---
name: "microsoft-brand-central"
description: "Only invoke this skill when the user types the exact name \"microsoft-brand-central\" or \"/microsoft-brand-central\". Do not invoke for general branding or PowerPoint requests."
---

# Microsoft Corporate Brand — PowerPoint Skill
*Last updated: June 2026 — audited against Brand Central (brandcentral.microsoft.com), citing Dynamics_365_marketing_guidelines_2602.pptx and Microsoft-Color-Guidelines-April_2026.pptx*

Build PowerPoint decks that match the Microsoft Dynamics 365 corporate brand style. Use the `pptx` skill for file creation. This skill adds Microsoft-specific brand, palette, and content knowledge on top of those instructions.

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## Official Brand Resources (Download from Brand Central)

Before building, point users to these official assets at brandcentral.microsoft.com/microsoft-brand/products/dynamics-365.html:
- **Microsoft Dynamics 365 PowerPoint template** — official starting point
- **Dynamics_365_marketing_guidelines_2602.pptx** — full marketing guidelines
- **Microsoft-Color-Guidelines-April_2026.pptx** — updated April 2026
- **D365 color library** — Swatch file
- **D365 illustration elements** and **UI element compositions**
- **D365 Grab-n-Go Library**

---

## Brand Palette (Official — April 2026)

### Primary Palette

| Role | Hex | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| **D365 Navy** | `#0a1b45` | Slide backgrounds, headers, pill labels, dark sections |
| **MS Blue** | `#0078d4` | Primary CTA, hero titles, H2 subheads, accent borders |
| **Light Tan** | `#eae4dc` | Warm neutral backgrounds, section dividers, cards |
| **Extra Dark Gray** | `#2f2f2f` | Body text on light backgrounds, H1 on light backgrounds |
| **Medium Gray** | `#a4a4a4` | Muted text, dividers, footnotes, disabled states |
| **Extra Light Gray** | `#f2f2f2` | Secondary backgrounds, subtle card fills |
| **White** | `#ffffff` | Content slide backgrounds, primary card fills |

### Accent Colors

| Role | Hex |
|---|---|
| Orange | `#d83b01` |
| Yellow | `#ffb900` |
| Ocean | `#1392b4` |
| Violet | `#770180` |
| Light Orange | `#ff9349` |
| Light Yellow | `#fef000` |
| **Light Blue (Cyan)** | `#50e6ff` |
| Light Purple | `#d59dff` |

### Gradient System

Gradients are **not included in color libraries** — they must be built manually.

| Gradient | Direction |
|---|---|
| **Core** | Light Blue → Blue (`#50e6ff` → `#0078d4`) |
| Accent variant 1 | Light Blue + Light Orange |
| Accent variant 2 | Light Blue + Light Yellow |
| Accent variant 3 | Light Blue + Light Purple |

> ⚠️ The correct gradient direction is Light Blue → Blue (warm to deep), not Blue → Cyan.

### Color Usage Rules

- **Dark slides** (title, section dividers, closing): `#0a1b45` or `#0078d4` background with White text
- **Content slides**: White or Light Tan background; Extra Dark Gray body text; Blue or accent subheads
- **Gradient titles**: `#50e6ff` → `#0078d4` for hero headings (Light Blue to Blue)
- **Highlight cards**: Use accent gradient pairs from the table above
- **Pill/tag labels**: `#0a1b45` fill, white text, rounded corners

---

## Typography

### Font System

| Context | Font | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **PowerPoint / on-screen digital** | **Segoe UI** | Correct choice for all PPT work |
| Brand/marketing/campaigns | **Segoe Sans** | New extended-weight brand font (2025+) |
| Editorial/supporting moments | **Segoe Serif** | Pair with Segoe Sans for contrast |
| Print materials | **Segoe Pro** | Print-specific, not for PPT |

> For PowerPoint, **Segoe UI remains the correct font**. Segoe Sans is for brand marketing materials and campaigns. Never use Arial.

### Type Scale

| Element | Font | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide title / hero (H1) | Segoe UI Semibold | 36–44pt | Semibold |
| Section header (H2) | Segoe UI Semibold | 24–28pt | Semibold |
| Labels / tags (H3) | Segoe UI Semibold | 14–16pt | Semibold |
| Body text (B1) | Segoe UI | 14–16pt | Regular |
| Captions / footnotes | Segoe UI | 10–11pt | Regular |
| Stat callouts | Segoe UI Semibold | 48–72pt | Semibold, colored |

- Limit to **no more than 3 sizes or weights** per communication
- Left-align all body and bullet text; center standalone stat callouts only
- For accessibility: substitute Bold for Semibold when needed

### Text Color Hierarchy

| Level | On Light Background | On Dark Background |
|---|---|---|
| H1 Headline | Navy `#0a1b45` or Extra Dark Gray `#2f2f2f` | White `#ffffff` |
| H2 Subhead | Blue `#0078d4` if contrast allows; or one accent | Light accent color |
| H3 Label | Same as H1 or H2 | Same as H1 or H2 |
| Body text | Extra Dark Gray `#2f2f2f` | White `#ffffff` |

Use **only one headline color** and **only one body color** per slide.

