---
title: Positioning and messaging — Store Free × Born Free (April 2026)
date: 2026-04-27
project: store-free
tags: [strategy, positioning, messaging, store-free, born-free]
depends_on:
  - projects/store-free/research/public-sources-2026.md
  - projects/store-free/research/competitive-snapshot-2026-04-24.md
  - projects/store-free/style-guide/voice-and-boundaries.md
  - projects/born-free/style-guide/voice-and-boundaries.md
  - projects/knowtation/style-guide/voice-and-boundaries.md
  # Hosted Hub — technical whitepaper (verified path 2026-04-27); not present under this path in local git until mirrored
  - projects/bornfree/research/whitepaper.md
---

# Positioning and messaging — 2026-04

## Changelog

- **2026-04-27** — Outline recreated with explicit `depends_on`. Whitepaper dependency uses **hosted Hub** vault path `projects/bornfree/research/whitepaper.md` (imported technical whitepaper). **Web deploy source of truth** for the same document remains **`bornfree-pwa/public/whitepaper.md`**, kept in sync with **`bornfree-hub/docs/01-COMPREHENSIVE-WHITEPAPER.md`**; reconcile those repos when either side changes.

## Situation (from research)

- **Layered story:** Born Free is the umbrella; Store Free is storage-and-custody with a more instructional, limit-forward voice. Do not collapse into one slogan. (See competitive snapshot and voice guides in `depends_on`.)
- **Evidence discipline:** The competitive snapshot flags **[NEEDS CONFIRMATION]** where the vault slice lacks market facts; strategy claims must cite `depends_on` paths or external evidence added to the registry in `public-sources-2026.md`.

## Strategic choices (placeholders — fill in workshop)

1. **Primary ICP** — [TBD: segment, trigger, objection]
2. **Category frame** — [TBD: how we name the problem and the alternative]
3. **Proof we will lead with** — [TBD: shipped surfaces only until product confirms]

## For / Who / Unlike / We (skeleton)

| Block | Draft |
|--------|--------|
| **For** | [audience] |
| **Who** | [pain or situation] |
| **Our product** | Store Free under Born Free |
| **Unlike** | [alternatives — capabilities not trash talk per Store Free voice guide] |
| **We** | [promise + proof hook] |

## Message hierarchy

- **Pillar 1** — [TBD] → Proof: [vault path or public URL from registry]
- **Pillar 2** — [TBD]
- **Pillar 3** — [TBD]

## Forbidden claims

- Nothing in this outline is approved for external use until claims are checked against the whitepaper and live product. List explicit **forbidden** or **legal review required** phrases here when known.

## Open conflicts

- None recorded yet; add rows when research and product disagree.

## Related

- Canonical URL and vault-path registry: `projects/store-free/research/public-sources-2026.md`