Before investing in a rebrand, it is worth taking an honest look at where your brand stands. This brand audit checklist groups twenty questions into four areas: strategy, audience, identity and touchpoints. Use it with your team as a quick brand assessment to spot where the brand is working and where it has drifted.
Answer each question with yes, partly or no. The pattern of answers matters more than the score: it shows where the problem lives.
Strategy
- Can everyone in the leadership team describe what the company does in one sentence - and is it the same sentence?
- Is it clear why a customer should choose you over the alternatives?
- Does the brand reflect the business you are today, not the one you were when it was created?
- Is the brand ready for the markets and services you plan for the next few years?
- If you have several products, services or companies, is it clear how they relate to each other?
Audience
- Do you know who your most valuable customers are and why they chose you?
- Do customers describe you in the way you want to be described?
- Are you reaching the audience you want to grow with, not only the one you already have?
- Do you know what makes potential customers hesitate?
- Do the people who influence the decision - partners, prescribers, distributors - understand what you offer?
Identity
- Is the brand recognisable without seeing the logo?
- Does the visual identity express your positioning, or only look current?
- Is there a consistent tone of voice across the company?
- Do you know which elements customers recognise and trust most?
- Are there up-to-date brand guidelines that people actually use?
Touchpoints
- Does the website reflect the brand and the positioning?
- Are presentations, proposals and documents consistent across teams?
- Do packaging, signage and printed materials match the current identity?
- Do suppliers and partners have the right files and guidelines?
- Does the experience customers have - service, delivery, follow-up - live up to what the brand promises?
Score your brand
For a quick overview, give each answer a score: yes = 2, partly = 1, no = 0. Add up each area (maximum 10) and the total (maximum 40).
- 32-40: the brand is in good shape. Focus on the few weak answers and on keeping it consistent as the business grows.
- 20-31: the brand has started to drift. Look at which area scores lowest: that is where to start.
- Under 20: the problems are probably structural. It is worth reviewing the positioning before changing anything visible.
The bands are a guide for discussion, not a benchmark. A low score in Strategy matters more than the same score in Touchpoints, because everything else depends on it.
How to read your answers
- Mostly "no" in Strategy and Audience: the issue is positioning. A new identity alone will not fix it; you may need a rebrand that starts from strategy.
- Mostly "no" in Identity and Touchpoints: the positioning may still be right, but its expression has aged or fragmented. A refresh and a stronger brand system may be enough.
- A mix across all four: the most common result. A structured Brand Diagnosis helps decide what to change first and what to protect.
We explain the difference between the two routes in Rebrand or refresh? How to tell what your company needs.
How to run a brand audit in one session
- Choose the group. Four to six people from different areas: leadership, sales, marketing and someone who speaks to customers every day.
- Answer separately first. Each person completes the checklist alone, so the strongest voice in the room does not set the answers.
- Gather evidence. Bring real examples to the session: the website, two or three recent presentations, packaging or printed materials, a competitor's website and any customer feedback you have.
- Compare and discuss. Put the scores side by side. Focus on the questions where people disagree - they usually reveal more than the answers.
- Agree three priorities. End with the three issues to address first and who owns each one.
Tips for using the checklist
- Repeat it with the same group after a year to see what has changed.
- Back your answers with examples: a presentation, a customer comment, a competitor's website.
- Pay attention to disagreements. They often reveal more than the answers themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What should a brand audit include?
At minimum: the strategy behind the brand, how the audience perceives it, the identity and every touchpoint where customers meet it. A full audit also looks at the market and competitors. We explain this in What a brand audit should tell you before you spend on design.
What is the difference between a brand audit and a brand assessment?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Both review how the brand is perceived and presented. What matters is that the review ends in priorities you can act on.
Is this checklist a substitute for a brand audit?
No. It is a first self-assessment. A full diagnosis adds an outside view, customer input and a structured analysis of the market.
How often should we review our brand?
Whenever the business changes significantly, and as a routine check every year or two.
Related: Brand Diagnosis · What a brand audit should tell you · Rebranding and brand repositioning