competitive-visual-audit
Use when analyzing competitor brands to find visual or positioning white space before making identity decisions, such as auditing competitor colors, typography, logos, imagery, and voice, or building a perceptual map. Keywords - competitive audit, competitor analysis, visual landscape, differentiation, white space, perceptual mapping, zig when others zag.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/mike-coulbourn/claude-vibes --skill competitive-visual-audit- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads competitive-visual-audit automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Competitive Visual Audit Frameworks
Quick reference for competitive brand analysis that informs visual identity decisions. This skill auto-activates during visual phases so competitive insights guide design decisions.
"When others zig, zag. Radical differentiation is the surest path to relevance." — Marty Neumeier
Key statistics
- 55% of brand first impressions are visual
- 90% of snap judgments are made on color alone (depending on product)
- 80% boost in brand recognition from consistent visual strategy
- 86% of customers say authenticity is a key reason they buy
The Good/Different Chart (Marty Neumeier)
Plot brands on two axes, "Good" (customer value) and "Different" (novelty/surprise):
DIFFERENT (Novel, Surprising)
│
ZONE OF │ ZONE OF
IRRELEVANCE │ DOMINANCE
(Different but │ (Good AND Different)
not good) │ ← THE GOAL
│
───────────────────────┼───────────────────────
│
ZONE OF │ ZONE OF
MEDIOCRITY │ COMMODITIZATION
(Neither good │ (Good but
nor different) │ not different)
│
GOOD (Customer Value)
Score each competitor 1-10 on both axes, then plot their position.
The Only-ness Statement (Marty Neumeier)
Format: "Our brand is the only [category] that [differentiation] for [audience] in [market] who [need or belief]."
Test: Can competitors complete the same statement truthfully? If yes, you're not differentiated enough.
Zig vs zag decision framework
When to "Zig" (follow category conventions)
- Category requires trust/safety signals (healthcare, finance, legal)
- Customers use visual conventions to identify legitimate options
- Entering an established market needing initial credibility
- Differentiation comes from other factors (service, pricing)
When to "Zag" (break category conventions)
- Category is visually homogeneous (everyone looks the same)
- Genuine philosophical/strategic difference to communicate
- Target audience is tired of category sameness
- Can sustain the difference with real substance
- Willing to polarize some to attract others strongly
Visual differentiation priority
Based on impact and feasibility:
| Priority | Element | Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Color | Highest | Most immediate differentiator |
| 2 | Typography | High | Affects all touchpoints |
| 3 | Photography/Imagery | High | Distinctive but resource-intensive |
| 4 | Illustration style | High | Unique but requires consistency |
| 5 | Logo design | Foundational | Sets tone, just one element |
| 6 | Layout/White space | Subtle | Differentiates through feel |
Quick visual audit checklist
When analyzing competitors, capture for each:
Visual Identity
- Logo: Symbol vs. wordmark, style, complexity
- Primary Color + Hex code
- Secondary Colors
- Typography: Serif vs. sans-serif, weights
- Imagery: Photography vs. illustration, mood, subjects
- Overall aesthetic: Minimal, bold, playful, corporate
Positioning
- Tagline
- Key claims
- Only-ness assessment (can they complete the statement?)
- Good/Different Chart position (1-10 each axis)
Voice
- Tone: Professional, casual, playful, authoritative
- Personality traits (3-4 adjectives)
- Sample language from their site
Perceptual mapping quick guide
-
Choose Two Axes that matter to customers and create contrast:
- Price (Low → High) vs. Quality (Low → High)
- Professional ↔ Friendly
- Traditional ↔ Innovative
- For Experts ↔ For Everyone
-
Plot 10+ competitors on the map
-
Identify White Space: quadrants with low competition
Common visual patterns to look for
Color Clusters
- Where do most competitors congregate? (Many industries have a "blue problem")
- What color territories are unclaimed?
Typography Trends
- All serif? → Consider sans-serif
- All geometric sans? → Consider humanist or serif
Imagery Patterns
- All stock photography? → Consider custom illustration
- All people shots? → Consider product/abstract
Research-to-design bridge
| Competitive Finding | Informs |
|---|---|
| Color white space | Primary color selection |
| Typography patterns | Typeface selection |
| Imagery gaps | Photography/illustration direction |
| Positioning map white space | Visual personality |
| Archetype landscape | Overall aesthetic |
Templates
Read reference/templates.md when producing a deliverable the user will keep, such as a filled worksheet, a documented decision, or a final write-up. Skip it for conceptual questions and quick recommendations, which this file covers. It opens with a table of contents, so load only the template needed:
- Color audit matrix
- Typography audit matrix
- Imagery style audit matrix
- Perceptual map template
- Good/Different Chart template
- Output validation checklist
When to apply this knowledge
During color selection
- Reference competitive color audit to avoid clusters
- Identify unclaimed color territories
During typography selection
- Reference typography audit to find differentiation
- Counter-position if category is homogeneous
During visual direction
- Use perceptual map to guide overall aesthetic
- Apply Zig vs Zag decision framework
During positioning work
- Reference Only-ness Statement opportunities
- Use Good/Different Chart for strategic positioning
Key principles
- Map before you create: Understand the landscape before making visual decisions
- White space is opportunity: What no one does is what you could own
- Color is fastest differentiator: Start there for visual differentiation
- Distinctiveness requires consistency: Different only works if you maintain it
- Be the Only, not the Best: Neumeier's core principle
Deep methodology
For full competitive brand audits, the brand-competitive-auditor agent contains 750+ lines of methodology, including output formats and research processes.
FAQ
What does the competitive-visual-audit skill do?
Use when analyzing competitor brands to find visual or positioning white space before making identity decisions, such as auditing competitor colors, typography, logos, imagery, and voice, or building a perceptual map. Keywords - competitive audit, competitor analysis, visual landscape, differentiation, white space, perceptual mapping, zig when others zag.
How do I install competitive-visual-audit?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/mike-coulbourn/claude-vibes --skill competitive-visual-audit in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/competitive-visual-audit/ (personal) or .claude/skills/competitive-visual-audit/ (project).
Which AI agents can use competitive-visual-audit?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is competitive-visual-audit safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains competitive-visual-audit?
It is published by mike-coulbourn in mike-coulbourn/claude-vibes. It has 54 recorded installs.
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