Brand voice spec: reusable format + worked example (Lantern Coffee), with registers and closed-loop changelog

README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+---
+license: cc-by-4.0
+language:
+  - en
+pretty_name: Brand Voice Spec
+tags:
+  - brand-voice
+  - style-transfer
+  - preference-data
+  - dpo
+  - copywriting
+  - controllable-generation
+task_categories:
+  - text-generation
+size_categories:
+  - n<1K
+configs:
+  - config_name: rules
+    data_files: data/rules.jsonl
+  - config_name: examples
+    data_files: data/examples.jsonl
+  - config_name: preference_pairs
+    data_files: data/preference_pairs.jsonl
+  - config_name: lexicon
+    data_files: data/lexicon.jsonl
+  - config_name: prompts
+    data_files: data/prompts.jsonl
+  - config_name: changelog
+    data_files: data/changelog.jsonl
+---
+
+# Brand Voice Spec
+
+A machine-readable format for steering an LLM toward a specific brand voice, with a complete worked example. The point is not the example brand. The point is the method: treat brand voice as data a model can load and enforce, and as a living artifact that learns from its own corrections.
+
+Most brand voice lives in a slide deck no model can read. When an LLM writes copy, it falls back to the median of its training data: hedging, buzzwords, passive voice, the corporate gray. This spec is the inverse. The same file a human maintains is the file that conditions the model.
+
+> The worked example is a fictional brand, **Lantern Coffee**, an independent roaster. It is invented. Fork it, delete the contents, and write your own.
+
+## What's in here
+
+The canonical artifact is [`voice.json`](./voice.json). [`SCHEMA.md`](./SCHEMA.md) documents the format. Everything under `data/` is derived from `voice.json` and loads in the dataset viewer.
+
+| Config | Rows | What it is |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `rules` | 8 | The voice rules. Each has a `principle` and, where it exists, the id of the correction that produced it. |
+| `examples` | 28 | On-voice and off-voice copy, each labeled (`on_voice` / `off_voice`), tagged by `surface` and `register`. These are independent pools, not 1:1 pairs. |
+| `preference_pairs` | 5 | Genuinely matched `chosen` / `rejected` lines. DPO-shaped. Use these for preference work; do not synthesize pairs from `examples`. |
+| `lexicon` | 93 | Banned terms, preferred terms, domain vocabulary, and signature phrases. |
+| `prompts` | 4 | Parameterized generation prompts, one per recurring writing job. |
+| `changelog` | 4 | The voice's evolution. Each revision links to the correction that caused it. |
+
+## Two ideas worth stealing
+
+**Registers.** One brand can hold more than one voice. Lantern has a `cafe` register (guest-facing, warm, plain) and a `trade` register (wholesale, precise, price-transparent). Same brand, different surface, different voice. Every example and prompt is tagged with the register it belongs to.
+
+**The loop.** Voice rots when it's written once and frozen. Here, a wrong draft becomes a note in `voiceQueue`, a periodic sweep promotes adopted notes into `guidelines`, the `revision` bumps, and the `changelog` records what changed and why. `changelog` joins back to the originating correction, so you can read the whole voice as cause and effect:
+
+```json
+{"revision": 2, "change": "Added 'Talk like a regular, not a sommelier' after repeated sommelier-speak in menu drafts.",
+ "derived_from_rule": "Ban tasting poetry. Concrete anchors only.",
+ "derived_from_why": "'Notes of bergamot dance across the palate' kept reappearing in menu copy."}
+```
+
+The rule is not an opinion someone had in a meeting. It is the scar from a specific mistake.
+
+## Load it
+
+```python
+from datasets import load_dataset
+
+rules = load_dataset("thehonestape/brand-voice-spec", "rules")
+pairs = load_dataset("thehonestape/brand-voice-spec", "preference_pairs")
+```
+
+## Uses
+
+- Few-shot conditioning. Drop `rules` + `bannedTerms` + a handful of `preference_pairs` into a system prompt.
+- Preference tuning. The pairs are ready for DPO or reward-model experiments on style.
+- Voice-lint evaluation. Score generated copy against `bannedTerms` and the rules.
+- A template. Fork `voice.json`, write your own brand, regenerate the data.
