united-tattoo/docs/united_tattoo_brainstorming.md

United Tattoo Brand Language Brainstorming Session

Session Date: December 19, 2024
Facilitator: Business Analyst Mary
Participant: United Tattoo Team

Executive Summary

Topic: Creating a structured brand language rulebook for United Tattoo

Session Goals: Develop authentic brand language guidelines that transform generic copy into distinctive United Tattoo voice

Techniques Used: Progressive technique flow with analyst-recommended methods

Total Ideas Generated: [To be updated during session]

Technique Sessions

Assumption Reversal - 10 minutes

Description: Identify what United Tattoo would NEVER say to establish authentic boundaries

Ideas Generated:

1. "For the ones who live loud, tattoo proud, and believe in better" - forced verb usage, empty promises
2. "This isn't your average tattoo shop" - defensive positioning, cliche opening
3. "We're here to rewrite the narrative" - vague corporate speak with no clear meaning
4. "where everyone feels seen, respected, and hyped to walk through our doors" - outdated slang, trying too hard
5. "elevate the experience" - buzzword soup, unnecessarily verbose
6. "create a space where real connection matters" - stating obvious human nature as unique value
7. "we hire great people, not just great artists" - setting bar impossibly low
8. "bring both skill and soul to the table" - cliche metaphor mixing
9. "Every tattoo here is a story, a statement, and a shared moment" - overwrought emotional manipulation

Insights Discovered:

• LLM-generated copy defaults to meaningless adjective stacking
• Generic "transformation" language ignores actual tattoo shop reality
• Forced emotional narratives sound inauthentic and manipulative
• Defensive positioning ("not your average") suggests insecurity
• Buzzwords replace actual concrete value propositions

Notable Connections:

• All bad examples try to be everything to everyone instead of something specific
• Corporate speak completely disconnects from tattoo culture authenticity
• Overuse of transformation/elevation language feels condescending

Role Playing - 15 minutes

Description: Discover authentic voice through real stakeholder interactions

Ideas Generated:

Nervous First-Timer Response:

• "Hey that's okay! Girl we all have been scared of getting a tattoo before, shit, I get scared sometimes even now"
• "You just let me know if you need a break, we can step out at any time, take a smoke break, just hang out"
• "We can go at your pace"

Picky Client Response:

• "Holy-fuck yeah- that's a lot-- that's okay though, I love having references!"
• "Do you mind taking a seat so you can break this down for me?"

Insights Discovered:

• Authentic voice uses mild profanity naturally, not performatively
• Real empathy comes from shared experience ("I get scared sometimes even now")
• Practical solutions over emotional theater ("take a smoke break, just hang out")
• Direct acknowledgment of chaos without judgment ("that's a lot")
• Collaborative problem-solving approach ("break this down for me")

Notable Connections:

• Authenticity = vulnerability + practicality
• Real tattoo artists talk like humans, not customer service scripts
• Genuine care shows through actions offered, not feelings described

First Principles Thinking - 15 minutes

Description: Extract fundamental language rules from authentic interactions

Core Rules Identified:

Rule 1: Direct acknowledgment beats diplomatic deflection

• Rationale: When you leave things unsaid, people internalize and make assumptions. Blunt but friendly prevents judgment feelings.
• Bad: "We understand everyone has different comfort levels"
• Good: "Holy-fuck yeah- that's a lot"

Rule 2: Offer practical solutions, not emotional theater

• Rationale: "I'm not your fuckin dad" - beautiful humans interacting with beautiful humans, not therapy sessions
• Bad: "create a safe space where you feel supported"
• Good: "take a smoke break, just hang out"

Rule 3: Plain speaking about pricing/time

• Example: "Hey so because this is 6 inches long and I can tell that the complexity of the linework and shading is gonna take me an extra 2 hours, I'd feel comfortable doing this for $650, does that work for you?"
• Principle: Transparent, specific, respectful

Rule 4: Handle difficult clients with patience, like a human

• No elaborate customer service scripts
• Human-to-human problem solving

Rule 5: Describe work in quantifiable terms with justified confidence

• Bad: "93% proficient in opaques" (arbitrary metrics)
• Good: "I've been doing opaques on shading for 5 years, would you like to see some examples so you can judge for yourself?"
• Principle: If the artist, shop, portfolio or work can't justify the statement, don't make it

Rule 6: Talk about other shops with kindness

• "The shop doesn't fucking matter. It's a building with some idiots in it. People only come for the idiots."
• Focus on the artists, not competitive positioning

Insights Discovered:

• Transparency prevents assumptions and judgment feelings
• Confidence must be backed by demonstrable skill/experience
• Human-to-human interaction trumps customer service performance
• Competition isn't about shops, it's about individual artist quality

Morphological Analysis - 10 minutes

Description: Test filtering system by transforming bad copy through United Tattoo rules

Copy Transformation Examples:

Original: "Artistry with integrity" Rules Applied: Direct acknowledgment + quantifiable terms United Tattoo Version: "We've been tattooing for [X years]. Here's our work."

Original: "More than ink—it's identity"
Rules Applied: No emotional theater + plain speaking United Tattoo Version: "Good tattoos that'll look good in 20 years"

Original: "A space where creativity thrives" Rules Applied: Focus on the idiots, not the building United Tattoo Version: "Artists who know what they're doing"

Test Case: "We're here to rewrite the narrative, where everyone feels seen, respected, and hyped to walk through our doors" United Tattoo Filtered Version: "It doesn't matter who you are, you will always have a home with the United Tattoo family."

