Define what the brand stands for: With our brand values template and card deck.

Why brand values are important

Brand values are an important element of brand identity: they breathe soul into the brand construct. Customers identify with brands that reflect their own values. A clear set of values is therefore a powerful instrument for differentiating oneself in the market environment beyond the mere range of services offered. They are there to reduce over-complexity.

Staying true to yourself

In order to identify and consolidate appropriate values, it is helpful to first look at the brand from three different perspectives: one’s own, the market’s and the customers’. For each perspective, choose one(!) word that best describes the brand’s character, culture and excellence. In doing so, it is important to remain true to oneself and not to rely on trendy buzzwords – otherwise it becomes tricky to make the value credible. In the end, the task is to agree on one term per category. In order for the brand attributes to have a differentiated effect, overly generic terms or hygiene factors (e.g. quality, innovation, trust, reliability) should be avoided.

Transfer to brand philosophy and brand culture

The value system of a brand should be reflected in the entire company in order to project an authentic image to the outside world. Strong brands are associated with emotional content, pictorial images and associations in the minds of customers. These companies manage to make their core brand values tangible in all contact opportunities. The goal is to establish certain values in connection with the brand in the minds of the target group.

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