Archiving old Brand Bible entries

A Brand Bible that never gets pruned slowly fills with avatars you no longer target and angles that stopped converting a year ago. Archiving is how you keep your library clean and briefable without destroying the history your team and your Insights still depend on. This guide covers when to archive, how it differs from deleting, and how to keep the practice sustainable.

Archiving versus deleting

Archiving removes an entry from your active library so nobody briefs against it, while preserving the record. This matters because past briefs referenced these entries, and your win-rate and testing data are only meaningful if those references still resolve. Archive when you want it out of the way but historically intact.

When to archive an entry

You do not need to archive on a rigid schedule, but these are the clear signals it is time.

• An avatar you have stopped marketing to
• A marketing angle that has consistently lost in testing
• A core desire that no longer reflects your actual customer
• Duplicate entries you merged into a cleaner version
• Seasonal or campaign-specific angles that are out of season

How to archive an entry

Archiving lives inside the Brand Bible itself, so cleanup takes seconds.

1. Open Brand Bible and find the avatar, desire, or angle you want to retire.
2. Choose Archive on that entry.
3. Confirm the archive, and the entry drops out of the active library and briefing menus.
4. Repeat for any related duplicates so the active list stays clean.

Archived entries no longer appear when someone builds a new brief, which is exactly what you want. They cannot brief against strategy you have retired.

What happens to briefs that used an archived entry

Existing briefs are not disturbed. They already captured the avatar, desire, or angle they were built with, so historical briefs and their results stay readable. Archiving only affects what is available going forward, not what already happened.

Build an archiving habit

The cleanest libraries get a light, regular review rather than a rare purge. Fold archiving into a recurring cadence so it never becomes a big project.

1. Once a quarter, scan avatars, desires, and angles for anything you have stopped using.
2. Archive stale entries and merge obvious duplicates.
3. Cross-check with Insights to confirm underperforming angles before retiring them.
4. Note anything seasonal so you know to bring it back.

Next steps

Do a first pass on your Brand Bible now and archive anything you have clearly outgrown. To keep the library well structured as you go, read "Organizing avatars, desires, and angles," and for the bigger picture, see "Brand Bible best practices for DTC brands."