Brand Guidelines v1.1

Breath Buddy

A weighted plush companion that teaches belly breathing. For the moments when words aren't enough and the body needs to remember it's safe.


01 — Brand Story

Calm lives in the space between breaths

Mission

Breath Buddy gives families a tangible, science-backed tool for nervous system regulation. Not another app. Not another screen. Something soft enough to cuddle, weighted enough to work.

Audience

Gentle parents raising sensitive, anxious, or highly feeling children. They believe in co-regulation over control. They buy for their child, but often end up using it themselves. The product spans ages 3 to adult, but the brand speaks to the parent.

Brand Values

Evidence-based warmth

Every claim is grounded in physiology. Every interaction feels like being held.

Quiet confidence

No hype, no urgency, no bright colors screaming for attention. The calm speaks for itself.

Gentle, never clinical

We translate nervous system science into language a tired parent can absorb at midnight.

Craft over commodity

Premium materials, considered details, an unboxing experience worth remembering.

Co-regulation

The product facilitates connection between parent and child, not another screen isolating them.

Where We Sit

Every competitor sells weight as comfort. Breath Buddy sells breathing as practice. The plush is the teacher, not just the weight. Where Bearaby provides Deep Touch Pressure, Breath Buddy provides diaphragmatic training — the weight is the mechanism, the breath is the intervention. No one else teaches the belly sigh.


02 — Color

Ocean depth, warm coral, soft sand

Deep Ocean

#4A6C82

Primary · 60% usage

Ocean Dark

#3A5A6E

Headers · Hover states

Ocean Light

#6B8FA3

Secondary text · Icons

Soft Coral

#F28B82

Accent · 15% usage

Coral Dark

#D9736A

CTAs · Emphasis

Coral Light

#F5A89E

Highlights · Tags

Warm Sand

#E8E3D9

Backgrounds · 25% usage

Sand Light

#F2EFE8

Page backgrounds

Ink

#1A1A1A

Body text

Usage Ratio

60% Deep Ocean
25% Warm Sand
15% Coral

Deep Ocean anchors. Warm Sand breathes. Soft Coral punctuates.

Approved Pairings

Aa

Primary on Ocean

#4A6C82 / #FFFFFF

Aa

Ocean text on Sand

#E8E3D9 / #3A5A6E

Aa

Coral accent on Ocean

#4A6C82 / #F28B82

Aa

Ink on White

#FFFFFF / #1A1A1A

Aa

Ocean on Sand Light

#F2EFE8 / #4A6C82

Aa

Ink on Coral (CTAs)

#F28B82 / #1A1A1A


03 — Typography

GT Alpina + GT Cinetype

GT Alpina is the voice — warm, editorial, human. GT Cinetype is the structure — clean, legible, systematic. Together they balance feeling with clarity.

GT Alpina Medium · Display · Hero, pull quotes

Calm lives between breaths

GT Alpina Medium Italic · Emphasis · Subheadings, character voice

Raya is breathing with you

GT Alpina Medium · Body · Long-form copy, product descriptions

When Raya rests on your child's tummy, the gentle weight naturally encourages slower, deeper breaths. They can see and feel each breath — watching Raya rise and fall creates an instant biofeedback loop.

GT Cinetype Bold · Structure · Navigation, labels, buttons, CTAs

PRE-ORDER RAYA — $99

GT Cinetype Regular · UI · Body text, captions, metadata

Free shipping · 30-day returns · Ships October 2026

GT Cinetype Mono · Technical · HEX codes, specifications, specs

#4A6C82 · 22–24 in · 3.5–5.0 lb · ASTM F963

Type Hierarchy

H1 — Hero

Page title

H2 — Section

Section heading

H3 — Subsection

Subsection title

Body

Running body copy for descriptions and narratives.

Caption

Product details, photo captions, secondary info

Label

NAVIGATION · SPECS · METADATA


04 — Raya Character Guidelines

Compassionate. Not cute.

Raya is an eagle ray. She's a guide, not a toy. Her expression is peaceful, subtly wise, and neutral — never smiling, never cartoonish. Think “compassionate breathwork facilitator” who happens to be a plush.

