docs: add brand platform and guidelines
Brand gauntlet (6-round strategy discovery) and brand forge (6-phase visual identity system) complete. Includes colour tokens, typography spec, imagery direction, social strategy, and implementation-ready design system. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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docs/brand/kon-brand-guidelines.md
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docs/brand/kon-brand-guidelines.md
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# Kon — Brand Guidelines
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**Version:** 1.1
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**Date:** 2026/03/21
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**Source:** Brand Forge — six-phase visual identity development
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---
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## 1. Brand Foundation
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**Purpose:** Kon exists because the tools meant to organise your thoughts demand more mental energy than the thoughts themselves.
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**Essence:** Clarity without friction.
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**Archetype:** Sage (primary) + Magician (secondary)
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**Voice sliders:**
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- Formal 3 ↔ Casual **7**
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- Serious **5** ↔ Funny 5
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- Respectful **5** ↔ Irreverent 5
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- Enthusiastic 3 ↔ Matter-of-fact **7**
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**We Are / We Are Not:**
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| We are | We are not |
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|---|---|
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| Astute | Rambling |
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| Concise | Rude |
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| Direct | Dishonest |
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| Listening | Judging |
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| Peace | Static |
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**Tenets:**
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1. "How can I make this person feel seen and heard?"
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2. "Does this add or remove complexity from daily life?"
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3. "Is this scientifically backed? Is it respectful? Is it honest?"
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4. "Is the message clear and unambiguous?"
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5. Integrity, honour, respect.
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6. Progressive disclosure — never show the full complexity.
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7. Build the ecosystem.
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---
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## 2. Brand Marks
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### Primary: Wordmark
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**"Kon"** set in Instrument Serif Italic, 400 weight, amber (#e8a87c on dark / #b87a4a on light).
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**Usage:**
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- The wordmark is the primary brand identifier across all contexts
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- Always italic — the italic-only choice gives it a handwritten, personal quality
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- Minimum size: 18px digital
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- Clear space: half the cap-height of the "K" on all sides
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- Accompanied by tagline "Think out loud" in Lexend 400, `--text-tertiary`, when space permits
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**Don'ts:**
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- Never set the wordmark in Lexend or any other font
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- Never use Instrument Serif for anything other than the wordmark and marketing display
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- Never use the wordmark in upright (roman) — always italic
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- Never stretch, rotate, add shadows, or apply effects
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- Never place on a busy or low-contrast background
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### Secondary: Waveform Mark
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A minimal abstracted waveform — three vertical bars of asymmetric heights in amber. Used where the wordmark won't fit.
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**Variants:**
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- **Static:** Three bars, amber (#e8a87c), asymmetric heights. Favicon, system tray, social profile picture
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- **Animated (recording):** Gentle amplitude pulse, 2s cycle, ease-in-out. Amplitude clamped to a gentle visual range regardless of input level — status indicator, not a VU meter. Disabled when `prefers-reduced-motion: reduce` is active
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**Proportions:**
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- Three bars, left to right: 60% height, 100% height, 40% height
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- Bar width: 20% of total mark width
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- Gap between bars: 15% of total mark width
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- Rounded terminals (radius = half bar width) — consistent with Lucide icon language
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- At 16×16px: bars are 3px wide, 1px gap between, heights 6px / 10px / 4px (centred vertically)
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- At 512×512px: bars are 96px wide, 48px gap, heights 192px / 320px / 128px
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**Sizing:** Must remain legible at 16×16px (favicon) and scale cleanly to 512×512px (app store)
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**Note:** The CORBEL fox mark is not a Kon asset. Never use the fox on Kon materials.
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---
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## 3. Colour System
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### Design Tokens — Dark Theme (Primary)
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#### Surfaces
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| Token | Hex | Usage |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--bg` | #0f0e0c | Primary background (60%) |
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| `--bg-elevated` | #171614 | Elevated panels, popovers |
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| `--bg-card` | #1b1a17 | Content containers, cards |
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| `--bg-input` | #151412 | Input fields |
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| `--sidebar` | #13120f | Navigation surface |
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#### Text
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| Token | Hex | Min size | Usage |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| `--text` | #f0ece4 | 12px | Primary text — AAA on all surfaces |
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| `--text-secondary` | #9a9486 | 12px | Supporting text — AA on all surfaces |
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| `--text-tertiary` | #716b60 | 18px bold / 24px regular | Labels, captions, metadata — large text only |
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#### Accent
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| Token | Hex | Usage |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--accent` | #e8a87c | Primary accent — CTAs, active states, brand moments |
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| `--accent-hover` | #d4976a | Interactive hover state |
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| `--accent-subtle` | #e8a87c10 | Tinted backgrounds, selected states |
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| `--accent-glow` | #e8a87c25 | Selection highlights, focus rings |
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#### Borders & Interactive
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| Token | Hex | Usage |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--border` | #2c2923 | Primary borders |
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| `--border-subtle` | #221f1b | Subtle dividers |
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| `--nav-active` | #201e1a | Active navigation state |
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| `--hover` | #1e1c18 | Hover states |
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#### Semantic
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| Token | Hex | Usage |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--success` | #7ec89a | Positive states, completion |
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| `--danger` | #e87171 | Errors, recording active, destructive actions |
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| `--warning` | #e8c86e | Loading, caution states |
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#### Sensory Zones
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| Token | Hex | Purpose |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--zone-cave` | #1a2a2e | Deep focus — cool teal tint |
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| `--zone-energy` | #2a2520 | Collaboration — warm neutral |
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| `--zone-reset` | #1e2420 | Relaxation — muted sage |
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Zone transitions: 300–500ms cross-fade, disabled when `prefers-reduced-motion: reduce`.
