# Trend Master Spec
**Author:** Xian (QA)
**Date:** 2026-02-23
**Status:** ✅ Complete (8/8 received)

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## Purpose

Ensure marketing assets stay current with social media trends without breaking product branding.

The Trend Review process helps the AI:
- Apply modern creative patterns
- Adapt per platform
- Stay brand-safe
- Flag risky/experimental trend usage for human review

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## 1. Trend Source Priority

When applying trends, use this priority order:

1. **Approved internal standards** (if team defines trend rules)
   - Brand-safe trend examples
   - Approved hooks/layouts/templates
   - Platform playbooks

2. **Product Brand Guidelines** (Design Phase)
   - Always the primary identity source
   - Trends must adapt to these, not replace them

3. **Product Marketing Branding Profile** (Symphony)
   - Existing marketing references and approved patterns
   - Historical asset style consistency

4. **Current platform trends**
   - Social media format/style trends (layout, pacing, hooks, CTA patterns)
   - Apply only if compatible with the product brand

**Rule:** If trend guidance conflicts with Brand Guidelines → Brand Guidelines win.

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## 2. Platform-Specific Trend Adaptation

Adapt trend application depending on where the asset will be used:

**Facebook**
- Clear messaging and readable layout
- Strong CTA visibility
- Feed-friendly designs and promo clarity
- Trend use should prioritize clarity over hyper-fast styling

**X (Twitter)**
- Sharp, concise visuals/messages
- High readability in compact formats
- Strong headline-first approach
- Minimal clutter

**TikTok**
- Hook-first creative approach
- Fast visual communication
- Trend-aware motion/editing style (for video)
- Bold first-frame design for attention capture

**Instagram**
- Visually polished, brand-cohesive design
- Carousel-friendly storytelling
- Strong aesthetic consistency
- Reels/short-form creative patterns when applicable

**LinkedIn**
- Professional tone and clean visual hierarchy
- Credible, polished design
- Value-driven messaging (insights, results, product value)
- Trend use should be subtle and brand-safe

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## 3. Safe vs Risky Trend Rules

### ✅ Safe Trend Usage (Can Apply Automatically)
These can be applied without manual review if brand-compliant:
- Updated layout compositions (cleaner spacing, stronger hierarchy)
- Hook-first content structure
- Platform-optimized aspect ratios/formats
- Modern CTA placement patterns
- Contemporary visual rhythm (card flow, carousel sequencing)
- Motion pacing updates (for video), if within brand tone

### ⚠️ Risky Trend Usage (Needs Human Review)
Flag these before publishing or auto-applying:
- Trend styles that alter core brand identity
- Unapproved typography styles replacing brand fonts
- Overly aggressive visual effects that reduce readability
- Meme-driven or slang-heavy creative that may not fit the brand
- Trend audio/cultural references that may age badly or be off-brand
- Experimental logo treatments (distortion, recolor, animation) not in guidelines
- Trend imitation that resembles another brand too closely

### 🚫 Hard Stop (Do Not Apply)
- Any trend that removes or conflicts with approved logos/colors
- Any trend that misrepresents the product
- Any trend that violates social media standards or compliance rules
- Any trend that introduces a different brand identity

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## 4. Trend Application Workflow

For each asset generation request, follow this sequence:

1. **Identify** the product and target platform
2. **Load** Product Brand Guidelines (Design Phase)
3. **Load** Product Marketing Branding Profile (Symphony)
4. **Check** Social Media Standards (if provided for the product)
5. **Select** a compatible trend pattern
6. **Generate** a brand-safe asset
7. **Run** Trend + Branding validation
8. **Flag** for review if trend usage is risky or low-confidence

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## 5. Trend + Branding Validation Checklist

Before finalizing any asset, validate against all three categories:

**Branding Integrity**
- [ ] Uses approved colors
- [ ] Uses approved logo correctly
- [ ] Matches product visual identity
- [ ] Does not mix branding from other products

**Trend Fit**
- [ ] Uses current platform-appropriate format/pattern
- [ ] Improves clarity/engagement (not just decoration)
- [ ] Does not reduce readability or brand trust
- [ ] Feels current without looking copied

**Platform Fit**
- [ ] Correct dimensions/layout behavior for platform
- [ ] CTA placement fits platform norms
- [ ] Messaging style matches platform expectations

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## 6. Review Triggers for Trend Usage

Flag the asset for human review if **any** of the following are true:

- The trend conflicts with product branding
- Confidence is low in trend-brand compatibility
- The asset uses experimental styling not seen in prior approved assets
- The trend changes logo treatment, typography behavior, or core palette usage
- The asset uses culturally sensitive or time-sensitive trend references
- Platform trend data is unclear, outdated, or not confidently matched

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## 7. Trend Review Output (Transparency Metadata)

When generating an asset, include a review note with the following fields:

| Field | Example |
|-------|---------|
| **Trend Applied** | "Hook-first short-form layout" |
| **Platform Fit** | "TikTok / Instagram Reels compatible framing" |
| **Brand Safety Result** | `Pass` / `Warning` / `Needs Review` |
| **Reason (if flagged)** | "Typography treatment may conflict with Brand Guidelines" |

This metadata makes review easier and helps the team trust AI-generated choices.

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## 8. Optional Trend Modes

Define a generation mode per request for tighter control:

| Mode | Behavior | Review Required? |
|------|----------|-----------------|
| **Brand-Strict** | Minimal trend adaptation. Safe, consistent, conservative output. | No |
| **Balanced** *(recommended default)* | Applies platform trends while staying brand-safe. | Only if flagged |
| **Experimental** | Applies stronger trend styling. | Always — auto-required before approval/publish |

**Default:** Balanced Trend Mode unless otherwise specified.

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## Summary

| # | Section |
|---|---------|
| 1 | Trend Source Priority |
| 2 | Platform-Specific Trend Adaptation |
| 3 | Safe vs Risky Trend Rules |
| 4 | Trend Application Workflow |
| 5 | Trend + Branding Validation Checklist |
| 6 | Review Triggers for Trend Usage |
| 7 | Trend Review Output (Transparency Metadata) |
| 8 | Optional Trend Modes |
