Defining brand values & core values: what are they? And what are examples?

Introduction

Loyal, creative, sustainable, quirky: these are all examples of brand values. Defining brand values is very important for positioning your company. If your brand values are clear to your target audience, they can identify with them and commit to them. Brand values thus contribute to the distinctiveness and thus to the success of your company and thus an important part of your brand strategy and brand identity.

What are core values?

Meaning core values: Core values are the key beliefs, principles and norms that people, organizations or companies use to guide their behavior and decision-making. They are the basis for an organization's personality and way of doing things and serve as a moral compass that helps determine the right course of action in various situations.

Core values are important because they:

1. Providedirection: They provide a framework for making decisions and help prioritize based on what is most important to the organization.
2. Creatingculture and identity: Core values help shape an organization's culture and identity, giving employees and customers a clear picture of what the company stands for.
3. Promoteconsistency: By sticking to core values, an organization can ensure regularity in its actions and communications, which builds trust and credibility with customers and employees.
4. Attract and retainemployees: Clear core values help attract employees who share the same values and feel committed to the organization's mission. This can lead to higher employee satisfaction and retention.
5. BuildReputation: Organizations that adhere to their core values and act ethically often build a strong reputation, which can lead to long-term business success and growth.

What are brand values?

Brand values are the key attributes and characteristics that a brand or company wants to communicate and that define their identity, image and positioning in the marketplace. Brand values are closely related to an organization's core values, but focus specifically on how the company wants to be perceived and experienced by customers and other stakeholders.

Brand values are important because they play a crucial role in building a strong brand:

1. Creatingdifferentiation: Brand values help a company differentiate itself from competitors by highlighting unique and attractive features.
2. Promoteconsistency: By adhering to brand values, a company can ensure consistency in its products, services and communications, which reinforces customer trust and loyalty.
3. Buildingemotional connection: Brand values help create an emotional connection between the brand and its customers, which can lead to long-term relationships and brand loyalty.
4. Direct marketing efforts: Brand values guide marketing and communication activities, ensuring that all messages are aligned with the desired brand identity.

What is the difference between core values and brand values?

Core values and brand values are closely related, but they have different functions and purposes within an organization. We list the 3 main differences for you:

• Focus:
  • Core values focus on the key beliefs, principles and norms that guide an organization's behavior and decision-making. They form the basis for the organization's identity and culture.
  • Brand values, on the other hand, focus on the traits and characteristics a brand wants to project to customers and other stakeholders, and define the brand's positioning and image in the marketplace.
• Target audience:
  • Core values apply to both internal and external stakeholders, including employees, partners, customers and investors. They help create a corporate culture and guide the company.
  • Brand values primarily target external stakeholders, such as customers and potential customers, and help shape brand perception and experience.
• Application:
  • Core values are intended to influence all aspects of an organization, from employee behavior to business strategies and goals.
  • Brand values specifically address the communication and presentation of the brand to the outside world, including marketing efforts, product development and customer service.

A strong brand builds on an organization's core values and translates them into an attractive and recognizable brand identity. It is important to define and maintain both core values and brand values to create a successful and sustainable organization.

Core values examples:

To give you an idea we list some examples of core values:

1. Integrity: Acting honestly and ethically in all aspects of the business.
2. Customer focus: Putting customers' needs and expectations at the center of all decisions and activities.
3. Innovation: Constant pursuit of improvement, creativity and development of new ideas.
4. Collaboration: Actively work with colleagues, partners and customers to achieve common goals.
5. Sustainability: Committed to environmental awareness and promoting sustainable business practices.
6. Diversity and Inclusion: Valuing and embracing different backgrounds, perspectives and ideas within the organization.

Brand values examples

Here is a short list of examples of brand values:

1. Quality: Providing high-quality products and services that meet customer expectations.
2. Reliability: Deliver consistent performance and build customer trust.
3. Authenticity: Create a sincere and honest brand identity that resonates with customers.
4. Luxury: Providing exclusive and high-quality experiences that make customers feel special and valued.
5. Ease of use: Designing products and services that are easy to use and accessible to a wide range of users.
6. Social responsibility: Commit to social and environmental issues and integrate these values into brand image and operations.

How many brand values do you need?

There are hundreds of brand values to choose from, but it is important to focus. It is impossible to work according to dozens of values. Therefore, choose up to five brand values that you think are most important and that you want to live by with your brand.

How do you define your brand values?

You usually don't determine your brand values alone. Everyone in your company must recognize the values, because your employees must work according to those principles. They ultimately ensure that your target audience will recognize your brand values. Therefore, form a working group of involved employees who have different functions and hold an extensive brainstorming session. Start broadly: ask everyone to write down six values and discuss the result together. Remove duplications and then work with the basic set of core values that has emerged.

Selecting brand values

It is good to have each participant explain these core values. That way you may discover that people actually mean the same thing, but have just given a different name to a value. Decide together which word best covers the load. Once you have made a selection of brand values, ask everyone to score each value. That way, it will become clear which values best reflect your brand. Make sure you are left with at least six values.

Critically examine brand values

The next step is to critically examine the values you have arrived at. How distinctive are these words? Are they traits that every business needs, such as reliability? Or are they traits that typify your particular brand? The latter is the most important, because those very values determine your distinctiveness. And that is necessary to keep your target audience engaged. The goal is to arrive at five brand values that everyone agrees on, and which will form the basis of your brand.

Communicating brand values

Once your brand values are determined, of course, you're not there yet. Then it's a matter of expressing your values in everything you do. Make sure your employees know what the brand values mean and what they mean to their work. This is in all work: from answering the phone to delivering products. The values determined internally must start to be experienced externally the same way. This is how you build a strong brand that your customers feel closely connected to.

Also read our article on corporate branding, which includes brand values.

To know more about the Cola challenge: Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi, making a corporate film, writing a good brand story or perhaps tips for establishing a strong brand name, read easily within our blog.