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### Design Tokens — Light Theme
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#### Surfaces
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| Token | Hex |
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|---|---|
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| `--bg` | #faf8f5 |
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| `--bg-elevated` | #f3f0eb |
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| `--bg-card` | #ffffff |
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| `--bg-input` | #f0ede8 |
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| `--sidebar` | #f5f2ed |
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#### Text
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| Token | Hex |
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|---|---|
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| `--text` | #1a1816 |
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| `--text-secondary` | #5c574d |
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| `--text-tertiary` | #8a8578 |
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#### Accent
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| Token | Hex | Note |
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|---|---|---|
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| `--accent` | #b87a4a | Darkened from legacy #d4956a for contrast compliance |
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| `--accent-hover` | #a06b3e | |
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| `--accent-subtle` | #b87a4a10 | |
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| `--accent-glow` | #b87a4a20 | |
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#### Semantic
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| Token | Hex |
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|---|---|
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| `--success` | #3d8a5a |
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| `--danger` | #c44d4d |
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| `--warning` | #b89a3e |
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#### Sensory Zones (Light)
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| Token | Hex |
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|---|---|
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| `--zone-cave` | #e8f0f2 |
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| `--zone-energy` | #f5f0e8 |
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| `--zone-reset` | #edf2ea |
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### Colour Rules
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1. **Never** pure black (#000000) on pure white (#FFFFFF) — causes halation for neurodivergent users
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2. **Amber accent is always meaningful** — signals interactivity, recording state, or brand identity. Never decorative
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3. **Tertiary text is large text only** — minimum 18px bold or 24px regular
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4. **Grain texture** at 2.5% opacity (dark) / 1.5% opacity (light)
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5. **All neutrals carry a warm amber undertone** for palette cohesion
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6. **60-30-10 rule:** 60% surface, 30% elevated surfaces, 10% amber accent
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---
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## 4. Typography
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### Font Stack
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| Role | Font | Source | Licence |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| **Display** | Instrument Serif Italic | Google Fonts | OFL |
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| **UI / Body** | Lexend (variable, 300–700) | Google Fonts | OFL |
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| **Mono** | JetBrains Mono | JetBrains | OFL |
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```css
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@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Instrument+Serif:ital@1&family=Lexend:wdth,wght@75..125,300..700&display=swap');
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:root {
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--font-ui: "Lexend", system-ui, sans-serif;
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--font-display: "Instrument Serif", Georgia, serif;
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--font-mono: "JetBrains Mono", "Fira Code", monospace;
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}
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```
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### Why Lexend
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Lexend was designed by Bonnie Shaver-Troup specifically to improve reading proficiency for people with reading difficulties. It is a variable font with adjustable width axis, enabling users to dynamically adapt letter spacing to their own fluctuating visual-perceptual thresholds — a direct requirement from the Kon design principles. High x-height, generous spacing, optimised letterforms.
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User-selectable alternatives in settings: Atkinson Hyperlegible Next, OpenDyslexic.
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### Type Scale
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Base: 16px. Ratio: 1.250 (Major Third).
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| Label | Size | Weight | Line Height | Usage |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Caption | 12px | 400 | 1.4 | Metadata, version numbers, tertiary labels. **Note:** 12px is the absolute floor — test on 1366×768 displays before locking in. ADHD users on budget laptops are a real segment. Consider bumping to 13px if legibility is marginal on low-DPI hardware |
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| Small | 13px | 400–500 | 1.5 | Button text, status indicators, badges |
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| Body Small | 13px | 400 | 1.5 | Secondary UI text, settings descriptions |
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| Body | 16px | 400 | 1.5 | Base body text, primary UI text |
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| Body Large | 18px | 400 | 1.6 | Lead paragraphs, onboarding text |
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| Transcript | 16–24px | 400 | 1.85 | Transcript reading (user-adjustable) |
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| H4 | 18px | 600 | 1.3 | Subsection headings, card titles |
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| H3 | 21px | 600 | 1.3 | Section headings |
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| H2 | 26px | 600 | 1.2 | Page titles |
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| H1 | 32px | 700 | 1.15 | Hero text (marketing only) |
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| Display | 26px | 400 italic | 1.1 | Wordmark (Instrument Serif only) |
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### Typography Rules
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**Do:**
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- Minimum 16px for all body text
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- 1.5× line spacing minimum for body
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- Left-aligned only — never centred or justified for body copy
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- Maximum 75-character line width
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- Sentence case for headings — never all-caps for extended text
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- Offer user-adjustable letter spacing via Lexend's variable width axis
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**Never:**
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- Never use Instrument Serif for body or UI text — display/brand only
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- Never use italic for extended reading
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- Never go below 12px for any text
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- Never use more than 3 weights on a single screen
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- Never use decorative or script fonts anywhere
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### Accessibility Typography Features
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| Feature | Default | User-adjustable |
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|---|---|---|
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| Font family | Lexend | Lexend / Atkinson Hyperlegible Next / OpenDyslexic |
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| Font size (transcript) | 16px | 16–24px slider |
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| Letter spacing | Default | Adjustable via Lexend variable axis |
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| Line height | 1.5 (UI) / 1.85 (transcript) | 1.3–2.2 range |
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| Bionic reading | Off | Toggle |
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| Reduce motion | Follows system | Override toggle |
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### Bionic Reading
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Optional mode that bolds the first 1–3 letters of each word (typically half the word length, rounded up for short words) to create fixation points at word onset:
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```
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Standard: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
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Bionic: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
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^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
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```
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Off by default. User-controlled toggle in settings.
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### Fallback Stacks
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| Context | Primary | Fallback |
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|---|---|---|
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| App (Tauri) | Lexend (bundled) | system-ui, sans-serif |
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| Marketing site | Lexend (Google Fonts) | system-ui, sans-serif |
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| Documents | Lexend (if installed) | Calibri, Segoe UI |
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| Email | system-ui | Arial, Helvetica |
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---
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## 5. Imagery & Illustration
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### Photography Brief
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**Subjects:** Textured surfaces (wood grain, concrete, weathered stone, warm-lit materials), architecture (brutalist, human-centred), close-up material photography. App screenshots on the warm dark UI.
