How to Review and Refine Your Expression Sequence
You have successfully defined your brand's soul by finalizing your Core Code. Now, it's time to give that soul a distinct and memorable character. Welcome to the Expression Sequence.
This stage is all about defining your brand's personality. While your Core Code is your "why," the Expression Sequence is your "who." It determines how your brand looks, sounds, and acts in the world, ensuring it feels like a consistent and relatable character, not a faceless corporation.
After you completed the Core Code stage, your AI Brand Assistant guided you through a new set of interview questions. The platform has now used your answers—along with the foundational truths of your Core Code—to generate the five narratives of your Expression Sequence.
Understanding the Five Elements of Your Brand's Personality
In the DNA Studio, you will now see five new narratives available for review in the left-hand navigation menu. Here is what each one means and how they work together.
1. Brand Archetype
- What it is: The high-level persona or character type for your brand. Our platform selects one of twelve universal archetypes (like The Hero, The Sage, The Jester, The Caregiver) that best matches the character you described in your interview answers.
- Why it matters: This is the cornerstone of your brand's personality. It provides a universally understood "character shortcut" that will guide the tone, style, and story of your brand.
2. Brand Personality Traits
- What it is: A list of 3-5 specific, human-like adjectives that bring your chosen Archetype to life and give it nuance.
- Why it matters: If your archetype is "The Sage," are you a "knowledgeable and authoritative" Sage or a "curious and guiding" one? These traits add specificity and make your character unique.
3. Brand Values
- What it is: A set of 3-5 non-negotiable principles that act as your brand's moral compass.
- Why it matters: These values guide your brand's behavior and decisions. They are the proof of your character in action. If a value is "Simplicity," it commits you to making simple products and experiences.
4. 'How' Statement
- What it is: A concise statement that describes your unique methods, proprietary processes, or guiding philosophies.
- Why it matters: This statement explains how you bring your values to life. It’s your unique approach that sets you apart from others who might claim to have similar values. It’s your secret sauce.
5. Tone of Voice
- What it is: The specific verbal style your brand will use in all communication, from your website copy to your social media posts.
- Why it matters: This is the most tangible output of your personality. A consistent tone of voice is what makes your brand sound like itself everywhere, building familiarity and trust.
The Refinement Process: Shaping Your Character
Your role in this stage is to ensure the generated personality profile feels authentic and accurate. Use the same review process you learned when refining your Core Code.
Step 1: Start with the Archetype
Begin by reviewing the chosen Brand Archetype. Read its description. Does this high-level character feel right for your brand? All the other elements in this sequence are derived from this core choice, so it's the most important one to get right. If it feels completely wrong, you may want to revisit your interview answers for this section to provide clearer input.
Step 2: Review the Supporting Narratives
Next, review the Personality Traits, Values, and 'How' Statement. Do these feel like a logical and authentic extension of the chosen Archetype? Do they align with the Core Code you already defined? For example, the values of a "Rebel" brand should feel very different from the values of a "Caregiver" brand.
Step 3: Fine-Tune Your Tone of Voice
The Tone of Voice section is often the most interactive. The platform may present your tone using a series of spectrums or sliders.
- Example: You might see a slider from "Formal" to "Casual." Your generated tone might be 70% towards "Casual." You can adjust this setting to fine-tune the output.
- Use the Edit tool to personalize the final description. The AI might suggest your tone is "Witty and Confident." You might edit this to "Witty, Confident, and always a little bit irreverent" to add that extra layer of your unique personality.
Step 4: Proceed to the Next Stage
As before, there is no "Approve" button. The system saves your latest edits as the official version of your brand's personality. Once you are satisfied that the five narratives of the Expression Sequence accurately represent your brand's character, your AI Brand Assistant will guide you to the next set of questions for Stage 3: The Market Message.