---

## Slide Layout Patterns

### Title / Hero Slide
- Full Navy (`#0a1b45`) or core gradient background
- Large bold H1 in White or `#50e6ff` (Light Blue), centered
- Optional subtitle in White, regular weight
- Microsoft logo required on title slides

### Section Divider / Module Header
- Navy or Blue background
- Section title left-aligned, large, white
- Optional persona image right side
- Bullet sub-topics in Light Blue or accent color

### Capabilities / Feature Slide (2-column)
- White or Light Tan background
- Bold H1 + benefit statement left column
- Product screenshot or diagram right column
- Use Spot Illustrations from Brand Central library (preapproved)

### 3-Up Value Card Slide
- White background
- Three equal-width cards with Navy border or colored header bar
- Icon + H3 title + 2–3 body bullets per card

### Stat / ROI Callout Slide
- 2–4 large number callouts (48–72pt, Blue or accent colored)
- Small body label below each stat
- Source footnote bottom-left in 9pt Medium Gray (`#a4a4a4`)

### Persona Capability Map
- 4 persona icons in 2×2 or horizontal row
- Connecting arrows to outcome areas
- Each quadrant: persona label + key capability bullets

---

## Illustration System

Microsoft has a **two-tier illustration system**. Both are available from Brand Central.

| Type | When to Use |
|---|---|
| **Spot Illustrations** | Small/secondary images; PowerPoint, email, newsletters; use Brand Central library (preapproved for marketing) |
| **Hero Illustrations** | Custom-made, high-investment only; reserved for business-critical communications |

Available spot illustration libraries: Collaboration, Security & Privacy, Education, Gaming & Entertainment.

Illustration principles: relatable metaphors, purposeful patterns, depth and layers. Style: "more sensorial, more mindful."

---

## Photography Guidelines

Brand Central's official guidance (NOT stock-photo defaults):

- **Real emotion** — capture people as they actually are; full range of human emotion
- **Unposed, unfiltered, imperfect** preferred over slick/staged/stock
- **Moments of action** — people in authentic interactions with devices
- **Points of view** — variety of backgrounds, scenarios, environments
- **Diversity behind and in front of the lens** — diverse vendors/suppliers AND talent
- Photo library at Brand Central has 45 curated collections, all preapproved for marketing

---

## Slide Design Rules

1. **Pill/tag labels**: small rounded rect, `#0a1b45` fill, white 10pt Segoe UI — module names/section labels
2. **No per-slide logo on content slides** — logo on title and closing slides only
3. **Screenshots**: show actual product UI (D365, Teams, Outlook) — not generic illustrations
4. **No accent lines under titles** — use whitespace or background color instead
5. **Icon circles**: small `#0078d4` or `#50e6ff` circles with white icons for bullet-row layouts
6. **Spot illustrations**: use from Brand Central preapproved library, not generated art
7. **Footnotes**: 9pt Medium Gray (`#a4a4a4`), include analyst source citations below stat slides
8. **Persona images**: authentic, unposed, diverse — avoid stock-photo feel

---

## D365 Brand Voice & Strategy

### Brand Identity
- **Tagline**: *"No limits"*
- **Target persona**: *Grounded visionaries* — expect and deliver immediate impact, avoid complacency, stay ahead of change
- **We stand against**: Barriers to change — friction, complexity, siloed data/people/processes
- **Brand expression theme**: Kinetic energy — visual storytelling should feel as agile as the product

### Preapproved Customer Promises (Copy Library)
Use these verbatim in slide content — they are CELA-approved:
- *"Create impact faster"* — Deliver more value in less time; quickly adopt or augment solutions
- *"Break through barriers"* — Take a data-first approach; unify data with Microsoft AI
- *"Adapt to anything"* — Freedom to adapt across new priorities, market conditions, opportunities
- *"Innovate everywhere"* — Powerful solutions from the Microsoft Cloud, built to work together

### Brand Voice — The Trailblazer
Microsoft's brand voice persona is **The Trailblazer**: bold, brave, adventurous; deep, daring, kind.

Three ways to write like a Trailblazer:
1. **Reveal** — Invite, engage, inform. Audiences feel *in the know*.
2. **Inspire** — Excite, delight, instill optimism. Audiences feel *empowered*.
3. **Provoke** — Assert, differentiate, make a statement. Audiences feel *challenged*.

### Content Principles
- Represent product and customer benefits with vibrant conceptual illustration elements
- Lead with focused, emotive images with dynamic stopping power
- Outcome-driven focused UI compositions
- Bright customer imagery that feels real, not staged
- Dynamic motion where medium allows

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## D365 Customer Engagement — Field Content Reference

{{USER_NAME}}'s CE deck (223 slides) is the canonical field content source. Use this as a content library when building any D365 CE slide or deck.

