Creating your brand’s vision is one of the most important steps when it comes to brand management. It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For. For a company to be successful there must be a number of shared values behind the brand. This ensures your brand is well placed to give meaning to customers.
A well-defined brand can help move your business forward. It can inspire all people involved with your organization – including you, your employees and your customers. Identifying your brand’s values will help your customers to engage with your brand and business. It also provides the workers with a common cause.
Brand vision and brand values send personal and emotional signals to potential customers, allowing them to connect with your company and develop loyalty. Your brand vision is the ideas behind your brand that inspire you, your employees and your customers. They give a clear direction to your company.
Defining the values that your organization will stand for is vital, as these set guidelines about the kind of behavior that differentiates your company in the marketplace and allows your clients to instantly appreciate the promise of your brand. A successful brand always have certain core values as well as peripheral values that allow the brand to reflect and give voice to the changing societal atmospheres.
Crafting brand vision on the other hand is a tactical process that requires the input of the brand’s top managers as the vision determines the future of the brand. For your brand to be successful there must be a clear vision that informs operations. Simon Senek once said: “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”
If your purpose statement is your ‘why,’ then your vision is ‘what’ you want to accomplish as a result of it. If you remain committed to your purpose, what will be the outcome of it?
Brand vision comprises three key components, namely:
Defining the values that your organization will stand for is vital, as these set guidelines about the kind of behavior that differentiates your company in the marketplace and allows your clients to instantly appreciate the promise of your brand. A successful brand always have certain core values as well as peripheral values that allow the brand to reflect and give voice to the changing societal atmospheres.
Crafting brand vision on the other hand is a tactical process that requires the input of the brand’s top managers as the vision determines the future of the brand. For your brand to be successful there must be a clear vision that informs operations. Simon Senek once said: “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”
If your purpose statement is your ‘why,’ then your vision is ‘what’ you want to accomplish as a result of it. If you remain committed to your purpose, what will be the outcome of it?
Brand vision comprises three key components, namely:
- Brand Values
- Brand Future
- Brand Purpose
When crafting the brand vision, you need to keep the following tips in mind.
Think Big: While creating a brand vision for your company, you must have huge plans for the business. The vision should address all issues concerning the end consumer. The vision must motivate both the employees and customers alike.
Consistency: It is important for your brand vision to be consistent with the corporate strategy.
Regular Revision: While brand vision is drafted for the long term, make sure that the vision is revised on a regular basis.
Whether you develop your brand’s purpose, vision and mission all at once or in phases it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you understand the need and place for each, and use them where they belong in order to succeed. Above all be authentic - and tell your own story. Take the time to understand the messages that you want your brand to communicate.
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What Is The Brand Purpose?
The brand purpose is the WHY of the brand. Why are we in the business that we’re in?
For example, here’s Zappos purpose: To inspire the world by showing it’s possible to simultaneously deliver happiness to customers, employees, community, vendors and shareholders in a long-term sustainable way.
It doesn’t matter the size of your brand, every company can benefit from this kind of clarity. As we expand into the relationship between brand purpose, vision and mission, we can look at Unilever as an example:
Purpose: To make sustainable living commonplace.
Vision: Double the size of the business, while reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact.
Mission: We will work to create a better future every day. We will help people look good, feel good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and for others. We will inspire people to take small, everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.
What’s your brand’s ultimate reason for being? If you went away tomorrow, what gap would there be? These are foundational questions that your purpose statement needs to answer. In other words, why are we here?
“Purpose (which should last at least 100 years) should not be confused with specific goals or business strategies (which should change many times in 100 years). Whereas you might achieve a goal or complete a strategy, you cannot fulfill a purpose; it’s like a guiding star on the horizon—forever pursued but never reached.
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Purpose Vs Vision And Mission
Your brand purpose is the fifth “P” of your marketing mix. Without it, your business can’t be sustainable. One of the main problems with answering the question: “what is the purpose of a brand?” is that many companies confuse purpose, with values and vision statements. Before we dive deeper into this, here’s a quick definition of each, to help get you started:
Brand purpose outlines “why” you exist. Your brand purpose is the meaning behind your existence, an idealistic view of what you want to become to your audience. A purpose is the why your organization has begun a journey, guided by the deeply-held values and beliefs that inspire it to make a difference.
Your mission follows the path your organization sets to arrive at its destination: When someone asks you where you are going, they ask you how you are going to get there. Your mission is the how: the unique way you do what you do, the path you choose to follow, the decisions you make to get to your destination.
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DOVE
Dove is one of the best brand purpose examples around. The Dove brand purpose is about improving the confidence of girls around the world.
Their recent “My Beauty my Say” movement asks women to design their own interpretation of what is beautiful. The campaign hopes to inspire women to stand up against negative judgments, and find their inner confidence.
While the Dove brand purpose might not make the company more profitable directly, it does make them easier to relate to, which inspires greater company loyalty.