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**Human element:** Hands only — writing, holding a coffee, interacting with physical objects. Never face-to-camera. Never screens or devices. Let screenshot treatments handle product demonstration.
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**Mood:** Warm colour temperature, natural light, soft and directional, low-to-medium contrast. "Late afternoon through a window."
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**Off-limits:** AI-generated people, stock photos of people at screens, cold/clinical environments, anything resembling a SaaS landing page hero.
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**Stock sources:** Unsplash or Pexels, curated into a single reference library of 20–30 images. The warm grain wash treatment unifies material from either source.
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### Image Treatments
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**Primary — Warm Grain Wash:**
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- Shift colour temperature toward amber (#e8a87c)
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- Grain texture overlay at 2–3% opacity
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- Slight vignette (10–15%)
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- Applied to all texture and architecture photography
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**Secondary — Amber Duotone (high-impact moments only):**
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- Shadows: #0f0e0c
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- Highlights: #e8a87c
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- For hero sections, social feature images, milestone announcements
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**Rules:**
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- Never apply colour treatments over hands/human elements
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- Screenshots are shown untreated — the UI is already brand-aligned
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- Textures and architecture always receive warm grain wash at minimum
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### Illustration Approach
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Kon does not use traditional illustration. Visual communication beyond photography uses:
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- Abstract waveform/sound ripple motifs in amber
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- Geometric line work — 2px stroke, amber on dark surfaces
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- Data visualisation-style graphics for explaining features
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**Constraints:** Brand colours only. 2px stroke. No characters, mascots, or anthropomorphised elements. No gradients — flat colour with opacity variations.
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### Empty States
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Empty states are high-emotion moments for neurodivergent users — blank screens trigger freeze response.
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| State | Treatment |
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|---|---|
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| First launch | Faint ambient waveform in `--accent-subtle`. Single action: press the record button |
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| Empty transcript | Waveform motif + "Press record or Ctrl+Shift+R" |
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| Empty task list | "Tasks will appear here when Kon finds them in your transcripts" |
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| Empty history | "Your transcriptions will be saved here" |
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| Failed transcription | "Something went wrong with that transcription. Your audio is saved — try again when you're ready." Clear recovery path, never blame the user. This is the highest-emotion failure state in the app |
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**Principle:** Ambient presence, not demanding call to action. "I'm here when you're ready."
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### Iconography
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**Library:** Lucide Icons — open source, MIT licence, 2px stroke, rounded terminals.
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**Rules:**
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- Every icon MUST be paired with a literal text label
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- No standalone icons without labels
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- Colour: `--text-tertiary` default, `--accent` when active
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- Size: 16px (navigation), 20px (feature areas), 24px (primary actions)
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- Never modify Lucide icons
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**Core Set:**
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| Function | Icon | Label |
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|---|---|---|
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| Dictation | `mic` | Dictation |
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| Files | `file-text` | Files |
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| Tasks | `square-check` | Tasks |
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| History | `clock` | History |
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| Settings | `settings` | Settings |
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| Record | `circle` | Record |
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| Stop | `square` | Stop |
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| Copy | `copy` | Copy |
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| Export | `download` | Export |
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| Clear | `x` | Clear |
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| Save | `save` | Save |
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| Collapse | `chevron-left` | Collapse |
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| Expand | `chevron-right` | Expand |
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### AI Imagery Policy
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- **Never** AI-generated images of people
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- AI textures, patterns, and backgrounds acceptable if run through brand treatment
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- AI waveform visualisations acceptable for marketing
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- Disclose AI generation where audience would reasonably expect to know
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---
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## 6. Motion & Animation
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**Personality:** Slow, calm, deliberate. Elderflower, not espresso.
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| Property | Value |
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|---|---|
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| Default easing | ease-out — cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 1) |
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| UI transitions | 150–200ms |
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| Decorative motion | 300–500ms |
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| Zone transitions | 300–500ms cross-fade |
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| Wordmark animation | Fade-in, 400ms |
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| Waveform mark (recording) | Amplitude pulse, 2s cycle, ease-in-out, clamped range |
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| Reduced motion | All animations → instant or single-frame |
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**Never:** Bounce effects, screen shake, slide-from-offscreen, auto-playing content, aggressive attention-grabbing animation.
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**Reduced motion implementation:**
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```css
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@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
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*, *::before, *::after {
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animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
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animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
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transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
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}
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}
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```
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---
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## 7. Social & Content
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### Platform Priority
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| Tier | Platform | Role |
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|---|---|---|
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| Primary | Reddit | Community participation, dev logs |
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| Secondary | Twitter/X | Build-in-public, feature GIFs |
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| Tertiary | YouTube | Milestone content only |
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| Passive | Mastodon | Cross-post from X |
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| Never | LinkedIn | Wrong audience, wrong culture |
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### Key Subreddits
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r/ADHD, r/productivity, r/neurodiversity, r/selfhosted, r/IndieDev, r/SomebodyMakeThis
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**Reddit rule:** "If a post would work without mentioning Kon at all, it's a good post."