+
+## Provenance and license
+
+Built by [Abe Garcia](https://huggingface.co/thehonestape) at [Workhorse](https://wrkhrs.co), an independent design studio. The format is the one we use in production to keep AI-written copy on-brand across every surface. Lantern Coffee is fictional. Released under CC BY 4.0.

SCHEMA.md

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# Brand Voice Spec — schema
+
+`voice.json` is the canonical artifact. Everything in `data/` is derived from it. The format is small on purpose: enough structure for a model to load and enforce, not so much that a human won't maintain it.
+
+## Top level
+
+| Field | Type | What it is |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `brand` | string | The brand this voice belongs to. |
+| `status` | string | `sample` for this reference; `live` for a real brand. |
+| `revision` | int | Bumped every time a rule changes. Pairs with `changelog`. |
+| `registers` | object | Named voices within one brand. Here: `cafe` (guest-facing) and `trade` (wholesale). A field can carry a `register` to say which voice it belongs to. |
+| `tone` | string[] | Adjectives. The 30,000-foot read. |
+| `guidelines` | object[] | The rules. See below. |
+| `doAndDont` | object[] | Genuinely paired on-voice / off-voice examples. |
+| `surfaceDoDont` | object[] | Per-surface guidance plus independent pools of good and bad examples. |
+| `promptKit` | object[] | Reusable generation prompts, one per recurring writing job. |
+| `bannedTerms` | string[] | Hard prohibitions. |
+| `preferredTerms` | string[] | Reach-for-these words. |
+| `vocabulary` | object | Concrete nouns grouped by domain. |
+| `signaturePhrases` | string[] | Lines that are load-bearing for the brand. |
+| `changelog` | object[] | One entry per revision. Each links to the correction that caused it. |
+| `voiceQueue` | object[] | Captured corrections, adopted or pending. The input side of the loop. |
+
+## `guidelines[]`
+
+```json
+{
+  "rule": "Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.",
+  "derivedFrom": "Unpretentious",
+  "explanation": "Tasting notes help people choose. Tasting poetry makes them feel dumb.",
+  "derivedFromCorrection": "vn_0002"
+}
+```
+
+`derivedFromCorrection` is the join to `voiceQueue`. It answers "why does this rule exist?" with a real correction, not a committee.
+
+## The loop
+
+This is the part that matters. Most brand voice is written once and rots. This schema treats voice as a living artifact:
+
+1. A draft comes back wrong. Someone (a human or an agent) files a note in `voiceQueue`.
+2. During a periodic sweep, adopted notes become or amend `guidelines`.
+3. `revision` bumps and a `changelog` entry records the change, linked back to the note.
+4. The next generation reads the updated spec. The mistake does not repeat.
+
+`data/changelog.jsonl` joins each revision to the correction that produced it, so you can read the voice's whole evolution as cause and effect.
+
+## Using it with a model
+
+- Put `guidelines` + `bannedTerms` + a few `preference_pairs` in the system prompt to steer generation.
+- Pick the right `register` for the surface you're writing.
+- Use `promptKit` entries as parameterized templates for recurring jobs.
+- Score output against `bannedTerms` and the rules as a cheap voice-lint.

