Transform content into world-class presentations with the design quality of Apple keynotes, Microsoft product launches, and Google I/O. This skill applies 2024-2025 presentation design trends and brand-level consistency to create stunning, professional slide decks.
Core Design Philosophy
Principles:
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Minimalism First - Remove everything that doesn't serve a clear purpose
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Bold & Clear - Large typography, high contrast, confident colors
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Visual Hierarchy - Guide attention through size, color, and spacing
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Consistent Branding - Every element follows the design system
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Purposeful Motion - Animations only where they add clarity or emphasis
When to Use This Skill
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User requests a "professional presentation" or "pitch deck"
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Converting markdown or text to PowerPoint
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User mentions "world-class," "high-quality," or "brand-level" design
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Creating presentations for business, sales, product launches, or keynotes
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User wants "Apple/Microsoft/Google style" presentations
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Request includes terms: slides, deck, presentation, PowerPoint, PPTX
Design System & Brand Styles
Available Brand Styles
1. Tech Keynote (Apple/Tesla Style)
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Colors: Deep blacks (#000000), whites (#FFFFFF), accent blue (#0071E3)
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Typography: SF Pro Display (title 72-96pt), SF Pro Text (body 32-44pt)
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Layout: Extreme whitespace, single focal point per slide
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Transitions: Push, Fade (duration: 0.6s)
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Style: Minimalist, premium, product-focused
2. Corporate Professional (Microsoft/IBM Style)
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Colors: Navy (#003366), steel blue (#0078D4), warm gray (#F3F2F1)
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Typography: Segoe UI (title 54-72pt), body (24-32pt)
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Layout: Balanced, grid-based, data-friendly
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Transitions: Morph, Fade (duration: 0.8s)
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Style: Trustworthy, data-driven, enterprise-ready
3. Creative Bold (Google/Airbnb Style)
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Colors: Bright primaries, gradients, bold combinations
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Typography: Product Sans or Montserrat (title 64-84pt)
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Layout: Dynamic, asymmetric, playful spacing
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Transitions: Zoom, Reveal (duration: 0.5s)
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Style: Energetic, innovative, design-forward
4. Financial Elite (Goldman Sachs/McKinsey Style)
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Colors: Charcoal (#2C3E50), gold accent (#D4AF37), white
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Typography: Garamond or Georgia (serif, elegant)
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Layout: Traditional hierarchy, centered, balanced
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Transitions: Subtle Fade only (duration: 0.4s)
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Style: Sophisticated, authoritative, premium
5. Startup Pitch (Y Combinator/500 Startups Style)
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Colors: High contrast black/white with brand accent
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Typography: Inter or Roboto (modern sans-serif)
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Layout: Problem-solution focused, metric-heavy
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Transitions: Quick Push (duration: 0.3s)
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Style: Energetic, data-driven, founder-friendly
Workflow Process
Step 1: Analyze Content & Select Style
python scripts/analyze_content.py input.md
Analysis considers:
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Content type (business, creative, technical, financial)
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Audience (executives, investors, customers, technical)
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Tone indicators in content (formal, energetic, innovative)
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Explicit style requests in frontmatter
Auto-selects brand style or asks user:
