# Sage — Deck Style Guide
*Extracted from Assaf's reference decks*

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## Reference Decks

| Deck | Client | Date | Pages |
|------|--------|------|-------|
| Day8 | Food tech (protein) | Sep 2023 | 81 |
| Potato-Casein | Food tech | Dec 2023 | 60 |
| Go Get Made | Manufacturing | Dec 2024 | 40 |

Files: `/agents/sage/references/`

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## Standard Deck Structure

### Opening Sequence
1. **Cover** — "Creativity is a [curious] and unexpected" + client name + date
2. **My Field** — Assaf's credentials (Strategy & Creative / Branding & Design)
3. **Hello** — Overview of document purpose and chapters

### Research & Context Block
4. **The Basic Facts** — Section divider
5. **Market Context** — Macro trends driving the opportunity
6. **Human Context** — Consumer behavior and psychology
7. **Historical Context** — How we got here
8. **Temporal Context** — Why now?

### Industry Landscape Block
9. **Industry Landscape** — Section divider
10. **Competitors** — Overview
11. **Product Matrix** — What competitors offer
12. **The Cool Kids** — "Result forward" brands (trendy/buzzy)
13. **The Smart Kids** — "Solution forward" brands (tech-led)
14. **The Grown Ups** — Industry standards (established players)
15. **Direct Competition** — Head-to-head analysis

### Audience Block
16. **Target Audience** — Section divider
17. **Audience 1, 2, 3...** — Detailed persona breakdowns

### Strategy Block
18. **What We Do** — Product/service positioning
19. **We've Found...** — The insight/breakthrough
20. **Brand Manifest** — Core belief statement
21. **Elevator Pitch** — Long, short, one-liner versions
22. **Short Pitch** — Tagline-ready language

### Brand Architecture Block
23. **Brand Pillars** — Section divider
24. **Pillar 1, 2, 3, 4...** — Each pillar with explanation

### Tone & Voice Block
25. **Tone** — Voice characteristics
26. **Go-to Phrases** — Language patterns and expressions
27. **Benefit Statements** — How to talk about value

### Visual Direction Block
28. **Direction 1** — Name + moodboard + rationale
29. **Direction 2** — Alternative approach
30. **Typography, Color, Layout** — Per direction

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## Style Notes

### Section Dividers
- Large, bold typography
- Often single phrase on page
- Creates visual breathing room

### Competitor Analysis Style
- Categorize by archetype ("Cool Kids" / "Smart Kids" / "Grown Ups")
- Not just features — brand personality and positioning
- Call out what they do well AND what they miss

### Pitch Hierarchy
- **Manifest** — Belief statement (emotional, purpose-driven)
- **Elevator pitch** — Full story (30-60 seconds)
- **Short pitch** — Core value prop (10 seconds)
- **Tagline** — Memorable phrase (3-5 words)

### Visual Directions
- Always present 2-3 options
- Each has a name (e.g., "Contemporary Clever", "Gentle Gradient", "Bold Blue")
- Include typography, color, and layout references

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## Writing Style

### Headlines
- Bold, declarative
- Often questions or provocations
- Short — 3-7 words

### Body Copy
- Insight-led (start with the "so what")
- Evidence-backed (stats, quotes, examples)
- Conversational but authoritative

### Competitor Descriptions
- One-line positioning summary
- Key strength
- Key weakness or gap
- Visual/brand personality note

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## Quality Bar

Before submitting any deck:
1. Does every slide earn its place?
2. Is the insight clear within 3 seconds?
3. Would this impress a partner at Collins?
4. Does it follow the standard structure?
5. Is the writing crisp and jargon-free?

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*Sage references this guide for all strategy deck creation*