data/changelog.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{"revision":1,"date":"2026-01-12","change":"Initial spec. Tone, eight guidelines, banned terms.","derived_from_id":null,"derived_from_rule":null,"derived_from_why":null}
+{"revision":2,"date":"2026-02-28","change":"Added rule 'Talk like a regular, not a sommelier' after repeated sommelier-speak in menu drafts.","derived_from_id":"vn_0002","derived_from_rule":"Ban tasting poetry. Concrete anchors only.","derived_from_why":"'Notes of bergamot dance across the palate' kept reappearing in menu copy."}
+{"revision":3,"date":"2026-04-09","change":"Split into two registers (cafe, trade) once wholesale outreach started sounding like the menu board.","derived_from_id":"vn_0004","derived_from_rule":null,"derived_from_why":null}
+{"revision":4,"date":"2026-05-30","change":"Added 'Warm, never twee' and banned diminutives ('lil', 'cuppa') after a social draft went saccharine.","derived_from_id":"vn_0003","derived_from_rule":"No cutesy diminutives. Warm is a tone, not baby-talk.","derived_from_why":"A social caption used 'lil cuppa' and 'cozy vibes.' Off-brand."}

data/examples.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Today on filter: Gitwe, Rwanda. Washed. Tastes like cherry cola and lime.","rule":"Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Today's single-origin pour-over features bright, complex notes.","rule":"Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Tastes like dark chocolate and toasted almond. Good with milk.","rule":"Talk like a regular, not a sommelier."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"An elegant cup with a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering, sophisticated finish.","rule":"Talk like a regular, not a sommelier."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"trade","label":"on_voice","text":"$8.40/lb green, FOB. We paid above the C-market because the producer hit 88+.","rule":"Say the price and why."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"trade","label":"off_voice","text":"Competitive wholesale pricing available. Inquire for our current sheet.","rule":"Say the price and why."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Pull up a stool. The Rwanda just landed and we're excited about it.","rule":"Warm, never twee."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Grab your fave lil cuppa and let the cozy vibes wash over you.","rule":"Warm, never twee."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"trade","label":"on_voice","text":"Lot from Café Granja La Esperanza, Cauca, Colombia. Gesha, washed.","rule":"Credit the farm, every time."}
+{"surface":"general","register":"trade","label":"off_voice","text":"Premium South American lot from a renowned regional estate.","rule":"Credit the farm, every time."}
+{"surface":"menu_item","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Ethiopia Guji, natural. Blueberry, cocoa.","notes":"Three to seven words. Origin first, then one honest flavor anchor. The board is read at a glance."}
+{"surface":"menu_item","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Colombia decaf. Caramel, easy.","notes":"Three to seven words. Origin first, then one honest flavor anchor. The board is read at a glance."}
+{"surface":"menu_item","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"A journey through the highlands of East Africa.","notes":"Three to seven words. Origin first, then one honest flavor anchor. The board is read at a glance."}
+{"surface":"menu_item","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Our signature artisanal house pour.","notes":"Three to seven words. Origin first, then one honest flavor anchor. The board is read at a glance."}
+{"surface":"hero","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Coffee is a crop. We treat it like one.","notes":"A thesis, not a slogan. 4 to 8 words. State the belief."}
+{"surface":"hero","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Roasted this week. Gone next month.","notes":"A thesis, not a slogan. 4 to 8 words. State the belief."}
+{"surface":"hero","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Elevating your coffee experience.","notes":"A thesis, not a slogan. 4 to 8 words. State the belief."}
+{"surface":"hero","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Where passion meets perfection in every cup.","notes":"A thesis, not a slogan. 4 to 8 words. State the belief."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Order a bag","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"See this week's coffees","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"on_voice","text":"Book a tasting","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Discover more","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Learn more","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"cta","register":"cafe","label":"off_voice","text":"Start your journey","notes":"An instruction. Concrete verb plus object."}
+{"surface":"product_label","register":"trade","label":"on_voice","text":"Rwanda · Gitwe · Western Province · Washed · Red Bourbon · Roasted 02 Jun","notes":"Facts in fixed order: origin, producer, region, process, varietal, roast date."}
+{"surface":"product_label","register":"trade","label":"off_voice","text":"A delightful coffee from faraway lands, roasted with love.","notes":"Facts in fixed order: origin, producer, region, process, varietal, roast date."}
+{"surface":"wholesale_email","register":"trade","label":"on_voice","text":"New on the green list: Caicedo, Antioquia. Castillo, washed. $7.10/lb FOB. 12 bags available.","notes":"Open with the offer and the number. Producer named. No throat-clearing."}
+{"surface":"wholesale_email","register":"trade","label":"off_voice","text":"We are thrilled to share an exciting new addition to our world-class portfolio.","notes":"Open with the offer and the number. Producer named. No throat-clearing."}

data/lexicon.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+{"term":"artisanal","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"hand-crafted","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"elevate","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"journey","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"curated","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"indulge","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"notes of","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"smooth and bold","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"barista magic","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"third wave","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"liquid gold","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"perfect cup","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"passion in every cup","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"world-class","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"discover","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"learn more","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"lil","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"cuppa","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"vibes","category":"banned"}
