•    As St. James Associates says, some brands are “all symbols but no soul.”  First and foremost, does your brand have a soul? 

             
•    Is your brand’s name proprietary?  Does it differentiate the brand instead of just describing its products and services?       

        
•    Is your brand’s name suggestive of a key differentiating benefit, but not too narrow so as to decrease the brand’s ability to claim new benefits in the future?       

       
•    Do consumers like your brand’s name? Is it memorable?          

    
•    Do you avoid generic sub-brand names?       

       
•    Do you have comprehensive brand identity standards and systems that address all uses of your brand’s identity elements?               

•    Are those standards and systems actively in use?

               
•    Are they available in manuals, on CDs, and through your Intranet?   

            
•    Are all business units and sub-brands subject to those standards, with none outside the jurisdiction of the standards? 

             
•    At a minimum, does the system include standards for the visual identifier, color, typography, backgrounds, contrast, staging area, relative size, positioning, key applications, and unacceptable uses?   

•    Is your logotype horizontally shaped?  That orientation delivers the greatest visual impact and is a functional necessity when the logotype is used in retail environments.   

            
•    Will your system work globally?  The meanings of specific words, colors, and symbols in different countries are especially important to understand. 

             
•    Does your system include distinctive shapes, colors, typestyles, and voices?

•    Does your brand own a color that is different from that of your major competitor?       

        
•    Does your system include a slogan or jingle? 

             
•    Does it include sounds and other mnemonic devices?    

           
•    Is your system effective in multi-media environments?       

        
•    Does it address co-branding, co-marketing, brand licensing, strategic alliance and sponsorship situations?             

  
•    Are there simple and consistent ways in which sub-brands relate to corporate or parent brands? 

        
•    Are there simple rules for when a brand is endorsed by a corporate or parent brand and when it is not?         

      
•    Does everyone agree upon what names, symbols, colors, visual styles, voices, etc. are used across all applications, sub-brands and product lines on behalf of the parent brand and its identity?         

     
•    In each point of contact with the consumer (advertising, retail environment, product packaging, etc.), have you decided how much emphasis will be placed on the parent brand versus the sub-brand?  Have you decided which elements will be associated with the parent brand and which will be associated with the sub-brand?    

          
•    Does the system deliver strong brand recall and recognition in all contexts?

•    Is the system functional for all intended uses?   

            
•    Is the system flexible enough to address even the most complicated situations?    

          
•    Does your system address internal applications (memos, employee newsletters and other internal publications, computer screen savers, etc.)?

•    Does the system reinforce intended brand associations?       

       
•    Have you built at least nine random, non-functional design elements into your brand’s trade dress to make it easier for you to legally protect your brand?   

            
•    Do you confer with intellectual property lawyers when designing new products and brands to ensure what you’ve created has maximum protection under the law?       

        
•    Do you have an ongoing process set up to proactively protect your brand’s identity against dilution or confusion, including regular reviews of possible competitive infringements?             

•    Do you have a corporate brand identity council (or another process) to manage the brand identity on an ongoing basis?              

 
•    Do you conduct periodic communications audits to monitor adherence to corporate brand identity standards?       

       
•    Is your brand identity system as simple as possible?