Analysis of Transformation:

• Removed corporate buzzwords ("rewrite the narrative")
• Replaced performative emotions ("hyped") with genuine warmth
• Maintained inclusivity message but made it personal and direct
• Used "family" concept authentically rather than as marketing device

Mind Mapping - 10 minutes

Description: Organize findings into practical rulebook structure

Central Concept: United Tattoo Brand Language Filter

Branch 1: Core Principles

• Respect reader intelligence - no big empty words that only impress idiots
• Use common ground language - not corporate speak or legal jargon
• Direct acknowledgment beats diplomatic deflection
• Practical solutions over emotional theater

Branch 2: Language Guidelines

• Plain speaking about pricing/process/time
• Justified confidence only (backed by demonstrable skill)
• Human-to-human tone in all interactions
• Transparency prevents assumptions and judgment

Branch 3: Content Transformation Rules

• Remove corporate buzzwords and meaningless adjective stacking
• Replace performative emotions with genuine warmth
• Convert abstract concepts to concrete actions
• Focus on artists and work, not building or brand positioning

Branch 4: Communication Standards

• Do not use words average person won't understand
• Goal: efficient communication on common ground
• Avoid condescending lawyer-speak and dehumanizing corporate language
• Need examples demonstrating accessible vs. inaccessible language

Insights Discovered:

• Intelligence respect = foundation of authentic communication
• Common ground language builds connection vs. corporate performance language
• Accessibility isn't dumbing down - it's efficient human communication
• Everything needs clear guidelines - meet but never exceed bare minimum professionalism
• 7th grade reading level should be maximum complexity for any content
• Nobody wants to read something 5 times to understand it

Practical Examples:

Aftercare Instructions - Bad vs. Good:

• Bad: "As the body's largest organ, your skin deserves careful attention after receiving a tattoo. At United Tattoo, we provide aftercare instructions based on recommended best practices to ensure the proper healing of your new body art. Our goal is to offer the most reliable and accurate information in the industry, informed by insights from medical professionals. These guidelines combine professional expertise, scientific research, and recommendations from the National Environmental Health Association's Body Art Model Code."
• Good: "### Read our aftercare instructions: (informed by the National Environmental Health Association's Body Art Model Code)"

Pricing Communication:

• Approach: "Pricing custom tattoos is hard. It depends on the artist and varies from one tattoo to the next."

Tattoo Style Explanations:

• Format: "this is realism. this is american traditional this is neotraditional this is cyber sigilism"

Notable Connections:

• Brevity respects time and intelligence
• Direct statements eliminate confusion
• Professional credibility through source citation, not verbose explanation
• Practical honesty about complexity instead of false simplification

Idea Categorization

Idea Categorization

Immediate Opportunities

Ideas ready to implement now

1. 7th Grade Reading Level Standard

   • Description: All content must be understandable without re-reading
   • Why immediate: Clear communication prevents customer confusion and builds trust
   • Resources needed: Reading level checker tool, content audit

2. Minimal Professional Standard

   • Description: Meet but never exceed bare minimum professionalism
   • Why immediate: Eliminates pretentious language that alienates customers
   • Resources needed: Style guide with specific examples

3. Honest Complexity Acknowledgment

   • Description: "Pricing custom tattoos is hard" approach to difficult topics
   • Why immediate: Builds trust through honesty vs. false simplification
   • Resources needed: Template responses for complex topics

Future Innovations

Ideas requiring development/research

1. Complete Content Transformation System

   • Description: LLM filter that transforms any input through United Tattoo rules
   • Development needed: Training examples, rule weighting, testing protocols
   • Timeline estimate: 2-3 months development and testing

2. Industry-Wide Language Movement

   • Description: Influence other tattoo shops to adopt authentic communication
   • Development needed: Case studies, success metrics, outreach strategy
   • Timeline estimate: 6-12 months for measurable impact

Moonshots

Ambitious, transformative concepts

1. Anti-Corporate Communication Standard for Service Industries
   • Description: United Tattoo approach becomes model for all local businesses
   • Transformative potential: Reshape how small businesses communicate authentically
   • Challenges to overcome: Corporate marketing industry resistance, scaling personalization

Insights & Learnings

Key realizations from the session

• Corporate speak exists because people think it sounds professional, but it actually insults customer intelligence
• Authentic tattoo shop communication = vulnerability + practicality + justified confidence
• The best language guideline is asking "Would a human being actually say this?"
• Brevity that respects time and intelligence builds more trust than verbose explanations
• Professional credibility comes from source citation and honest complexity acknowledgment, not big words

Action Planning

Action Planning

Top 3 Priority Ideas

#1 Priority: Implement 7th Grade Reading Level Standard

• Rationale: Immediate impact on all customer communications, eliminates confusion and re-reading
• Next steps: Audit current website copy, create reading level checklist, rewrite problem areas
• Resources needed: Reading level checker tool, content inventory spreadsheet
• Timeline: 2-3 weeks for complete website overhaul

#2 Priority: Create LLM Brand Language Filter

• Rationale: Scalable solution for all future content creation, prevents regression to corporate speak
• Next steps: Document all transformation rules with examples, test with current bad copy
• Resources needed: Rule documentation, before/after examples database, LLM prompt engineering
• Timeline: 1-2 weeks for initial filter creation and testing

#3 Priority: Transform High-Impact Pages First

• Rationale: Focus on pages customers see most (pricing, aftercare, artist bios)
• Next steps: Identify top 5 customer-facing pages, apply rules, A/B test if possible
• Resources needed: Analytics data for page priority, rewrite time allocation
• Timeline: 1 week for core page transformation

Reflection & Follow-up

What Worked Well

Areas for Further Exploration

Recommended Follow-up Techniques

Questions That Emerged

---

Session facilitated using the BMAD-METHOD™ brainstorming framework