+{"term":"origin","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"producer","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"washing station","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"lot","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"single-origin","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"blend","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"washed","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"natural","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"honey process","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"varietal","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"roast date","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"harvest","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"importer","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"FOB price","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"cupping","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"filter","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"espresso","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"seasonal","category":"preferred"}
+{"term":"origin","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"producer","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"washing station","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"co-op","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"importer","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"FOB price","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"C-market","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"lot","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"harvest","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"altitude","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"varietal","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"cupping score","category":"vocabulary","domain":"sourcing"}
+{"term":"washed","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"natural","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"honey","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"anaerobic","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"fermentation","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"drying bed","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"moisture","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"density","category":"vocabulary","domain":"process"}
+{"term":"roast date","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"development","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"first crack","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"profile","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"drop temp","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"batch","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"degas","category":"vocabulary","domain":"roasting"}
+{"term":"filter","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"espresso","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"pour-over","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"batch brew","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"flat white","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"single shot","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"to-go","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"for here","category":"vocabulary","domain":"cafe"}
+{"term":"bag","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"12oz","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"whole bean","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"ground","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"subscription","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"restock","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"sold out","category":"vocabulary","domain":"retail"}
+{"term":"Coffee is a crop.","category":"signature_phrase"}
+{"term":"Roasted this week.","category":"signature_phrase"}
+{"term":"The producer's name goes first.","category":"signature_phrase"}
+{"term":"Seasonal means it runs out.","category":"signature_phrase"}
+{"term":"Good with milk, better without.","category":"signature_phrase"}
+{"term":"experience","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"elevate","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"curated","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"artisanal","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"passion","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"premium","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"luxury","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"exquisite","category":"avoid_in_register"}
+{"term":"indulgent","category":"avoid_in_register"}

data/preference_pairs.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{"register":"cafe","rule":"Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process.","chosen":"Today on filter: Gitwe, Rwanda. Washed. Tastes like cherry cola and lime.","rejected":"Today's single-origin pour-over features bright, complex notes."}
+{"register":"cafe","rule":"Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.","chosen":"Tastes like dark chocolate and toasted almond. Good with milk.","rejected":"An elegant cup with a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering, sophisticated finish."}
+{"register":"trade","rule":"Say the price and why.","chosen":"$8.40/lb green, FOB. We paid above the C-market because the producer hit 88+.","rejected":"Competitive wholesale pricing available. Inquire for our current sheet."}
+{"register":"cafe","rule":"Warm, never twee.","chosen":"Pull up a stool. The Rwanda just landed and we're excited about it.","rejected":"Grab your fave lil cuppa and let the cozy vibes wash over you."}
+{"register":"trade","rule":"Credit the farm, every time.","chosen":"Lot from Café Granja La Esperanza, Cauca, Colombia. Gesha, washed.","rejected":"Premium South American lot from a renowned regional estate."}