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### Social Templates (Canva Brand Kit)
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Four templates, dark background (#0f0e0c), grain overlay, Lexend body, amber accent:
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1. **Dev Log Card** — 1200×675 (X) / 1200×900 (Reddit)
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2. **Feature Screenshot Frame** — 1200×675
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3. **Quote/Text Post** — 1200×1200
|
||||
4. **Announcement** — 1200×675
|
||||
|
||||
**Layout rules:** 60px padding, wordmark bottom-left (small, amber), Lexend only in templates, grain at 2.5%.
|
||||
|
||||
### Content Voice
|
||||
|
||||
At pre-launch: Jake's voice, not a brand voice. Direct, honest, no filter. Authenticity IS the brand for a solo founder.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 8. Voice & Tone Guide
|
||||
|
||||
### Core Voice
|
||||
|
||||
"We sound like peace, not like static."
|
||||
|
||||
Kon speaks the way a thoughtful friend listens — calm, direct, never judgmental. The brand voice is astute, concise, and matter-of-fact. It never rambles, never condescends, never performs enthusiasm it doesn't feel.
|
||||
|
||||
### Catchphrase
|
||||
|
||||
**"Talk now, think later."**
|
||||
|
||||
### Tone by Context
|
||||
|
||||
| Context | Tone adjustment |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| Onboarding | Warm, encouraging, extremely simple. One instruction at a time |
|
||||
| Error messages | Calm, informative, solution-first. Never blame the user |
|
||||
| Marketing | Direct, occasionally provocative. Anti-subscription, pro-ownership |
|
||||
| Reddit/community | Jake's natural voice. Honest, self-deprecating, never promotional |
|
||||
| Feature descriptions | Matter-of-fact, benefit-led, no jargon. "Kon does X so you can Y" |
|
||||
| Empty states | Gentle, ambient, patient. "I'm here when you're ready" |
|
||||
|
||||
### Tone by Audience
|
||||
|
||||
The Brand Platform (`kon-brand-platform.md`, Section 17) contains a full Messaging Architecture with primary/supporting messages, anticipated objections, and persuasive responses for each audience. The voice flexes as follows:
|
||||
|
||||
| Audience | Tone shift | Key emphasis |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| **Neurodivergent individuals** | Warm, peer-to-peer, no clinical language | The problem you live with. We built this for the same reason |
|
||||
| **Writers & power users** | Slightly more technical, feature-aware | What it adds to your existing workflow. Respect their expertise |
|
||||
| **Privacy-conscious professionals** | Evidence-led, sceptical-friendly | Architectural transparency. Respect their distrust — it's earned |
|
||||
|
||||
### Example Copy
|
||||
|
||||
**Onboarding:**
|
||||
> Press the button. Start talking. That's it. Kon handles the rest.
|
||||
|
||||
**Error message:**
|
||||
> Recording interrupted — looks like the microphone disconnected. Your transcript up to this point is saved. Plug back in and pick up where you left off.
|
||||
|
||||
**Marketing (social):**
|
||||
> Your brain had 47 ideas on the drive home. By the time you found a pen, you remembered 3. Kon catches all 47. Locally. No subscription. No cloud. Just you and your thoughts.
|
||||
|
||||
**Empty state:**
|
||||
> Tasks will appear here when Kon finds them in your transcripts.
|
||||
|
||||
**Feature description:**
|
||||
> Kon transcribes your voice on your device. Nothing leaves your machine. No internet required.
|
||||
|
||||
### Words to Use / Words to Avoid
|
||||
|
||||
| Use | Avoid |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| Capture | Productivity hack |
|
||||
| Clarity | Optimise |
|
||||
| Your device | The cloud |
|
||||
| Lifetime | Subscribe |
|
||||
| Brain dump | Workflow |
|
||||
| Think out loud | Leverage |
|
||||
| Thoughts | Data points |
|
||||
| Simple | Easy (implies judgement about difficulty) |
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 9. Touchpoint Priority
|
||||
|
||||
### Tier 1 — Build Now
|
||||
|
||||
| Touchpoint | Impact | Why |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| **The app itself** | 10 | The app IS the brand. Every design decision in these guidelines lives or dies here |
|
||||
| **Landing page** | 9 | Single well-designed page. Dark, warm, app screenshots, clear value prop, download CTA |
|
||||
| **GitHub/Gitea README** | 8 | For the self-hosted/privacy crowd. Technical credibility, screenshots, honest tone |
|
||||
|
||||
### Tier 2 — Build for Launch
|
||||
|
||||
| Touchpoint | Impact | Why |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| **Social templates** | 7 | The 4-template Canva kit from Phase 5 |
|
||||
| **Demo video** | 7 | Single 2-minute "why I built this" + product demo |
|
||||
| **Reddit launch post** | 8 | One shot — needs to be templated before launch day |
|
||||
|
||||
### Tier 3 — Build When Needed
|
||||
|
||||
| Touchpoint | Impact | Why |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| **Email capture / newsletter** | 5 | When there's an audience to nurture |
|
||||
| **Documentation site** | 5 | When the product is complex enough to need it |
|
||||
| **App store listing** | 6 | When distribution moves beyond direct download |
|
||||
|
||||
### Reddit Launch Post Template
|
||||
|
||||
Impact 8, one shot. Use this structure for the primary launch post (r/ADHD or r/selfhosted depending on angle).
|
||||
|
||||
**Title format:** "I built [thing] because [personal problem]" — never "Introducing..." or "Check out..."
|
||||
|
||||
**Post anatomy (target: 400–600 words):**
|
||||
|
||||
| Section | Word count | Content |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| **1. The problem** | 80–100 | Your lived experience. The paralysis, the stasis, the tools that made it worse. First person, specific, emotional. This is the hook — if this doesn't resonate, they stop reading |
|
||||
| **2. The journey** | 80–100 | How you got from frustration to building. The DND transcriber, seeing Whispr's price, realising local transcription was possible. Include a doubt or false start — "I nearly didn't..." |
|
||||
| **3. What I built** | 100–150 | What Kon actually does, in plain language. Voice capture, local transcription, automatic task extraction. Lead with the mechanism, not the features. Screenshots here (2–3 max, warm dark UI) |
|
||||
| **4. The principles** | 60–80 | Local-first, lifetime licence, no subscription, no data leaves your device. These are the lines that get upvoted. State them plainly |
|
||||
| **5. What's next** | 40–60 | Where you're headed, what feedback you want. End with a specific question — "What would make this useful for you?" drives comments |
|
||||
|
||||
**Tone:** Jake's natural voice. Self-deprecating where genuine. Never promotional. Never "we" — always "I."
|
||||
|
||||
**Checklist before posting:**
|
||||
- [ ] Read the subreddit rules — some ban self-promotion entirely
|
||||
- [ ] Check the subreddit's recent posts — is now a good time or is there drama?
