How to define and share your core brand values effectively

External communication, marketing and public relations (PR) have been tricky for brands over the last few years. A number of geopolitical, social, economic and health events have triggered a distinct rise in consumer activism. Leading to an ever-increasing emphasis on how corporations reflect these values when communicating with their audiences.

With a documented brand strategy that incorporates a set of core values, companies are better positioned to engage with their audience on a regular basis as well as respond to unexpected events when they inevitably occur. When developed with integrity and incorporated into your business’s operations, your brand values provide an essential roadmap for maintaining your public image and brand reputation.

In this article, we’ll outline everything you need to know about developing and sharing your own brand values. Plus, we’ll share a bit about Sprout’s own journey to do the same just a few years ago and examples of other brands showcasing their values effectively on social.

What are brand values?

Brand values are the beliefs that govern the way an organization does business. Along with several other foundational elements (like mission, vision, story, voice, etc.), brands’ values play a key role in their identity and perception, both internally and externally.

These guiding principles can also act as an “authenticity meter,” helping leaders make strategic decisions and employees and customers gauge whether the organization is living up to its stated values. Deviation from these standards can quickly become a public relations nightmare.

Why it’s important to have and share your brand’s values

A strong set of brand values is important for a number of reasons. Your brand values can help you:

Attract and retain employees who are a cultural fitMake aligned decisionsEngage like-minded consumersBuild goodwill among your audience

Of course, fostering a strong culture is important. But beyond that, there’s also a clear correlation between your values and your bottom line.

What helps customers to remember a brand? According to The 2023 Sprout Social Index ™, responsiveness and original content top the list (at 51% and 38% respectively).

Another Sprout study found that 53% of people feel more connected to brands that share their values. And that feeling of connection is more than just warm fuzzies. It correlates to increased spending, with 57% of people saying they will increase their spending with brands they feel connected to.

3 examples of brand values

The first step toward truly becoming a values-driven brand is to share what you stand for. Values-driven businesses don’t shy away from putting their foundational standards front and center, where both employees and the public can access them. Transparency, trust and visibility are key tenets of everything they do.

One great way to get inspiration for developing your own values is to look to other brands. The following examples of brand values will get you started.

1. Sprout Social

We created a microsite dedicated to sharing our brand identity and beliefs. Here, you can find our mission, positioning and core values, among other details. We take it a step further by also sharing the process we followed to refresh Sprout’s values.

Sprout’s values include:

Care DeeplyEmbrace AccountabilityChampion Diversity, Equity & InclusionPromote Open, Authentic CommunicationSeek SimplicitySolve Hard ProblemsCelebrate Change

The following are examples of Sprout’s values on display on social.

Finding a healthy balance between your social presence and your well-being isn’t always easy.

Your mental health should always come first. 💚 ⚖️ https://t.co/E7Mti8OAuP

— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) December 16, 2022