data/prompts.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{"id":"menu-line","label":"Write a menu-board line for a coffee","register":"cafe","prompt":"Write a {3-7} word menu line for {origin}, {process} process. Lead with origin. Add one or two plain flavor anchors (fruit, nut, chocolate, sweetness). No 'notes of.' No poetry.","surfaces":["menu_item"]}
+{"id":"new-arrival","label":"Announce a new coffee","register":"cafe","prompt":"Write a 50-70 word announcement for a new lot: {origin}, {producer}, {process}. Name the producer. Give two honest flavor anchors. Say it's seasonal and limited. End with 'Order a bag.' Warm, not twee. No banned terms.","surfaces":["social_caption","newsletter"]}
+{"id":"wholesale-offer","label":"Open a wholesale offer email","register":"trade","prompt":"Write the opening of a wholesale offer email to {roaster} for {origin}, {producer}. Lead with the coffee, the process, the FOB price {price}, and quantity available. Name why we paid what we paid. Procurement-literate, no hype.","surfaces":["wholesale_email"]}
+{"id":"tasting-note","label":"Write a tasting note","register":"cafe","prompt":"Write a one-sentence tasting note for {origin}, {process}. Two or three concrete anchors (a fruit, a sweetness, a texture). Say what it's good for (black, milk, iced). Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.","surfaces":["menu_item","product_label"]}

data/rules.jsonl

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{"rule":"Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process.","principle":"Precise","explanation":"Don't say 'our single-origin.' Say 'Gitwe washing station, Rwanda, washed.' Specificity is the product. Vagueness reads as you not knowing.","derived_from_correction":"vn_0001"}
+{"rule":"Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.","principle":"Unpretentious","explanation":"Tasting notes help people choose. Tasting poetry makes them feel dumb. 'Tastes like cherry and cola' beats 'notes of bergamot dance across the palate.'","derived_from_correction":"vn_0002"}
+{"rule":"Say the price and why.","principle":"Honest","explanation":"Specialty coffee costs more because the farmer got paid more. State the price plainly and name the reason. Never hide it behind 'inquire.'","derived_from_correction":null}
+{"rule":"Warm, never twee.","principle":"Warm","explanation":"We are glad you are here. We are not going to call it a 'lil cup of joe.' Friendly is a tone, not a costume.","derived_from_correction":"vn_0003"}
+{"rule":"Seasonal is a fact, not a vibe.","principle":"Curious","explanation":"Coffee is a crop with a harvest calendar. When a lot is gone, it's gone. Say so. Don't fake permanent availability.","derived_from_correction":null}
+{"rule":"Short lines on the board. Full sentences in the email.","principle":"Plain-spoken","explanation":"Surface sets length. A menu line is three words. A sourcing note is a paragraph. Match the format, don't pad either one.","derived_from_correction":null}
+{"rule":"Tell people the next step plainly.","principle":"Plain-spoken","explanation":"'Order a bag' and 'Book a tasting' beat 'Discover' and 'Learn more.' A CTA is an instruction, not a mood.","derived_from_correction":null}
+{"rule":"Credit the farm, every time.","principle":"Honest","explanation":"The producer's name goes on the bag, the menu, and the website. The coffee is theirs first. This is non-negotiable across both registers.","derived_from_correction":null}

voice.json

@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "./SCHEMA.md",
+  "brand": "Lantern Coffee",
+  "status": "sample",
+  "note": "A fictional brand. This file is a reference example of a machine-readable brand-voice spec, not a real company's voice. Fork it and replace the contents with your own.",
+  "revision": 4,
+  "registers": {
+    "cafe": "Guest-facing. Warm, plain, unpretentious. The voice of the counter and the menu board.",
+    "trade": "Wholesale and sourcing. Precise, transparent about price and provenance. The voice of the spec sheet and the importer email."
+  },
+  "tone": ["Warm", "Plain-spoken", "Precise", "Unpretentious", "Curious"],
+  "guidelines": [
+    {
+      "rule": "Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Precise",
+      "explanation": "Don't say 'our single-origin.' Say 'Gitwe washing station, Rwanda, washed.' Specificity is the product. Vagueness reads as you not knowing.",
+      "derivedFromCorrection": "vn_0001"
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Unpretentious",
+      "explanation": "Tasting notes help people choose. Tasting poetry makes them feel dumb. 'Tastes like cherry and cola' beats 'notes of bergamot dance across the palate.'",
+      "derivedFromCorrection": "vn_0002"
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Say the price and why.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Honest",
+      "explanation": "Specialty coffee costs more because the farmer got paid more. State the price plainly and name the reason. Never hide it behind 'inquire.'"
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Warm, never twee.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Warm",
+      "explanation": "We are glad you are here. We are not going to call it a 'lil cup of joe.' Friendly is a tone, not a costume.",
+      "derivedFromCorrection": "vn_0003"
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Seasonal is a fact, not a vibe.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Curious",
+      "explanation": "Coffee is a crop with a harvest calendar. When a lot is gone, it's gone. Say so. Don't fake permanent availability."
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Short lines on the board. Full sentences in the email.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Plain-spoken",
+      "explanation": "Surface sets length. A menu line is three words. A sourcing note is a paragraph. Match the format, don't pad either one."
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Tell people the next step plainly.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Plain-spoken",
+      "explanation": "'Order a bag' and 'Book a tasting' beat 'Discover' and 'Learn more.' A CTA is an instruction, not a mood."
+    },
+    {
+      "rule": "Credit the farm, every time.",
+      "derivedFrom": "Honest",
+      "explanation": "The producer's name goes on the bag, the menu, and the website. The coffee is theirs first. This is non-negotiable across both registers."
+    }
+  ],
+  "doAndDont": [
+    {
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "rule": "Name the coffee. Origin, producer, process.",
+      "do": "Today on filter: Gitwe, Rwanda. Washed. Tastes like cherry cola and lime.",
+      "dont": "Today's single-origin pour-over features bright, complex notes."