|
||||
- [ ] Screenshots are high-quality, warm dark UI visible, no marketing polish
|
||||
- [ ] The post works as a story even if the reader never clicks the link
|
||||
- [ ] No "please upvote" or engagement bait
|
||||
- [ ] Link to download/repo is present but not the focus
|
||||
- [ ] Flair is correct for the subreddit
|
||||
|
||||
**Anti-patterns (will get you killed on Reddit):**
|
||||
- "We're excited to announce..." — corporate speak, instant downvote
|
||||
- Posting in multiple subreddits simultaneously — looks like spam
|
||||
- Responding to criticism defensively — thank them, note it, move on
|
||||
- Linking to a landing page instead of the actual product
|
||||
- Astroturfing with alt accounts
|
||||
|
||||
### Launch Day Sequence (All Platforms)
|
||||
|
||||
| Order | Platform | Asset | Timing |
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| 1 | YouTube | "Why I built this" demo (2 min) | Upload morning, unlisted until step 3 |
|
||||
| 2 | Twitter/X | Launch thread (problem → product → principles → link) | Post, pin to profile |
|
||||
| 3 | Reddit | Primary launch post (r/ADHD or r/selfhosted) | Post after X thread is live, include YouTube link |
|
||||
| 4 | Reddit | Secondary post (alternate subreddit, different angle) | 24–48 hours after primary |
|
||||
| 5 | Mastodon | Cross-post from X | Same day as X |
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 10. Maintenance
|
||||
|
||||
**Monthly:** Review social templates — cohesive feed? Any drift?
|
||||
|
||||
**Quarterly:** Review guidelines against actual output. Update guidelines to match reality, not the other way around.
|
||||
|
||||
**Annually:** Full brand review. Run a fresh visual audit (Phase 1). Check competitive landscape. Does the white space position still hold?
|
||||
|
||||
**Signals to upgrade:**
|
||||
- Materials don't match the quality of the product
|
||||
- Competitors have visually overtaken you
|
||||
- You're spending more time on design than a freelancer would cost
|
||||
- The guidelines don't cover scenarios you're actually encountering
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Appendix: Designer Briefing Template
|
||||
|
||||
When commissioning external design work, provide:
|
||||
|
||||
1. **This document** — the complete brand guidelines
|
||||
2. **The Brand Platform** (`kon-brand-platform.md`) — strategic context
|
||||
3. **Specific deliverable** — what you need, in what format, by when
|
||||
4. **"We Are / We Are Not" table** — from Section 1
|
||||
5. **Anti-references** — Notion (too much going on), Tiimo (values betrayal), generic SaaS (white/blue/FAANG)
|
||||
6. **Inspiration references** — The Barbican, Amsterdam urban design, Muji, Nujabes album art
|
||||
7. **Budget and timeline**
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
*This is a living document. The brand is not the guidelines — the brand is every interaction filtered through them. Consistency compounds.*
|
||||
308
docs/brand/kon-brand-platform.md
Normal file
308
docs/brand/kon-brand-platform.md
Normal file
@@ -0,0 +1,308 @@
|
||||
# Kon — Brand Platform
|
||||
|
||||
**Version:** 1.0
|
||||
**Date:** 2026/03/21
|
||||
**Source:** Brand Gauntlet — full six-round discovery with founder
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 1. Brand Purpose
|
||||
|
||||
Kon exists because the tools meant to organise your thoughts demand more mental energy than the thoughts themselves. It was built by someone who spent more time managing systems than getting ideas on paper — and who believes nobody should have to earn a PhD in file structures just to think clearly.
|
||||
|
||||
## 2. Brand Vision
|
||||
|
||||
A world where capturing and organising your thoughts costs zero cognitive effort. Where the tools you rely on run on your device, respect your privacy, and never punish you for a missed day. Where neurodivergent people have access to the same frictionless workflows everyone else takes for granted — and where Kon is the first piece of a wider ecosystem that levels that playing field entirely.
|
||||
|
||||
## 3. Brand Enemy
|
||||
|
||||
Software that treats your thoughts as its product. The subscription-or-nothing model. Cloud dependency that fails you mid-sentence on a car journey. Tools designed for neurotypical brains and marketed as "for everyone." The entire paradigm of "you will own nothing and be happy about it."
|
||||
|
||||
## 4. Brand Values
|
||||
|
||||
| Value | What it means in practice |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| **Ownership** | Your data stays on your device. Your licence doesn't expire. You own the tool, it doesn't own you. Most companies would disagree — their revenue model depends on the opposite. |
|
||||
| **Honesty** | No dark patterns, no guilt messaging, no streak-shaming. If Kon can't do something, it says so. The brand voice is direct and transparent, even when that's commercially uncomfortable. |
|
||||
| **Cognitive respect** | Every design decision is measured by whether it reduces mental load or adds to it. If a feature requires more than 90 seconds to understand, it doesn't ship. This isn't a nice-to-have — it's the core design constraint. |
|
||||
| **Accessibility as default** | Neurodivergent-first design, not neurodivergent-as-afterthought. The app is built for the people most tools forget, and those design choices make it better for everyone. |
|
||||
|
||||
## 5. Brand Tenets
|
||||
|
||||
1. **"How can I make this person feel seen and heard?"** — Ask before every customer interaction. Kon is a service animal, not a showpiece.
|
||||
2. **"Does this add or remove complexity from daily life?"** — Ask before every product decision. If it adds complexity, it doesn't ship.
|
||||
3. **"Is this scientifically backed? Is it respectful? Is it honest?"** — Ask before every piece of content. No fabricated claims, no condescension, no spin.
|
||||
4. **"Is the message clear and unambiguous?"** — Ask before every touchpoint. Literal labels always. If it could be misread, rewrite it.
|
||||
5. **"Integrity, honour, respect."** — The governing principle for all relationships. Customers, partners, yourself.