### Module 1: D365 Overview & Platform Story (Slides 1–7)

**Headline message:** Microsoft is the only truly connected solution bringing end-to-end support across CX, service, supply chain, finance, low-code, insights, productivity, and Azure.

**The Dynamics 365 Difference (3 differentiators):**
1. **Single unified customer data platform** — built on Dataverse + Azure
2. **Head start in AI + consistent innovation** — exponential Gen AI value
3. **Native integration with Microsoft 365** — keeps CRM data fresh, best experience in flow of work

**Analyst recognition (FY24):**
- Leader in 19 evaluative reports YTD; 7 Gartner MQ, 3 Forrester Wave, 9 IDC MarketScape

---

### Module 2: D365 Sales (Slides 8–51)

**4 Persona Framework:**

| Persona | Core Need | Key Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| **Customer** | Personalize every engagement | Understand customer, take best action, improve interactions |
| **Seller** | Increase focus and productivity | Prioritize opportunities, reduce mundane tasks, stay in flow of work |
| **Sales Manager** | Forecast and coach with confidence | Predict/forecast pipeline, scale best practices, identify coaching opportunities |
| **Sales Ops Leader** | Automate and customize | Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps |

**Cost Savings vs. Salesforce:**
- 42% lower licensing costs; 30% lower 3-year TCO
- $51M incremental operating profit; $13.3M from seller productivity
- *(Source: Forrester TEI study, March 2022)*

**Top 5 reasons customers choose D365 over Salesforce:**
1. Single unified platform
2. Market leading generative AI
3. Cost savings
4. Built for extensibility (Power Platform)
5. Security, privacy, and compliance

---

### Module 3: AI Advantage for Sales (Slides 42–51)

- **29%** of sales labor time can be automated with Gen AI *(Bain, Aug 2023)*
- **99%** of sellers would reinvest time saved from AI *(Microsoft/Ipsos, 700 sellers, June 2023)*
- **3–15%** revenue uplift for AI investors *(McKinsey, May 2023)*
- **2x** lift in lead-to-sale conversion rate *(McKinsey, May 2023)*

---

### Module 4: Copilot + Agents (Slides 66–101)

**3 Sales Agents:**
| Agent | For | Solves |
|---|---|---|
| **Sales Chat** | Sales reps | Day-to-day selling |
| **Sales Agent** | Sales operations | Qualifying/prioritizing leads |
| **Sales Research Agent** | Sales teams/leaders | Drowning in data, lacking insights |

---

### Module 5: D365 Customer Insights (Slides 102–149)
- CDP foundation with 1st and 3rd party data
- Real-time Customer Journey Orchestration (CJO)
- 12+ Copilot capabilities publicly available

---

### Module 6: Contact Center Modernization (Slides 150–193)
- 4 pillars: Engage, Self-service, Agent-assisted service, Efficiency
- Works with any CRM (not just D365 Customer Service)
- Microsoft uses D365 Contact Center internally

---

### Module 7: Connected Field Service (Slides 194–223)
- Intelligent scheduling, resource optimization
- Mixed Reality: Remote Assist, Guides (no extra cost)
- D365 Field Service Contractor — manage external workforce

---

## Speaker Notes — Key Talking Points

**Opening:**
> "We are uniquely positioned because we are the only truly connected solution to bring sales organizations end-to-end support — across customer experience, service, supply chain, finance, ISV solutions, low-code innovation, insights & analytics, productivity & collaboration, and Azure."

**On the AI opportunity:**
> "Leading analysts estimate 29% of sales labor time can be automated with Gen AI. 99% of sellers surveyed said if AI saved them an hour, they'd reinvest it on work tasks. Microsoft has a head start in AI, and we've been building seller-specific solutions tailored to those needs."

**On D365 vs. Salesforce:**
> "We're seeing many customers moving from their legacy Salesforce system to Dynamics 365. More than 20% do so in less than 8 months. The top reasons: single unified platform, market-leading Gen AI, lower TCO, extensibility with Power Platform, and unparalleled security and compliance."

---

## Quick Phrase Reference

| Scenario | Preferred Phrase |
|---|---|
| AI as assistant | "next-generation AI assists sellers with..." |
| Reducing admin work | "cuts down on tedious tasks" |
| Data foundation | "built on Microsoft Dataverse — a single, unified customer data platform" |
| M365 integration | "native integration with Microsoft 365, where your employees work" |
| Competitive win | "single unified platform" / "market leading generative AI" |
| Platform extensibility | "built on Power Platform — the #1 low-code platform" |
| Security positioning | "unparalleled security, privacy, and compliance with responsible AI" |
| Customer journey | "seamless and personalized customer experiences across marketing, sales, and service" |
| D365 tagline | "No limits" |
| Empowerment | "Create impact faster" / "Break through barriers" / "Adapt to anything" |