STARBUCKS
The CEO of the company, Howard Schultz, is known throughout the world for his unshakeable commitment to corporate responsibility. With their unique brand purpose, Starbucks have shown their commitment to fighting back against hunger, helping the environment, and making the world a more empowered place.
Regular Revision: While brand vision is drafted for the long term, make sure that the vision is revised on a regular basis.
Whether you develop your brand’s purpose, vision and mission all at once or in phases it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you understand the need and place for each, and use them where they belong in order to succeed. Above all be authentic - and tell your own story. Take the time to understand the messages that you want your brand to communicate.
What Is The Brand Purpose?
The brand purpose is the WHY of the brand. Why are we in the business that we’re in?
For example, here’s Zappos purpose: To inspire the world by showing it’s possible to simultaneously deliver happiness to customers, employees, community, vendors and shareholders in a long-term sustainable way.
It doesn’t matter the size of your brand, every company can benefit from this kind of clarity. As we expand into the relationship between brand purpose, vision and mission, we can look at Unilever as an example:
Purpose: To make sustainable living commonplace.
Vision: Double the size of the business, while reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact.
Mission: We will work to create a better future every day. We will help people look good, feel good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and for others. We will inspire people to take small, everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.
What’s your brand’s ultimate reason for being? If you went away tomorrow, what gap would there be? These are foundational questions that your purpose statement needs to answer. In other words, why are we here?
“Purpose (which should last at least 100 years) should not be confused with specific goals or business strategies (which should change many times in 100 years). Whereas you might achieve a goal or complete a strategy, you cannot fulfill a purpose; it’s like a guiding star on the horizon—forever pursued but never reached.
Yet although purpose itself does not change, it does inspire change. The very fact that purpose can never be fully realized means that an organization can never stop stimulating change and progress. Often, when organizations begin looking for ways to position themselves in the marketplace, they focus on things like products, services, and marketing campaigns.
While these things are important to any growing enterprise, your USP isn’t the factor that forms the heart of your institution. Today’s brands need something more if they want to stand out. They need a purpose. If you want your brand purpose to mean something, then you need to find your “spark”, the drive that pushes you to discover what makes you unique.
Purpose Vs Vision And Mission
Your brand purpose is the fifth “P” of your marketing mix. Without it, your business can’t be sustainable. One of the main problems with answering the question: “what is the purpose of a brand?” is that many companies confuse purpose, with values and vision statements. Before we dive deeper into this, here’s a quick definition of each, to help get you started:
Brand purpose outlines “why” you exist. Your brand purpose is the meaning behind your existence, an idealistic view of what you want to become to your audience. A purpose is the why your organization has begun a journey, guided by the deeply-held values and beliefs that inspire it to make a difference.
Your mission follows the path your organization sets to arrive at its destination: When someone asks you where you are going, they ask you how you are going to get there. Your mission is the how: the unique way you do what you do, the path you choose to follow, the decisions you make to get to your destination.
Will you follow a focused and direct path; or one that wanders? A mission-driven path will be direct, and you'll be doing what matters. That's how you get from one point to another.
Vision is your destination, at a point in the near or distant future. It's your goal, and what you expect to find when you arrive at the destination. . Start broad with your ideology, then focus in on a purpose, before exploring different topics you can address along the way.
Look at Nike, for instance, this athletic brand wants to inspire customers to overcome adversity, and achieve their goals. In pursuit of their vision, and in line with their purpose, the business has explored countless crucial topics, including racism, the power of dreams, and health
Moreover, Dove as a brand, don’t just deliver luxury beauty products to the world, they focus on making “normal” women feel extraordinary. Range Rover don’t just produce cars, they help to feed the natural sense of adventure that humans have. Just try to make sure that you’re not solving a problem that’s already been addressed by countless companies in your niche.
Look at the customers that exist in your marketplace. Think about creating a user persona if you have to, and use what you learn about those people to decide what the purpose of a brand in your industry should be.
Differentiating yourself with brand purpose isn’t just about standing out for the sake of it. It’s about finding a way to be relevant to people in need of your products or service. A purpose driven brand is powerful because it solves real problems for real people.
Vision is your destination, at a point in the near or distant future. It's your goal, and what you expect to find when you arrive at the destination. . Start broad with your ideology, then focus in on a purpose, before exploring different topics you can address along the way.
Look at Nike, for instance, this athletic brand wants to inspire customers to overcome adversity, and achieve their goals. In pursuit of their vision, and in line with their purpose, the business has explored countless crucial topics, including racism, the power of dreams, and health
Moreover, Dove as a brand, don’t just deliver luxury beauty products to the world, they focus on making “normal” women feel extraordinary. Range Rover don’t just produce cars, they help to feed the natural sense of adventure that humans have. Just try to make sure that you’re not solving a problem that’s already been addressed by countless companies in your niche.
Look at the customers that exist in your marketplace. Think about creating a user persona if you have to, and use what you learn about those people to decide what the purpose of a brand in your industry should be.