Physical Characteristics

Shape

Eagle ray silhouette. Wing-like pectoral fins that hug the belly. Streamlined, not bulbous.

Expression

Eyes closed or half-lidded. Serene, neutral. Peaceful but present. Embroidered — no plastic parts.

Top color

Deep ocean blue-gray (#4A6C82). Soft, muted, calming.

Underside

Warm sand cream (#E8E3D9). Contrasting warmth and safety.

Accent detail

Soft coral (#F28B82) wave-line stitching on back — the breathing motif made physical.

Texture

High-quality minky or brushed microfiber. Reassuring but not childish. Cool to touch.

Materials

Fill

High-density foam + glass microbeads. Distributed weight with no pressure peaks. Soft-weight feel that molds to the body.

Shell (top)

Short-pile minky, matte finish. Reassuring texture that reads premium, not toy-store. Cool to touch.

Shell (underside)

Bamboo-lyocell blend in Warm Sand (#E8E3D9). Stays cool, subtle drape, signals warmth and safety.

Stitching

Soft Coral (#F28B82) wave-line embroidery on back — the breathing motif made physical. Reinforced, rounded seams.

Label

Discreet, near tail edge. Minimal branding. Size marker (S/M/L) in GT Cinetype Mono.

Outer fabric final selection pending. Direction: premium, non-childish, cool-to-touch.

Character Rules

DO
Serene

Eyes are peaceful, closed or half-lidded

DO
Thread

Embroidered details only — no plastic eyes, noses, or hard parts

DON'T
Happy → Serene

No big cartoon smile or exaggerated expressions

DON'T
Palette → Wave

No bright or saturated colors — stay in the ocean depth palette


05 — The Technique

The belly sigh. Not just weight — practice.

Breath Buddy's differentiation is the technique it teaches. Every competitor provides weight. Breath Buddy teaches diaphragmatic breathing through a specific, repeatable practice.

1

Place Raya below the belly button

The weight settles into position, providing proprioceptive feedback. The body notices.

2

Inhale slowly into the lower belly

Feel Raya rise. The deep breath stretches lung tissue, firing pulmonary stretch receptors. Signals travel up the vagus nerve.

3

Let the weight guide the exhale

A soft sigh. Raya descends. Exhalation lengthens naturally. Sympathetic drive drops. The body remembers it's safe.

The Science (Simplified)

Deep belly breaths stretch lung tissue → mechanoreceptors fire → vagus nerve signals brainstem → parasympathetic activation increases → fight-or-flight fades. This is the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex, and it's why the belly sigh works within seconds.

Default Practice

The 90-second practice: Place Raya on lower belly. 5 slow breaths — deep inhale, soft sigh exhale. That's it. 80% of users succeed on day one with this protocol.


06 — Photography Direction

Dappled light. Soft shadows. Real homes.

Photography should feel like a quiet afternoon — warm but not golden-hour cliché, intimate but not staged. The product lives in bedrooms, on beds, in laps.

[Photo reference]

Light

Natural, filtered light. Dappled shadows from plants or curtains. Warm but not hot. Avoid direct flash.

[Photo reference]

Setting

Real homes. White or cream linens. Natural materials — wood, cotton, linen. No clinical white studios.

[Photo reference]

Mood

Calm, warm, slightly dreamy. The feeling of a child settling into bed. Parent and child together. Not alone.

[Photo reference]

Product

Show Raya in context — on a belly, being held, resting on a bed. Never floating on white. Show the wave pattern detail.

Photography Avoid

Clinical studio shots on white seamless
Over-saturated or heavily filtered images
Stock photo vibes — forced smiles, perfect families
Product isolated on plain backgrounds without context

Shot List

Hero: Raya draped on cream linen sheet, dappled light. Top-down angle showing wave stitching.

Lifestyle: Parent and child together, Raya on child's belly. Intimate, warm, not staged. Soft focus.

Detail: Macro of wave-line embroidery, fabric texture, embroidered eyes. Show the craft.

Context: Raya on a bed, on a reading nook shelf, beside a bedtime book. In a real home.

Unboxing: Hands opening the cotton pouch. The reveal moment. Natural light.

Flat-lay: Raya with packaging elements — pouch, card, kraft box. Overhead, styled.

