/00-BRAND/02-MESSAGING/ directory exists

2. Save to docs/00-BRAND/02-MESSAGING/02-tagline.md with:

   • Selected tagline
   • Strategic rationale
   • Usage guidelines
   • Other finalists (for reference)

3. Next step: "Run /00-BRAND:02-messaging/03-write-pitch to create your elevator pitches."