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Tech Keynote for product launches, demos
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Corporate Professional for business reports, proposals
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Creative Bold for marketing, design showcases
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Financial Elite for investor decks, financial reports
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Startup Pitch for fundraising, accelerator demos
Step 2: Parse Content & Map to Templates
Slide Type Detection:
# Title → title_slide (hero treatment)
## Section → chapter_intro (section divider)
### Main Points → key_message_slide (1-3 key points)
* Bullets → bullet_hierarchy_slide (visual bullets)
> Quote → quote_slide (large, impactful)
![image] → full_bleed_image (immersive)
| table | → data_visualization (auto-chart if numeric)
---metrics--- → metrics_dashboard (KPI showcase)
Step 3: Apply Design System
Typography Hierarchy:
Hero Title: 72-96pt, Bold, 1.1x line height
Section Title: 54-72pt, Semibold, 1.2x line height
Slide Title: 44-54pt, Semibold, 1.3x line height
Body Large: 32-36pt, Regular, 1.4x line height
Body: 24-28pt, Regular, 1.5x line height
Caption: 18-20pt, Light, 1.6x line height
Spacing System:
Gutter: 100-120px from edges
Title margin-bottom: 60-80px
Section spacing: 40-60px
Paragraph spacing: 24-32px
Bullet indent: 40px
Element padding: 20-30px
Color Application:
Background: Brand background (usually white/black)
Primary: Titles, key elements, CTAs
Secondary: Subtitles, secondary text
Accent: Highlights, data points, emphasis
Text: 95% opacity for readability
Step 4: Intelligent Template Selection
Use Office-PowerPoint-MCP-Server's 25+ templates with intelligent mapping:
Content Type → Template
Opening/Closing → title_slide, thank_you_slide
New Section → chapter_intro
Key Points (1-3) → key_metrics_dashboard
Comparison → before_after_comparison, chart_comparison
Process → process_flow, timeline_slide
Team → team_introduction
Data → data_table_slide, chart layouts
Mixed Content → two_column_text, three_column_layout
Full Image → full_image_slide
Quote/Testimonial → quote_testimonial
Step 5: Apply Professional Polish
Transitions & Animations:
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Slide Transitions: 1-2 types max per deck, matching brand style
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Duration: 0.3s (fast), 0.6s (medium), 0.8s (slow) based on brand
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Entrance Animations: Fade In for text (0.4s), optional Wipe for images
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Emphasis: Pulse on key numbers/metrics (once, subtle)
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Exit: Fade Out only (0.3s)
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Rule: Never more than 3 animated elements per slide
Visual Effects:
# Apply to all text boxes
shadow = {
"distance": 2,
"angle": 135,
"blur": 4,
"transparency": 60%
}
# Apply to images
overlay = {
"gradient": "linear",
"opacity": 20% # for text readability
}
Step 6: Consistency Validation
python scripts/validate_consistency.py output.pptx
Checks:
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Font consistency (max 2 font families)
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Color palette adherence (all colors from design system)
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Spacing consistency (margins, gutters, padding)
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Template usage (appropriate for content)
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Animation timing (within brand guidelines)
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Image quality (minimum 1920x1080)
Template Mapping Reference
High-Impact Opening
# Your Big Idea
## Transforming the Future of X
→ title_slide
- Title: 96pt, brand primary
- Subtitle: 36pt, brand secondary
- Background: Gradient or solid brand color
- Animation: Fade in title (0.8s), then subtitle (0.6s)
Key Message (The "One Thing")
### 94% Customer Satisfaction
Our users love the new experience
→ key_metrics_dashboard (single metric variation)
- Metric: 144pt, center, brand accent
- Context: 28pt, below metric
- Background: Clean, minimal
- Animation: Count up number (1.2s)
Problem/Solution
## The Challenge
Current systems are slow and complex
## Our Solution
Fast, simple, and intuitive
→ before_after_comparison
- Split screen: left (problem) vs right (solution)
- Visual contrast: muted left, bright right
- Icons or images to reinforce message
Process or Timeline
## Our Roadmap
1. Q1: Foundation
2. Q2: Growth
3. Q3: Scale
4. Q4: Leadership
→ timeline_slide or process_flow
- Horizontal flow with arrows
- Color progression (light to bold)
- Dates: 32pt, stages: 44pt
Data Visualization
| Quarter | Revenue | Growth |
|---------|---------|--------|
| Q1 | $2.4M | 15% |
| Q2 | $3.1M | 29% |
→ Auto-convert to chart_comparison or data_table_slide
- If trends: Line or column chart
- If comparisons: Bar chart
- If parts/whole: Pie chart (use sparingly)
- Keep it simple: 1 chart per slide