|
||||
6. **"Progressive disclosure."** — The creative constraint. Never show the full complexity. Reveal only the next step. This keeps the brand honest about what users actually need in the moment.
|
||||
7. **"Build the ecosystem."** — The ambition tenet. Kon is the first piece, not the whole picture. Every decision should move toward a frictionless cognitive load reduction stack.
|
||||
|
||||
## 6. Target Audience
|
||||
|
||||
**Primary: The Misfiring Engine**
|
||||
|
||||
Someone with a head full of half-started ideas and genuine capability, drowning in sensory noise and subscription fatigue. They've tried Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes, voice memos — each one felt like it was designed for someone else's brain. They're not lazy; their friends describe them as having "so much energy but so unfocused." They believe they deserve better tools, but they fear every option they try doesn't have their specific issues in mind.
|
||||
|
||||
Their Tuesday: wake up, scroll bad news, feel bad. Go to work, bright lights, headache. Go shopping, overwhelmed juggling the list and the people and the sensory overload. Get home exhausted, no energy to cook, waste money on takeout even though they just went food shopping.
|
||||
|
||||
At 3am: everything. Nothing specific. Thoughts blipping in and out of existence, impossible to pin down.
|
||||
|
||||
**Emotional precondition:** Frustration. They don't open Kon feeling aspirational — they open it thinking "I need to get this OUT of my head."
|
||||
|
||||
**Identity reinforcement:** They want to be their authentic self and self-actualise. Kon helps them believe that's possible by removing the friction between thought and action.
|
||||
|
||||
**Trust prerequisite:** They need to believe the founder built this to solve their own problem — not to monetise their attention.
|
||||
|
||||
**Secondary audiences (post-validation):** Writers and creatives seeking unblocking. TTRPG game masters. Privacy-conscious professionals. Power users wanting another tool in the belt.
|
||||
|
||||
## 7. Brand Promise
|
||||
|
||||
When you speak, Kon listens without judgement, organises without friction, and gives your thoughts back to you in a form you can act on — with nothing leaving your device and nothing expiring at the end of the month.
|
||||
|
||||
## 8. Onliness Statement
|
||||
|
||||
We are the only **voice-first capture tool** that **runs entirely on your device with no subscription** for **neurodivergent people** who want **to turn mental chaos into clarity** during **an era where every tool demands your data, your money, and your attention.**
|
||||
|
||||
## 9. Brand Personality
|
||||
|
||||
**Archetype blend:** Sage (primary) + Magician (secondary)
|
||||
|
||||
Kon understands your thoughts (Sage) and transforms them into something actionable (Magician). It listens more than it speaks. It matches your energy. It's the straight person who's unknowingly comedic — genuine, not performed.
|
||||
|
||||
**Tone dimensions:**
|
||||
- Formal (1) ↔ Casual (10): **7**
|
||||
- Serious (1) ↔ Funny (10): **5**
|
||||
- Respectful (1) ↔ Irreverent (10): **5**
|
||||
- Enthusiastic (1) ↔ Matter-of-fact (10): **7**
|
||||
|
||||
**We Are / We Are Not:**
|
||||
|
||||
| We are | We are not |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| Astute | Rambling |
|
||||
| Concise | Rude |
|
||||
| Direct | Dishonest |
|
||||
| Listening | Judging |
|
||||
| Peace | Static |
|
||||
|
||||
**How Kon shows up:** Arrives in thrifted quality clothes — function over form, but with taste. At an event, asks questions, talks about life and experiences, never pitches. Naturally funny without trying. After a few drinks: giddy, keeps the bit going. The filter comes off but the person underneath is the same.
|
||||
|
||||
## 10. Brand Voice
|
||||
|
||||
**Register:** Casual but never sloppy. British English. No corporate filler.
|
||||
|
||||
**Vocabulary:** Plain language, literal labels, no jargon. Technical accuracy when needed, but explained in human terms.
|
||||
|
||||
**Rhythm:** Short sentences. Matter-of-fact. Warm but not effusive.
|
||||
|
||||
**Example — social media post:**
|
||||
> Your brain had 47 ideas on the drive home. By the time you found a pen, you remembered 3. Kon catches all 47. Locally. No subscription. No cloud. Just you and your thoughts.
|
||||
|
||||
**Example — error message:**
|
||||
> Recording interrupted — looks like the microphone disconnected. Your transcript up to this point is saved. Plug back in and pick up where you left off.
|
||||
|
||||
**Example — onboarding:**
|
||||
> Press the button. Start talking. That's it. Kon handles the rest.
|
||||
|
||||
## 11. Brand Story
|
||||
|
||||
Jake spent years cycling through note-taking tools — OneNote, Google Suite, then Obsidian. Obsidian was incredible, but he spent more time agonising over file structures, tags, and links than actually capturing his thoughts. The system demanded more energy than the thinking it was supposed to support.
|
||||
|
||||
Meanwhile, executive dysfunction made the simplest tasks feel impossible. Not laziness — paralysis. The feeling of being in stasis, waiting for something to kick-start the doing. Every productivity tool assumed you could already activate. None of them helped you start.
|
||||
|
||||
Then he saw Whispr Flow's monthly price tag and thought: I could build this myself. He remembered experimenting with local transcription for his DND game sessions. The technology existed. The only missing piece was software that respected both the user's brain and their data.
|
||||
|
||||
Kon was born from that collision — the frustration of systems that serve themselves, and the realisation that local AI had matured enough to serve the user instead.
|
||||
|
||||
## 12. Competitive Position
|
||||
|
||||
**Positioning axes:** Privacy (cloud → local) × Cognitive accessibility (neurotypical-default → neurodivergent-first)
|
||||
|
||||
Kon occupies the quadrant no competitor currently holds: local-first AND neurodivergent-first.
