Value what you have
"If you only want to develop one aspect of your brand identity, focus on your values! They bring your brand to life."
Hey Friend ,
Today we're talking about a true brand staple: values. It's simply appropriate to write four or five values on your website. That's what you do, right?
Are there actually any compelling reasons to develop brand values? We say: Absolutely! And in this newsletter, you'll find out why. Spoiler alert: "We've always done it this way" doesn't apply. 😛
💦 It's a vibe – values are a must
We have a very clear opinion about values: They are absolutely essential for your brand building!
Because values are the easiest way to give you a sense of who and what you want to be as a brand. How it should feel to come into contact with your brand. What's important to you. And what you don't like at all.
Once you know that, you can incorporate those vibes into pretty much every component of your brand identity. Imagine if, in the future, people wouldn't just read about your brand values on the About Us page, but would feel them at every touchpoint. Boom! 💥 If not only your words say "courageous," but your tone expresses it. Or if you no longer have to write "We're a kick-ass team" because it practically jumps out from your team photos. Wouldn't that be nice?
💪🏼 Don't have brand values yet? Do it.
🔍 Already have some? Check them out.
Because yes, values are a really good starting point for consistent branding. But (of course, there's one more thing to come)... only if they're thoroughly thought through and well executed.
🛠️ DIY: Check your values!
- Do you have to rummage through drawers and folders to remember your values?
- Are there terms used inflatedly such as tradition, quality, innovation or sustainability?
- Do your values stand alone, without any explanation?
- Could the values and, if applicable, explanations be largely the same for one of your competitors?
It's unicorn time again. 🦄
It's time again for unicorns... er, best practices. Because for us, there's little better than being inspired by strong brands. Well, unicorns seem to feel right at home with them. So here you go:
Asana enlivens its own values with proof right there in the definition. "Warmth: We embrace what makes us human, make time for fun, and create meaningful experiences for their own sake. Why does a unicorn fly across our screen when we mark a task as complete? The real question is—why not?"
Patagonia knows that values don't always need a fancy presentation to be strong. So how? The brand relies on clear words. "Integrity: We examine our practices openly and honestly, learn from our mistakes, and keep our promises. We understand integrity in two ways: keeping our word and shaping our actions holistically and functionally. Because our sum is greater than our parts."
Inspo of the day 😎