Animation & Transition Guidelines
Professional Transition Rules
Tier 1: Always Safe (Use liberally)
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Fade (0.6s) - Universal, elegant
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Push (0.4s) - Clean, directional
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Morph (0.8s) - PowerPoint only, sophisticated
Tier 2: Use Sparingly (Special moments)
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Zoom (0.5s) - Product reveals, before/after
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Reveal (0.6s) - Section transitions
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Wipe (0.5s) - Image-heavy decks
Tier 3: Avoid (Unprofessional)
- Ferris Wheel, Curtains, Dissolve, Origami - Never use
Animation Best Practices
The "AHA!" Moment Rule:
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Pick 1-2 critical slides per deck
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Apply single emphasis animation (Pulse, Grow)
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Duration: 0.8-1.0s
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Happens once, not on loop
Text Animation:
# Professional entrance
effect = "Fade In"
duration = 0.4
delay_between_bullets = 0.3 # If bullets, stagger
Image Animation:
# Optional for product shots or key visuals
effect = "Wipe" or "Fade In"
duration = 0.6
direction = "From Bottom" # Natural, like rising
Advanced Features
Auto-Generated Section Dividers
===
# Part Two: Growth Strategy
===
→ Auto-creates chapter_intro with:
- Full-screen background (brand gradient)
- Large centered text (84pt)
- Fade to black transition (1.0s)
Smart Image Handling

 
→ Detects image size/role:
- Large/hero: full_image_slide with overlay for text
- Multiple: two_column or grid layout
- Auto-crops to 16:9
- Applies subtle gradient overlay (20%) if text present
Metrics Auto-Emphasis
We achieved **94%** customer satisfaction and **$2.4M** in revenue.
→ Auto-detects numbers with emphasis:
- Extracts: 94%, $2.4M
- Creates: key_metrics_dashboard
- Animates: Count-up effect (1.2s)
- Styling: Large (144pt), brand accent color
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, ensure:
Visual Consistency:
All slides use design system colors (no random colors) Typography follows hierarchy (no more than 4 font sizes) Spacing is consistent (same margins, padding throughout) Alignment is precise (everything lines up to grid)
Content Clarity:
One main idea per slide Titles are clear and action-oriented No "walls of text" (max 6 lines body text) Images are high-resolution (min 1920x1080)
Motion & Polish:
Transitions are consistent (1-2 types only) Animation duration feels natural (not too fast/slow) No distracting motion (failed the "boardroom test") Emphasis animations only on critical moments
Brand Alignment:
Colors match selected brand style Typography matches brand style Layout follows brand conventions Overall aesthetic feels cohesive
Examples
See examples/ folder for:
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tech-keynote-example.md→tech-keynote-output.pptx -
investor-pitch-example.md→investor-pitch-output.pptx -
corporate-report-example.md→corporate-report-output.pptx
Requirements
MCP Server: Office-PowerPoint-MCP-Server
# Install via Smithery
npx @smithery/cli install @gongrzhe/office-powerpoint-mcp-server
# Or local setup
pip install python-pptx
Python Packages:
pip install python-pptx pillow pyyaml
Tips for Best Results
- Start with Style: Add frontmatter to markdown with desired brand style
---
style: tech-keynote
accent-color: "#0071E3"
---
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Less is More: Aim for 1 slide per minute of presentation time
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Image Quality Matters: Use high-res images (min 1920x1080, prefer 4K)
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Test Animations: Preview deck to ensure transitions feel professional
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Print-Ready: Design also works for PDF export (animations become static)
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Accessibility: Maintain 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text readability
Troubleshooting
Issue: Colors don't match brand exactly Solution: Specify exact hex codes in frontmatter:
---
colors:
primary: "#003366"
accent: "#0078D4"
background: "#FFFFFF"
---
Issue: Too much animation Solution: Set animation level in frontmatter:
---
animations: minimal # minimal, moderate, full
---
Issue: Slides too dense Solution: Follow "6x6 rule" - max 6 bullets, max 6 words per bullet. Claude will auto-split content if needed.
Next-Level Customization
Advanced users can:
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Create custom brand JSON in
templates/brands/ -
Define custom slide templates
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Add company logo to master slides
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Configure font embedding for portability
See templates/CUSTOMIZATION.md for details.