Half of the success of a Corporate Identity project is knowing the company/brand.How do you talk about something you don’t know anything about? Take a look at McDonalds, for example. What do they do? They sell food. What kind of food? Cheap food. What kind of cheap food? American food that people can buy and with little to no wait – they can even drive right up and take their food to go. They’re kid friendly.They have cartoonish mascots (Ronald, Hamburglar) and have happy meals. Their colors are bright and bold primary colors (red and yellow).
Copy and paste this questionnaire into your blog, filling in the answers. It’s important to fill out this questionnaire in as much detail as possible, because this will be what you refer back to when designing your corporate identity.
1) What is your business?
An athletic apparel and shoe store.
2) Describe your business in one sentence
We are a local, family-owned clothing store that sells the best athletic apparel and shoes currently on the market, promotes an active, healthy lifestyle, and aims to sell its merchandise at an affordable price.
Why is this important: This helps to get us closer to the nature of your business, and may also help inspire your slogan.
3) Who is your target audience?
Athletes and people with active lifestyles. High school athletes, college students, young adults, families.
Why is this important: You need to know whom your brand is talking to. If you’re talking to children, it would require a completely different visual language than if you’re talking to mothers, teenagers, athletes, bankers, corporate officials, doctors or handymen.
4) Who are your competitors?
Sports Authority, Dick's Sporting Goods, Finish Line, Fit2Run, Foot Locker.
Why is this important: It’s vital to know your competition. You need to know who they are, how they run their business and what makes them successful. If your company is no different than your competition, what would make anyone leave them to come to you? Especially if they’re established and you’re new.
5) What makes them better/worse than your product/service?
Sports Authority and Dick's sell to a broader audience; we target young people specifically. They have a wider selection and people are more likely to find what they are looking for in sporting goods. Finish Line and Foot Locker have less selection; they focus primarily on selling shoes. Both of these stores are generally over-priced and have few sales and promotions. Fit2Run is also pricey unless you spend the money to join their frequent buyers club. Fit2Run targets runners specifically and has a very god reputation for helping people find the right shoes for their feet, but they lack an online store for people who prefer online shopping.
Why is this important: You need to know what your company is and is not, what you have in common with your competitors and what do you have that is unique? If you see a weakness in their corporate design (such as an ugly website), this is also a place where you can make yourself look better. Also, is their target audience any different than yours?
6) Do you currently have an identity?
Not yet.
Not yet.
Why is this important: If you’re an established company with a well-known logo, you may not want to deviate too extremely from it.
7) (If your answer to #6 is no, skip this question) What do you like about it and what don’t you like about it?
Why is this important? Even if you plan to change the logo entirely, it’s good to keep an inventory about what specifically worked and didn’t work about your previous design in order to inform the new one.
8) How do you want your image to be seen in two years?
Ex: We want this company to be seen as a place you can trust for quality athletic clothing and shoes, with more reasonable prices than competitors and knowledgeable employees.
Why is this important? This is something that you will have to portray in your corporate identity.
These following questions might seem silly, but their purpose is to help generate ideas.
9) If your company was an animal, what animal would it be and why?
Ex: A cheetah, because our skates are fast, dynamic, and exciting.
Why is this important? Your company may or may not benefit from a mascot. If it’s for children, a mascot character might be something to consider. But even if it’s for adults, the answer to this question might help generate ideas.
10) If your company/brand was a person, who would it be and why?
Kara Goucher, because she is a world class distance runner who has run several impressive times in the marathon and won several medals for America in the Olympics; she is looked up to by runners all around the world.
Why is this important? A brand is perceived by consumers almost like a person who is representing your company. You trust them, communicate with them through advertisements and purchase, you can be disappointed in them, etc. The corporate identity is the face of that person.
11) If your company/brand was an object, what would it be?
A pair of bright and fast-looking, lightweight shoes.
Why is this important: Might give you ideas.
12) If your customer was a cartoon character, who would it be?
Roadrunner.
Why is this important? Cartoon characters have exaggerated characteristics.Identifying the general stereotype of your customers might help give you ideas.
