Soul of the Brand: The Power of Defining and Expressing Your Core Values

Your brand logo may be recognizable and your tagline catchy. But does your brand truly resonate with and inspire your customers? The most successful brands have an extra special sauce – a soul – that derives from their core values. These central tenets breathe life into a brand, guiding business decisions and forging heartfelt customer connections.

Defining and effectively expressing your authentic core values pave the pathway for customers to form a meaningful relationship with your brand. One that withstands passing trends and evolving markets. Just ask the adaptive clothing company Tommy Hilfiger - founded on the values of breaking conventions and democratizing fashion - that has resonated across generations since 1985.

In this article, we’ll uncover why your brand’s soul matters, how to pinpoint your core values and impactful ways to express them. Read on to discover how to transform your brand identity into one that inspires trust and loyalty for decades.

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What Are Core Values?

Simply put, core brand values are the 3-5 guiding principles that communicate your company's values. But don’t confuse them with mission statements describing what you do or taglines advertising what you offer.

Core values capture the soul of why and how your business operates. Take Airbnb’s values - Belong Anywhere, A World Where Anyone Can Belong Anywhere, and Live There - that shape their innovative hospitality exchange platform. The Body Shop’s ethos - Enrich, Not Exploit - has distinguished them as caring activists in the cosmetics industry since 1976.

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Why Your Brand’s Soul Matters

When incorporated authentically, core values become an internal compass for decision-making and an external magnet for attracting loyal customers.

Internally, they empower employees to align priorities without constant direction, foster a unified company culture, and boost morale by instilling a sense of meaning.

Externally, they forge an emotional connection with customers who share similar beliefs. In today’s oversaturated market, nearly 80% of consumers make purchases aligned with their values.

Beyond driving sales, clearly defined brand values also build consumer trust in your company vision. Trust remains foundational for establishing lifetime brand loyalty.

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Uncovering Your Authentic Core Values

Behind every beloved brand lies a founding story and driving motivations. To pinpoint your authentic core values, start by asking reflective questions, including:

• What originally sparked this company’s creation? What market needs or social issues did we aim to address?
• Thinking back 10+ years, what principles and standards have remained non-negotiable even when making difficult business decisions?
• Suppose we imagine this company decades into the future. What core priorities or traits do we want to be featured in a history book chapter about why the brand grew exponentially and left a meaningful legacy?

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Move from Abstract Reflection to Tangible Examples

While the above questions evoke an idealized vision, declaring values requires tangible articulation. So, supplement reflective discussions by gathering concrete examples that embody your aspirations throughout the company’s journey.

For example, if a non-negotiable priority has been pioneering ethical supply chain transparency, reference past incidents that brought this into sharp focus through either successes or failures. If you prize maintaining joy and humour even during rapid growth, share favourite anecdotes of that value actualizing despite tensions.

Such real examples make crystallizing aspirational values into descriptive value statements much more achievable.

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Gather External Perspectives

Additionally, solicit external perspectives from partners, frontline employees interacting daily with your product or service, and loyal members of your target customer base. Query them through quick polls or focus groups by asking:

• When you interact with our brand, what words or phrases come to mind to describe our approach?
• What sets us apart from competitors, in your opinion?
• What shared beliefs or priorities do you feel align with us?

Then look for common themes around motivations, creative problem-solving approaches, emotional connections ignited, and aspirational company traits they praise.

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Distill into Concise Value Statements

Finally, combine the internal reflections and external feedback then distill into 3-5 concise value statements. These should crisply encapsulate collective motivations and priorities.

For example, eyewear brand Warby Parker condensed input spanning affordability, fashion-forward timelessness, and social consciousness into “Vision, Impact and Fun.”

Once finalized based on recurring themes, vet statements against the SMART framework for clarity.

Specifically, are they:

• Specific to our unique brand identity and customer base descriptives?
• Measurable over the next 3-5 years through values lifting brand health tracking surveys?
• Achievable currently and relevant even amid rapid scaling or external disruption?
• Resonant with our past and present before projecting into the future?
• Timeless to maintain relevance across diverse locations and generations of talent and customers?

