In order to get to know you better and to help us fully understand what it is you’re looking for, we’ve devised a small questionnaire for you to fill out. Please take the time to answer each question to the best of your ability. Feel free to skip any questions that don’t pertain to the service you’re requesting, but really make sure they don’t pertain to your product or service before you skip them. Remember: the better you do, the better we can do for you.
01) What is the name of your company or group?
Please give all names of your company/group, especially if you are from a foreign country (ie if you are from Japan, please give the Japanese spelling AND English spelling, if applicable). Also, please give a brief history of the reasoning behind your company’s/group’s name. Why was it named what it was named?
02) What does your company or group (or you) do?
Please give a brief outline of your company’s/group’s/your history, services provided, and goals.
03) What is your target audience?
Please give age range, gender, whether it’s individuals, families, small business, corporations…the more detail the better.
04) What will your design or video be used for?
For example, if it is a logo, how and on what will you apply the logo? Business cards? Websites? Letterhead? Shirts? Tattoos (just kidding)? If it’s a unique design or mascot, how will it be used? If it’s a video, where do you intend to display it? What channels or websites? Give us as much context surrounding the use of the product as possible.
05) What is your company’s/group’s/your image?
Formal? Laid back? Hip and cool? Militaristic? Retro? Hippy? Deadpan?
06) If the product you are requesting is a graphic or print design, what is the primary color you wish to incorporate?
The answer can be as simple as “blue” or as complex as “robin’s egg blue” or “C 98 M 12 Y 77 K 100″ (in other words, color codes are okay, too for those who know them). Also, give us a few complimentary colors. Again, you can say a range such as “light greens” or you can give specific colors. If your stumped on what colors you’d like to implement, think of the colors prevalent in your business/organization/start-up company/jogging club/fundraiser/what-have-you. For example, if everyone wears green shirts, it would be a good idea for the primary color compliment that green.
07) Is there any specific lettering, words, or characters that you wish to incorporate into your design? If so, what?
For example, if your company is called Ajax and Sons, do you want the name Ajax or the letter “A” or a Chinese kanji or something else incorporated into the design itself?
If you are requesting a video, do you want any slogans or the name of the company or company’s website to appear within the video? If so, what phrases or slogans do you want to appear in the video?
08) What kind of final impact are you looking for in your product?
Try to pick the first five keywords that come to your mind. For example, “simple,” “stylish,” “fast-paced,” “intense,” “creepy,” “elegant,” “in-your-face,” “scary,” “European,” “artsy,” “techno,” “folky,” “serious,” “rigid,” “flowing,” “aggressive”… You can use any words that come to mind. Also, you can give examples of books, movies, music, anything that you think of when you think of what you want. As long as you include a few descriptive words as well, feel free to give us points of reference such as “Fight Club” or “M.A.S.H.” or “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” or “Donald Trump” or “the end of Crime and Punishment.” You can use any description that goes to mind. “Citizen Kane on acid meets the melting faces from the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Go nuts!
09) Is there anything you’d like to avoid during the design or production procedure?
Maybe you don’t want your commercial to come off as cutesy, or you don’t want the color red in your logo, or there can be no animals within your poster design. Give us any specific elements that you do not want in your product.
10) Give us some examples of a similar product that appeals to you.
For example, if you’re requesting a logo from us, give us your three favorite logos you’ve ever seen. If you’re requesting a poster, what are your three favorite movie or event posters you’ve even seen? If you’re requesting a commercial, what are your three favorite commercials? We’re looking for samples of similar products that appeal to you.
11) Do you have any other requests, comments, guidelines, or notes?
This is your space to tell us anything else you’d like.
12) When meeting a new group or individual, what is the first thing you like them to know about yourself?
Try to answer this question as quickly as possible. Don’t deliberate on your response; give the first thing that naturally comes to mind.
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Bonus question: List some of your favorite movies, bands, and books.
This question isn’t necessary, and in the case of corporate clients, may be impossible to answer. However, we like to ask this question (especially to individual/private business clients) as a means to understand more about our client so that we can cater our work more to who they are as an individual. If this question is too difficult to answer or you find it irrelevant or unnecessary, feel free to disregard it.