What is a brand value?

“Value” has different interpretations: from a business perspective it is the monetary worth of future earnings; from a legal perspective it is a separable piece of intellectual property. From a marketing or consumer perspective, it is the promise and delivery of an experience. Brands offer customers a means to choose and enable recognition within a cluttered marketplace.

Brand values are the code by which the brand lives. The brand values act as a benchmark to measure behaviors and performance. Which values are so inherent in your brand that, if they disappeared, your brand would cease to exist as it is? What are things that make your brand different or better? Why do you work for your brand? What do you represent?

Don’t overcompensate for your brand's weaknesses by making its values a wish list for values that aren’t currently part of its identity. Be honest, focus on your brand's positive attributes, and parlay this into what you’re truly passionate about – what you do best. This will distill the true essence of the brand for what it is, and for everyone who comes into contact with it.