Brand Meaning Indicator

In each category below, prioritize your first, second, and third choice from the items that are the most like your organization, product, customer or product category. For the purposes of this instrument,

  1. The word, organization, is used as a generic to include the following: organization, company, business, group, or cause.
  2. The word, product, is used as a generic to include the following: product, product line, service, or message.
  3. The word, customer, is used as a generic to include the following: customer, client, consumer, patient, student, constituency, audience, or public.
  4. Product category refers to line of goods and services (lide ìbaked goodsî or ìsoapî), the field (e.g. K-12 education or electrical engineering), or the type of message (e.g. a political message might be in the category of liberal messages, conservative messages, etc.)

By your first choice, put a 3 (which will count as three points). By your second, put a 2 (which will count as 2 points), and by your third, put a one (which will count as 1 point).

For organizations offering a number of products, services, or messages, it may be advisable to take this survey separately for each one. After doing so, however, it is desirable to discover the one overarching brand identity for your organization or product line that provides its distinctiveness.

The following is a research instrument. If you are willing for your responses to be part of the research study to develop this instrument, please fill in the following. Your organizational responses will be kept confidential. Fill in your e-mail address if you would like us to keep you current about our services.

General Information
Company / Organization
First Name
Last Name
Street 1
Street 2
City
State / Province
Postal Code
Country
Phone
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Email Address

1.Our organization most highly values people who are:
a. trustworthy
b. independent
c. intelligent
d. hardworking
e. resourceful in getting around the rules
f. catalysts for change
g. down to earth
h. lovable
i. fun
j. caring about others
k. creative
l. politically astute

2. Our organization prides itself on:
a. keeping people safe
b. innovation
c. continual learning
d. making a difference in the world
e. how much we get away with
f. pulling rabbits out of hats
g. how egalitarian we are
h. how well we get along with one another
i. how much fun we have
j. the way we care for others
k. how imaginative we are
l. our power and prestige

3. Our founder(s) believed in:
a. following established rules
b. blazing a new trail
c. ongoing research
d. being the best
e. being free to be unconventional
f. being agents of transformation
g. the dignity of the common man or woman
h. the importance of love and friendship
i. enjoying the work itself
j. being of service to the world
k. expressing their creativity
l. taking responsibility for the good of the whole

4. Our product helps people feel:
a. safe
b. unique
c. knowledgeable
d. capable
e. wild
f. magical
g. O.K. just as they are
h. attractive
i. happy
j. caring
k. artistic
l. powerful

5. Our product helps people:
a. do virtuous things
b. have new experiences
c. learn about themselves or the world
d. achieve
e. express their outrageous side
f. transform situations
g. fit in
h. find love
i. have a good time
j. take care of others
k. express themselves
l. control situations

6. We most want our customers to value our:
a. trustworthiness
b. pioneering spirit
c. expertise
d. can-do spirit
e. revolutionary spirit
f. capacity to work miracles
g. common touch
h. sense of style
i. sense of fun
j. altruism
k. creativity
l. solid reputation

7. Our whole product category is used by people to:
a. be renewed
b. assert their individuality
c. learn
d. excel
e. thumb their noses at convention
f. influence others
g. fit in
h. find or express love
i. enjoy themselves
j. nurture
k. express their creativity
l. fulfill their responsibilities

8. The most effective marketing for our product has associated it with:
a. the simple life
b. untamed nature
c. wise people
d. machinery
e. edgy images
f. magical moments
g. ordinary people
h. sensuality
i. joking around
j. home and family
k. artistry
l. prestige

9. What most differentiates our product from its closest competitors is:
a. its greater wholesomeness
b. a more individualized approach
c. better research and quality testing
d. its toughness
e. how revolutionary it seems
f. the way it transforms lives
g. how affordable, accessible it is
h. how luxurious it is
i. how much fun it is
j. that it enhances their ability to care well for others
k. how stylish it is
l. the prestige it confers

10. If our product (or organization) were a person, he/she would be:
a. a simple good person
b. a rugged individualist
c. an expert or guru
d. a winner
e. a really wild guy or gal
f. a miracle worker
g. an ordinary Joe or Jane
h. the leading lady or leading man
i. a cut-up
j. caring, unselfish, nice guy/gal
k. an artist
l. the boss