An organisation's core values are the guiding principles that shape its culture and how it does business. The brands core values are the foundation on which the brand is built and they provide a framework for decision-making, employee behaviour, and customer relationships.
Customers connect with brands that share their values.
"People want to know you care. Companies need to be value-driven, focussed, have a set of values you passionately care about and you are clear about what those values are, and you build a track record over time."
Sundar Pichai, CEO Google
Core values should be
Meaningful — They should be something that employees can relate to and believe in.
Specific — They should be clear and concise, not vague or general.
Consistent — They should be reflected in all aspects of the organization's operations, from its products and services to its employee policies.
Anti-fragile — They should be able to withstand change and challenges over time.
Examples of core values
Integrity — Doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.
Excellence — Striving for the highest standards of performance.
Innovation — Encouraging creativity and new ideas.
Collaboration — Working together to achieve common goals.
Customer focus — Putting the needs of the customer first.
Benefits of a value-driven company
Provide a sense of direction — They give employees a clear understanding of what the organisation stands for and what it is trying to achieve.
Help to attract and retain top talent — Employees are more likely to want to work for an organisation that shares their values.
Improve employee morale and productivity — When employees believe in their organisation's values, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.
Build trust with customers and stakeholders — When customers and stakeholders know what the organization stands for, they are more likely to trust it.
Organisations that are clear about their core values and live by them, are more likely to be successful in the long run.
"The brands that will thrive in the coming years are the ones that have a purpose beyond profit."
RICHARD BRANSON
Here are some tips for developing and implementing core values:
Involve employees in the process — Get input from employees about what they believe are the most important values for the organisation.
Make them public — Once the values have been agreed upon, make them public so that everyone in the organisation knows what they are.
Live by them — The most important thing is to live by the values that you have chosen. This means that they should be reflected in all aspects of the organization's operations, from its products and services to its employee policies.
Review them regularly — As the organisation grows and changes, it may be necessary to review its core values to make sure that they are still relevant.
How to uncover your core values
Helping your team or client reach their chosen brand values is often a difficult process, full of opinion, ego, and subjectivity. One of the brand strategy tools we’ve developed that help to align the team in the process, is the core value explorer tool.
Core Value Wheel
We developed this brand strategy tool, specifically for use in our client-facing brand strategy workshops. We’ve consolidated 180 core values into categories of Form, Success, Wisdom, Expertise, Connection, Virtue, Courage, Emotion, and Love.
Core Value Examples
This is the starting list, of course, there are hundreds more possible brand values, but these get us moving!
Core Value Map
Through discussion, aim to filter your value brainstorm into 6 core values. Ideally we want values that work within the value map that overlap and resonate with each other.
Core Value Pyramid
We can then place these values into our value pyramid, within categories of foundation, differentiator and driving values.
Chapter 4 – How to Use Brand Archetypes →
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More posts in Brand Strategy 101
Chapter 1 – Why Great Brands Need Brand Strategy
Chapter 2 – How to Conduct a Brand Audit
Chapter 3 – Uncover Your Core Brand Values
Chapter 4 – How to Use Brand Archetypes
Chapter 5 – Craft a Compelling Mission Statement
Chapter 6 – Create Your Brand Name
Chapter 7 – How to Run a Brand Strategy Workshop