|
||||
|
||||
| Competitor | Privacy | Cognitive accessibility | Pricing |
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Whispr Flow | Cloud-dependent | Neurotypical-default | Monthly subscription |
|
||||
| Tiimo | Cloud-based | Neurodivergent-aware | Removed lifetime licence |
|
||||
| Google Recorder | Walled garden (Pixel only) | Neurotypical-default | Free (data cost) |
|
||||
| Otter.ai | Cloud-dependent | Neurotypical-default | Freemium/subscription |
|
||||
| **Kon** | **Fully local** | **Neurodivergent-first** | **Lifetime licence** |
|
||||
|
||||
**Key differentiators:** Local processing, lifetime licence, voice-first capture, neurodivergent-first design, zero-friction onboarding (under 90 seconds).
|
||||
|
||||
**Key vulnerability:** Solo founder, early-stage, thin proof base, no integration ecosystem yet.
|
||||
|
||||
## 13. Brand Manifesto
|
||||
|
||||
You've tried the apps. You've built the systems. You've watched tutorials about building a second brain and felt your first one shut down halfway through.
|
||||
|
||||
You are not the problem.
|
||||
|
||||
The tools are wrong. They were built for people who already know how to organise. For brains that activate on command. For users who don't mind handing their thoughts to a server farm and paying monthly for the privilege.
|
||||
|
||||
Kon is different.
|
||||
|
||||
Press a button. Start talking. Your thoughts — all of them, the messy ones, the half-formed ones, the 3am ones that vanish by morning — captured instantly, organised automatically, stored on your device. No internet required. No subscription. No judgement.
|
||||
|
||||
We built this because we needed it. Because executive dysfunction isn't a productivity hack away from being solved. Because your inner monologue shouldn't cost £9.99 a month. Because you deserve a tool that listens like a friend and works like a coach.
|
||||
|
||||
Talk now. Think later. The clarity will follow.
|
||||
|
||||
## 14. Brand Essence
|
||||
|
||||
**Clarity without friction.**
|
||||
|
||||
Everything Kon does — voice capture, local processing, automatic organisation, lifetime ownership — serves this single concept. If a decision reinforces frictionless clarity, it's right. If it doesn't, it's wrong.
|
||||
|
||||
## 15. Benefits Ladder
|
||||
|
||||
| Level | Benefit |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| **Functional** | Captures voice, transcribes locally, organises thoughts into actionable tasks — with no internet dependency and no subscription. |
|
||||
| **Emotional** | Relief. The feeling of the blockage being cleared. Permission to be messy, unfocused, and still make progress. |
|
||||
| **Social** | "I finally have a system that works for my brain" — signals self-awareness and agency, not dysfunction. Reframes neurodivergence from limitation to difference. |
|
||||
| **Self-actualisation** | "I finally wrote that book." Kon clears the path between who you are and who you want to become. |
|
||||
|
||||
## 16. Reasons to Believe
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Working prototype** — local transcription proven technically feasible with Whisper and Parakeet engines running on-device.
|
||||
2. **Founder's lived experience** — built to solve the founder's own executive dysfunction, not to chase a market opportunity.
|
||||
3. **Neurodivergent validation** — direct positive feedback from Roo (background in neurodivergent support, ADHD themselves).
|
||||
4. **Research-backed design** — design principles grounded in peer-reviewed accessibility research (Rello & Baeza-Yates 2016, Kuster et al. 2018, empirical HCI onboarding thresholds).
|
||||
5. **Lifetime licence commitment** — publicly stated, non-negotiable. Revenue model documented in economic analysis.
|
||||
|
||||
**Evidence gap:** Beta user testimonials, measurable outcome data, and wider community validation are the immediate priorities for strengthening the proof base.
|
||||
|
||||
## 17. Messaging Architecture
|
||||
|
||||
### Audience 1: Neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, autism, executive dysfunction)
|
||||
|
||||
**Primary message:** Kon captures your thoughts the moment they appear — no friction, no cloud, no subscription. Just speak and it's done.
|
||||
|
||||
**Supporting messages:**
|
||||
- Designed for brains that work differently, not adapted as an afterthought
|
||||
- Everything runs on your device — your thoughts never leave your machine
|
||||
- Lifetime licence. Pay once, own it forever
|
||||
|
||||
**Anticipated objections:**
|
||||
- "I've tried productivity apps before and they all fail me eventually"
|
||||
- "How is this different from just talking to ChatGPT?"
|
||||
- "It's just one developer — will this still be around in a year?"
|
||||
|
||||
**Persuasive responses:**
|
||||
- "Kon isn't a productivity system — it's a capture tool. There's nothing to set up, nothing to maintain, nothing to fail. Press a button and talk."
|
||||
- "ChatGPT needs internet, sends your data to OpenAI, and costs a subscription. Kon runs locally, keeps your data on your device, and you own it outright."
|
||||
- "The lifetime licence model means Kon doesn't need exponential growth to survive. It's built to be sustainable, not to scale at all costs."
|
||||
|
||||
**Proof points:** Working prototype, founder's lived experience, Roo's validation, research-backed design.
|
||||
|
||||
**Tone:** Warm, direct, no clinical language. Speak as a peer, not a provider.
|
||||
|
||||
### Audience 2: Writers, creatives, and power users
|
||||
|
||||
**Primary message:** Kon turns brain dumps into structured output — a new tool in your creative workflow that works offline and integrates with what you already use.
|
||||
|
||||
**Supporting messages:**
|
||||
- Voice-first capture for when typing is the bottleneck
|
||||
- Export to Markdown, plain text, CSV, HTML, SRT, WebVTT
|
||||
- Template system for structured capture (meeting notes, brainstorms, outlines)
|
||||
|
||||
**Anticipated objections:**
|
||||
- "I already have a workflow that works"
|
||||
- "Can it integrate with Obsidian/Notion/my existing tools?"
|
||||
|
||||
**Persuasive responses:**
|
||||
- "Kon doesn't replace your workflow — it adds a capture layer. Speak your thoughts, export to your tool of choice."