+    },
+    {
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "rule": "Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.",
+      "do": "Tastes like dark chocolate and toasted almond. Good with milk.",
+      "dont": "An elegant cup with a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering, sophisticated finish."
+    },
+    {
+      "register": "trade",
+      "rule": "Say the price and why.",
+      "do": "$8.40/lb green, FOB. We paid above the C-market because the producer hit 88+.",
+      "dont": "Competitive wholesale pricing available. Inquire for our current sheet."
+    },
+    {
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "rule": "Warm, never twee.",
+      "do": "Pull up a stool. The Rwanda just landed and we're excited about it.",
+      "dont": "Grab your fave lil cuppa and let the cozy vibes wash over you."
+    },
+    {
+      "register": "trade",
+      "rule": "Credit the farm, every time.",
+      "do": "Lot from Café Granja La Esperanza, Cauca, Colombia. Gesha, washed.",
+      "dont": "Premium South American lot from a renowned regional estate."
+    }
+  ],
+  "surfaceDoDont": [
+    {
+      "surface": "menu_item",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "notes": "Three to seven words. Origin first, then one honest flavor anchor. The board is read at a glance.",
+      "do": ["Ethiopia Guji, natural. Blueberry, cocoa.", "Colombia decaf. Caramel, easy."],
+      "dont": ["A journey through the highlands of East Africa.", "Our signature artisanal house pour."]
+    },
+    {
+      "surface": "hero",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "notes": "A thesis, not a slogan. 4 to 8 words. State the belief.",
+      "do": ["Coffee is a crop. We treat it like one.", "Roasted this week. Gone next month."],
+      "dont": ["Elevating your coffee experience.", "Where passion meets perfection in every cup."]
+    },
+    {
+      "surface": "cta",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "notes": "An instruction. Concrete verb plus object.",
+      "do": ["Order a bag", "See this week's coffees", "Book a tasting"],
+      "dont": ["Discover more", "Learn more", "Start your journey"]
+    },
+    {
+      "surface": "product_label",
+      "register": "trade",
+      "notes": "Facts in fixed order: origin, producer, region, process, varietal, roast date.",
+      "do": ["Rwanda · Gitwe · Western Province · Washed · Red Bourbon · Roasted 02 Jun"],
+      "dont": ["A delightful coffee from faraway lands, roasted with love."]
+    },
+    {
+      "surface": "wholesale_email",
+      "register": "trade",
+      "notes": "Open with the offer and the number. Producer named. No throat-clearing.",
+      "do": ["New on the green list: Caicedo, Antioquia. Castillo, washed. $7.10/lb FOB. 12 bags available."],
+      "dont": ["We are thrilled to share an exciting new addition to our world-class portfolio."]
+    }
+  ],
+  "promptKit": [
+    {
+      "id": "menu-line",
+      "label": "Write a menu-board line for a coffee",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "prompt": "Write a {3-7} word menu line for {origin}, {process} process. Lead with origin. Add one or two plain flavor anchors (fruit, nut, chocolate, sweetness). No 'notes of.' No poetry.",
+      "surfaces": ["menu_item"]
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "new-arrival",
+      "label": "Announce a new coffee",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "prompt": "Write a 50-70 word announcement for a new lot: {origin}, {producer}, {process}. Name the producer. Give two honest flavor anchors. Say it's seasonal and limited. End with 'Order a bag.' Warm, not twee. No banned terms.",
+      "surfaces": ["social_caption", "newsletter"]
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "wholesale-offer",
+      "label": "Open a wholesale offer email",
+      "register": "trade",
+      "prompt": "Write the opening of a wholesale offer email to {roaster} for {origin}, {producer}. Lead with the coffee, the process, the FOB price {price}, and quantity available. Name why we paid what we paid. Procurement-literate, no hype.",
+      "surfaces": ["wholesale_email"]
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "tasting-note",
