Brand Values Examples: How to Define Values Your Business Actually Lives By
Brand values are the principles a business uses to make decisions: what it will do, what it will refuse to do and how it treats people. They are not slogans. When they are real, they shape hiring, pricing, product choices and the way a complaint is handled. When they are not, they become wall decoration.
What good values do
- Guide decisions. When two options are equal on cost, the values break the tie.
- Shape behaviour. They tell staff what is expected without a rule for every case.
- Attract the right people. Customers and employees who share them stay longer.
- Differentiate. The more specific they are, the more distinctive.
What makes values weak
- They are generic. "Integrity", "excellence" and "innovation" appear on thousands of walls.
- They could apply to any business in the sector.
- No one can say what they would do differently because of them.
- They describe who the business wishes it was, not who it is.
A test for each value
Ask three questions of every candidate value:
- Would a competitor disagree with it? If everyone would agree, it is not distinctive.
- Does it cost us something? A real value sometimes means turning down money.
- Can we point to an example? A decision, a policy or a behaviour that proves it.
If a value fails the test, sharpen it or drop it.
Examples: from vague to specific
| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| Quality | We would rather ship late than ship something we would not use ourselves |
| Customer first | Every customer message gets a human reply within one working day |
| Integrity | We tell clients when they do not need us |
| Innovation | We test every idea with real customers before we invest in it |
| Teamwork | Nobody hands over work with unresolved questions |
These are illustrations of the style, not claims about any real company. Your own values should come from how you actually work.
How to define yours
- Start with behaviour. List the moments the business was at its best, and the moments it was not. What was different?
- Ask people. Staff, long-standing customers and partners will describe the business more accurately than the founder.
- Find the patterns. Group the answers into three to five themes.
- Write each as a short statement. Add one sentence on what it means in practice.
- Test and cut. Use the three questions above. Aim for three to five values, not ten.
- Make them operational. Connect each to hiring, reviews, product decisions and customer service.
Where values show up
- In your brand story and about page
- In your messaging framework, as the foundation under your pillars
- In your tone of voice and personality, such as your archetype
- In internal practices: onboarding, performance reviews and what gets celebrated
- In your brand guidelines
Common mistakes
- Choosing values that sound good rather than that are true
- Having too many to remember
- Never referring to them after launch
- Not holding leadership to them
- Treating them as marketing only
Frequently asked questions
How many brand values should a business have?
Three to five. More than that and people will not remember them.
How are values different from a mission or vision?
The mission says what you do and for whom. The vision says where you are heading. The values say how you behave on the way.
Can values change?
They can evolve, but changing them often suggests they were not real to begin with.
Can you help us define ours?
Yes, as part of a strategy workshop. See our brand strategy toolkit or book a free brand consultation.