|
||||
- "Export formats cover all major tools. Direct integrations are on the roadmap."
|
||||
|
||||
**Proof points:** Working export system, template functionality, DND transcription origin story.
|
||||
|
||||
**Tone:** Slightly more technical, feature-focused. Respect their existing expertise.
|
||||
|
||||
### Audience 3: Privacy-conscious professionals
|
||||
|
||||
**Primary message:** Everything runs on-device. No data leaves your machine. No cloud. No telemetry.
|
||||
|
||||
**Supporting messages:**
|
||||
- Local Whisper/Parakeet models — no API calls
|
||||
- No account required
|
||||
- Lifetime licence — no ongoing data relationship
|
||||
|
||||
**Anticipated objections:**
|
||||
- "How can I verify it's actually local?"
|
||||
- "What about updates and model improvements?"
|
||||
|
||||
**Persuasive responses:**
|
||||
- "Kon is open about its architecture. The transcription models run entirely on your hardware. Network monitor confirms zero outbound traffic during transcription."
|
||||
- "Model updates are downloaded and installed locally — same as any desktop software update."
|
||||
|
||||
**Proof points:** Technical architecture, no-account-required design, open development approach.
|
||||
|
||||
**Tone:** More technical, evidence-led. Respect their scepticism — it's earned.
|
||||
|
||||
## 18. Visual Direction Bridge
|
||||
|
||||
### Mood / Energy
|
||||
|
||||
Warm, spacious, unhurried. The sonic reference is Jack Johnson, M83 (Outro), Nujabes (Feather), Metronomy (The Beach) — lo-fi but layered, emotionally honest, never aggressive. The visual equivalent: amber light through a window, worn wood surfaces, a well-organised desk with nothing unnecessary on it.
|
||||
|
||||
### Semiotic Territory
|
||||
|
||||
**Dominant codes to break:**
|
||||
- Productivity apps default to clean white/blue, sharp geometric sans-serifs, dashboard-heavy interfaces. Kon should feel nothing like a SaaS dashboard.
|
||||
- Note-taking tools trend toward complexity pride — graph views, backlink maps, plugin ecosystems. Kon should feel like the opposite of that visual noise.
|
||||
|
||||
**Emergent codes to explore:**
|
||||
- Warm brutalism — honest materials, structural clarity, but with human warmth. The Barbican metaphor.
|
||||
- Textured surfaces — grain, warmth, depth. Not flat design, not skeuomorphism. Something tactile.
|
||||
- Serif/sans-serif pairing for personality — the legacy app's Instrument Serif + DM Sans combination already occupies this territory well.
|
||||
|
||||
### Anti-References
|
||||
|
||||
- Notion — too much going on, clunky, feature-density as identity
|
||||
- Tiimo — removed lifetime licence (values betrayal)
|
||||
- Generic SaaS — white/blue, FAANG aesthetics, corporate trust signals
|
||||
- Any tool that looks like it was designed in San Francisco for San Francisco
|
||||
|
||||
### Inspiration References (outside category)
|
||||
|
||||
- **The Barbican** — brutalist structure creating warmth and safety inside
|
||||
- **Amsterdam urban design** — infrastructure built for people, not machines
|
||||
- **VW Buggy** — iconic simplicity, unpretentious, does what it says
|
||||
- **Muji** — function-first design with quiet quality and warmth
|
||||
- **Nujabes album art** — warm, layered, lo-fi, contemplative
|
||||
|
||||
### Typography & Colour Instincts
|
||||
|
||||
**Typography:** The legacy app uses DM Sans (body) + Instrument Serif italic (display). The design spec recommends Lexend or Atkinson Hyperlegible Next for accessibility. The combination of a warm display serif with a highly readable sans-serif body font is the right territory — personality in the headers, accessibility in the content.
|
||||
|
||||
**Colour:** The legacy palette is strong and already aligned with the brand strategy:
|
||||
- Dark theme: warm blacks (#0f0e0c), amber/copper accent (#e8a87c), warm off-white text (#f0ece4)
|
||||
- Light theme: warm off-whites (#faf8f5), muted copper (#d4956a)
|
||||
- Never pure black on pure white (research-backed — halation effect)
|
||||
- Grain texture overlay for tactile warmth
|
||||
|
||||
**Decorative elements:** The Sinhala character (කෝ) and fox mark from the legacy app have personality. Whether these carry forward depends on whether they serve the brand story or are legacy artefacts — worth testing with the target audience.
|
||||
|
||||
### Kapferer Brand Identity Prism
|
||||
|
||||
| Facet | Kon |
|
||||
|---|---|
|
||||
| **Physique** | Warm amber tones, grain texture, serif/sans-serif typography pairing, clean but not sterile interfaces |
|
||||
| **Personality** | Sage/Magician. Calm, astute, direct. Unknowingly funny. Matches your energy |
|
||||
| **Culture** | Ownership, honesty, cognitive respect, accessibility as default. Anti-subscription, anti-surveillance |
|
||||
| **Relationship** | Active listener — "just a mirror." Fun, direct, best interests at heart. Not a lording big ego |
|
||||
| **Reflection** | Appears to be: a productivity app. This perception gap must be closed through messaging |
|
||||
| **Self-Image** | "I can finally think clearly. I have a tool that works for MY brain." Agency, not dependency |
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Next Steps
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Brand Forge** — expand this platform into a full visual identity system: colour palette, typography, iconography, imagery direction, layout principles, component design language, and usage rules. The Visual Direction Bridge (Section 18) serves as the creative brief.
|
||||
2. **Touchpoint Audit** — review the legacy app, any existing web presence, and social accounts against this platform. Identify what's aligned, what needs to change, and what's missing.
|
||||
3. **Content Strategy** — translate the Messaging Architecture (Section 17) into a practical content plan for launch.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
*This is a living document. Revisit quarterly in the first year, annually after that. Strategy that sits in a drawer is strategy that failed.*
|
||||
Reference in New Issue
Block a user