Aspirational mood: Aesop meets Jellycat. Editorial warmth, not stock photography.


07 — Texture & Pattern

The wave motif. Fabric grain. Ocean rhythm.

Breath Buddy's visual texture comes from three sources: the wave motif (representing breath cycles), fabric grain (representing the tactile product), and ocean depth gradients (representing calm descent).

Wave motif — inhale/exhale cycle

Warm sand background — page surfaces

Ocean depth gradient — hero sections, packaging


08 — Voice & Tone

Warm. Clear. Never clinical.

Product description

“When Raya rests on your child's tummy, the gentle weight naturally encourages slower, deeper breaths.”

Science explanation

“Deep belly breaths stretch lung tissue, sending calming signals up the vagus nerve. The body's natural sigh response kicks in. Fight-or-flight fades.”

Packaging copy

“Place Raya on your belly. Breathe in slowly. Let the weight guide your exhale. That's it.”

Social media

“The moment when the meltdown shifts. Not because you said the right thing — because their body found its way back.”

Tone Spectrum

Warm & intimateNeutral / explanatoryGrounded & precise

Say This / Never Say This

Say this

Never say this

When your child's body needs reminding it's safe

Anxiety relief device

A companion for slower breaths

Therapeutic intervention

For the moments when words aren't enough

Clinically proven to reduce stress

Gentle weight that guides the exhale

Deep pressure therapy

Your body finds its way back to calm

Treats anxiety disorders

Co-regulation in action

Medical-grade sensory tool

Evidence-based warmth

FDA-approved wellness device

A few minutes of belly breathing together

Dosage: 5 minutes twice daily


09 — Unboxing Ritual

Ritual, not retail.

The unboxing should feel like unwrapping something precious. Not shrink-wrapped. Not industrial. A fabric pouch or shell-like container that creates a moment of ceremony. As plastic-free as possible.

1

Shipping Box

Unbleached kraft. Minimal — just the BB wordmark debossed. No color printing. No marketing copy on the outside.

2

The Pouch

Organic cotton drawstring bag in Warm Sand (#E8E3D9). The first tactile moment. Soft, natural, ceremonial. This is the TikTok moment.

3

Raya

Nestled inside the pouch. The reveal. No tissue paper, no plastic, no foam. Just the object.

4

The Card

Single card on cream textured stock. Front: Raya's story (2-3 sentences). Back: The 90-second breathing practice. "Place Raya below your belly button. Inhale slowly into your lower belly. Let the weight push the air out with a soft sigh. Repeat 5 times."

No plastic. No foam. No shrink wrap.

The pouch becomes storage. The card becomes a keepsake.

Designed to be filmed. The pouch drawstring is the hero moment for TikTok.


10 — Application

How the system comes together

Website

breathbuddy.com

INTRODUCING RAYA

Meet Raya — the first weighted plush
that teaches Belly breathing

PRE-ORDER — $99

Packaging

Step 1

The Pouch

Warm Sand cotton drawstring reveal. First tactile moment.

Step 2

The Card

Front: Raya's story. Back: 90-second breathing practice.

Social

[Product shot]

The moment their body found its way back.

[Wave detail]

Rise. Fall. Repeat.

[Parent + child]

Co-regulation in action.


11 — Partnership

Built with Moonbird

Breath Buddy is a collaboration between Nervous System Mastery (Jonny & Kelly Miller) and Moonbird (Stefanie & Michael Broes). Moonbird brings product design, manufacturing, and operations. NSM brings the nervous system science, marketing, and community.

Nervous System Mastery

Vision, marketing, community, brand voice. Science-backed nervous system education reaching 85K+ email subscribers.

Moonbird

Product design, manufacturing, operations, fulfillment. 100K+ users of their handheld breathing companion. Spiritual cousin brand.

Visual Relationship to Moonbird

Breath Buddy is a distinct brand. Shared values of evidence-based calm. Distinct in product form (huggable companion vs. handheld device), audience (gentle parent vs. adult self-optimizer), and visual identity. Moonbird: clinical minimalism, softer lavender tones. Breath Buddy: warm editorial, ocean depth palette. If colors feel similar, they serve Breath Buddy's palette first.