+      "label": "Write a tasting note",
+      "register": "cafe",
+      "prompt": "Write a one-sentence tasting note for {origin}, {process}. Two or three concrete anchors (a fruit, a sweetness, a texture). Say what it's good for (black, milk, iced). Talk like a regular, not a sommelier.",
+      "surfaces": ["menu_item", "product_label"]
+    }
+  ],
+  "bannedTerms": [
+    "artisanal",
+    "hand-crafted",
+    "elevate",
+    "journey",
+    "curated",
+    "indulge",
+    "notes of",
+    "smooth and bold",
+    "barista magic",
+    "third wave",
+    "liquid gold",
+    "perfect cup",
+    "passion in every cup",
+    "world-class",
+    "discover",
+    "learn more",
+    "lil",
+    "cuppa",
+    "vibes"
+  ],
+  "preferredTerms": [
+    "origin",
+    "producer",
+    "washing station",
+    "lot",
+    "single-origin",
+    "blend",
+    "washed",
+    "natural",
+    "honey process",
+    "varietal",
+    "roast date",
+    "harvest",
+    "importer",
+    "FOB price",
+    "cupping",
+    "filter",
+    "espresso",
+    "seasonal"
+  ],
+  "vocabulary": {
+    "_purpose": "Concrete nouns by domain. Reach for these when the domain matches; let them override generic defaults.",
+    "sourcing": ["origin", "producer", "washing station", "co-op", "importer", "FOB price", "C-market", "lot", "harvest", "altitude", "varietal", "cupping score"],
+    "process": ["washed", "natural", "honey", "anaerobic", "fermentation", "drying bed", "moisture", "density"],
+    "roasting": ["roast date", "development", "first crack", "profile", "drop temp", "batch", "degas"],
+    "cafe": ["filter", "espresso", "pour-over", "batch brew", "flat white", "single shot", "to-go", "for here"],
+    "retail": ["bag", "12oz", "whole bean", "ground", "subscription", "restock", "sold out"]
+  },
+  "signaturePhrases": [
+    "Coffee is a crop.",
+    "Roasted this week.",
+    "The producer's name goes first.",
+    "Seasonal means it runs out.",
+    "Good with milk, better without."
+  ],
+  "avoidInStudioRegister": [
+    "experience",
+    "elevate",
+    "curated",
+    "artisanal",
+    "passion",
+    "premium",
+    "luxury",
+    "exquisite",
+    "indulgent"
+  ],
+  "changelog": [
+    {
+      "revision": 1,
+      "date": "2026-01-12",
+      "change": "Initial spec. Tone, eight guidelines, banned terms.",
+      "derivedFrom": null
+    },
+    {
+      "revision": 2,
+      "date": "2026-02-28",
+      "change": "Added rule 'Talk like a regular, not a sommelier' after repeated sommelier-speak in menu drafts.",
+      "derivedFrom": "vn_0002"
+    },
+    {
+      "revision": 3,
+      "date": "2026-04-09",
+      "change": "Split into two registers (cafe, trade) once wholesale outreach started sounding like the menu board.",
+      "derivedFrom": "vn_0004"
+    },
+    {
+      "revision": 4,
+      "date": "2026-05-30",
+      "change": "Added 'Warm, never twee' and banned diminutives ('lil', 'cuppa') after a social draft went saccharine.",
+      "derivedFrom": "vn_0003"
+    }
+  ],
+  "voiceQueue": [
+    {
+      "id": "vn_0001",
+      "date": "2026-01-20",
+      "rule": "Always name origin, producer, and process together. Two of three is not enough.",
+      "why": "A draft said 'Rwanda washed' but dropped the washing station; the coffee read as generic.",
+      "source": "agent",
+      "status": "adopted"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "vn_0002",
+      "date": "2026-02-25",
+      "rule": "Ban tasting poetry. Concrete anchors only.",
+      "why": "'Notes of bergamot dance across the palate' kept reappearing in menu copy.",
+      "source": "manual",
+      "status": "adopted"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "vn_0003",
+      "date": "2026-05-28",
+      "rule": "No cutesy diminutives. Warm is a tone, not baby-talk.",
+      "why": "A social caption used 'lil cuppa' and 'cozy vibes.' Off-brand.",
+      "source": "agent",
+      "status": "adopted"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "vn_0005",
+      "date": "2026-06-01",
+      "rule": "Consider whether iced-drink copy needs its own micro-register in summer.",
+      "why": "Seasonal menu pressure; not yet decided.",
+      "source": "manual",
+      "status": "pending"
+    }
+  ]
+}