By asking tough questions, backing responses with real examples, gathering outside perspectives, and vetting with precision, you stand to unearth your authentic brand soul - one that forges lasting connections with all it touches.

Behind every beloved brand lies a founding story and driving motivations.

To pinpoint your authentic core values, start by asking:

• What originally sparked this company’s creation? What issues did we aim to address?
• What principles and standards have remained non-negotiable over time?
• What do we want our business to be known and remembered for?

Additionally, gather perspectives from your team, partners, and loyal customer base through quick polls or focus groups. Look for common themes around motivations, problem-solving approaches, and aspirational company traits.

Finally, distill the qualitative feedback into 3-5 concise value statements authentically representing collective priorities. For example, Warby Parker condensed input about affordability, timelessness, and social good into Vision, Impact, and Fun.

Once finalized, vet your core values against the SMART methodology.

Specifically, are they:

• Specific to your brand identity and customer base?
• Measurable over time through brand lift surveys?
• Attainable today and for future growth needs?
• Relevant to company vision and audience values?
• Timeless to withstand evolving markets?

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Expressing Your Brand’s Soul

With your sharp and vetted core values, dedicating resources to effectively expressing them cements their role as an asset.

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Leadership Alignment

Internally, leadership should continually reference core values when setting goals and defining success metrics over the next 1-3 years. Do our targets allow for expressing our claimed values? Are there any gaps between aspirations and actual priorities? Addressing tough questions maintains authenticity.

Additionally, revisit hiring practices and interview scripts to assess candidate alignment with brand values. Once on board, invest in thorough training on how the values shape “the way things are done around here” starting Day 1. Beyond onboarding, consistently reinforce values in company meetings, internal communications, and leadership modelling.

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Visual Brand Identity

Externally, prominently integrate your values into your visual brand identity by featuring them in logo design, style guides, website pages, store displays, product packaging, uniforms, and any other collateral. For example, include value slogans in store window posters or showcase value-aligned imagery on shopping bags.

Such prominent placement keeps customers and employees grounded in what your brand stands for at every touchpoint. Conduct periodic brand awareness surveys that gauge visual identity recall and value retention to track effectiveness.

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Messaging Framework

Additionally, anchor external-facing marketing campaigns, digital content, and advertisements around bringing your declared values to life. For example, Patagonia’s Worn Wear campaigns deliver on environmental conservation values by spotlighting product durability and repair services.

When brainstorming campaigns, ask, “How could this concept highlight our brand values?” Rather than tacking them on later. Over time, consistently value-based messaging breeds authenticity that earns consumer trust.

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Tone and Service

Provide customer service scripts and internal style guides so all communication across channels echoes your brand values. Empower teams to resolve issues with the values top of mind. For example, Lush’s “Make Happy” training ensures every consumer interaction embodies its values of making ethical, fresh products that spread joy.

Evaluate service tone alignment through quarterly customer satisfaction surveys and mystery shopping initiatives. As needed, spot coach teams on infusing language reflective of brand values.

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Storytelling

Finally, effective storytelling spotlights values in action. Craft an origin story that authentically narrates how the values paved the foundation for your brand. And continue narrating their role through new product launches, employee spotlights, or company milestones.

For example, TOMS Shoes constantly references its values of universal human equity in explaining its signature “One-for-One” program. Spotlighting employee volunteers keeps Patagonia’s brand story rooted in environmentalism and social responsibility.

Consistent, value-aligned storytelling across channels makes your brand purpose clear and memorable. Track effectiveness by monitoring value mentions and sentiment in customer reviews and social media chatter.

By living your values daily across teams and customer touchpoints - not just listing them - your brand soul shines through authentically.

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The Soulful Journey Awaits

Defining and expressing core brand values requires upfront strategizing and long-term commitment. But the return is an authentic magnetism that earns customer trust and fuels business growth for decades.

What originally sparked your brand’s creation? What problems did you set out to solve? Revisiting your origins reveals the soulful motivations that can inspire meaningful connections today.

Let your brand’s soul - its reason for being - become a guiding light forward. Schedule a complimentary brand strategy session with Soul of the Brand now to start uncovering your distinctive core values.

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