Differentiating yourself with brand purpose isn’t just about standing out for the sake of it. It’s about finding a way to be relevant to people in need of your products or service. A purpose driven brand is powerful because it solves real problems for real people.
It’s nice to say that you’re trying to make the world a better place, but ultimately that’s just a vague comment that doesn’t really appeal to anyone. Above all else, remember that your brand purpose is a promise that you make to your customers – don’t choose a promise you can’t keep. A clear and vivid brand purpose is much more demanding.
The biggest mistake that businesses make when asking “what is the purpose of a brand?” is assuming that their ultimate goal, and their purpose is the same thing. Every organization wants to make a living, so the purpose of a brand is not “to make more money”. If you make that your focus, then you’re going to end up feeding the 42% of consumers who don’t trust brands.
You need to create a connection with your audience, and give them something to hold onto that goes beyond price points and packaging.
The Old Benchmark: What purpose does this task/idea/approach serve?
The New Benchmark: How does this task/idea/approach serve our purpose?
Thinking hard about your company’s “why” will lead you to creating a list of values. These values should be shown through every action your company takes including your mission statement. Your values could simply be in the form of a list or described in a paragraph form.
Before actually creating your mission statement answer these four questions:
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By answering these questions first, you can then summarize them to create your mission statement. Reviewing your mission statement to make sure it is clear and concise will help your customers and clients understand the meaning behind your business.
There are many different types of mission statements but developing one that resonates with your company will make all the difference. Your mission statement should explain how you will achieve your vision statement and should also relate to your values. Your mission statement should also reflect your brand’s image.
Brand values explain the ethics and behaviours you’ll use to get to your destination. Your values establish the qualities you idealize as a company, such as innovation, inclusivity, or creativity. While your brand purpose doesn’t necessarily have to fit into one of these categories – most will.
- It’s collective and individual.
- It stalks the organization with a conscience.
- It describes what a brand knows must change in the world and the role the brand sees for itself in helping to achieve that change.
- It explains why people come to work.
- It gives each person a reason to be proud.
- It calibrates and guides thinking.
- It’s optimistic.
- It’s the benchmark against which all actions are measured.
The biggest mistake that businesses make when asking “what is the purpose of a brand?” is assuming that their ultimate goal, and their purpose is the same thing. Every organization wants to make a living, so the purpose of a brand is not “to make more money”. If you make that your focus, then you’re going to end up feeding the 42% of consumers who don’t trust brands.
You need to create a connection with your audience, and give them something to hold onto that goes beyond price points and packaging.
The Old Benchmark: What purpose does this task/idea/approach serve?
The New Benchmark: How does this task/idea/approach serve our purpose?
Thinking hard about your company’s “why” will lead you to creating a list of values. These values should be shown through every action your company takes including your mission statement. Your values could simply be in the form of a list or described in a paragraph form.
Before actually creating your mission statement answer these four questions:
- What do we do?
- How do we do it?
- Whom do we do it for?
- What value are we bringing?
By answering these questions first, you can then summarize them to create your mission statement. Reviewing your mission statement to make sure it is clear and concise will help your customers and clients understand the meaning behind your business.
There are many different types of mission statements but developing one that resonates with your company will make all the difference. Your mission statement should explain how you will achieve your vision statement and should also relate to your values. Your mission statement should also reflect your brand’s image.
Brand values explain the ethics and behaviours you’ll use to get to your destination. Your values establish the qualities you idealize as a company, such as innovation, inclusivity, or creativity. While your brand purpose doesn’t necessarily have to fit into one of these categories – most will.
Just remember that whichever purpose you choose, you have to make it authentic. Studies has shown that authentic purpose driven brands are more successful when finding, and keeping customers. So, how do you ensure authenticity in the purpose of a brand?
Be Transparent: Don’t just “say” something, show it. Convince people that you’re a company of your word by acting on your beliefs. If your purpose is to create more energy-efficient products to improve the environment, make sure you’re recycling, getting involved with local conservation efforts, and more.
Remember Your Roots: Great brand purpose often comes from the very heart of your organization. Think about why you started in business, what drove you into action, and why your customers should care about you over your competitors. Use your background to tell stories that connect with the interests of your customers, and show your humanity.
Collaborate Carefully: Partner with people who share the same values as your business. For example, Innocent teamed up with a company called “Grow it Yourself”, to keep children informed about where food comes from. The collaboration supported their brand purpose to improve the world, and helped the company to earn more loyalty from their audience.
Identifying a strong purpose-driven brand means having a distinct perspective that influences everything your enterprise does, and doesn’t do.
To help give you a little guidance, here are just a few brand purpose examples that could give you the inspiration you need to discover your driving spark.
Be Transparent: Don’t just “say” something, show it. Convince people that you’re a company of your word by acting on your beliefs. If your purpose is to create more energy-efficient products to improve the environment, make sure you’re recycling, getting involved with local conservation efforts, and more.
Remember Your Roots: Great brand purpose often comes from the very heart of your organization. Think about why you started in business, what drove you into action, and why your customers should care about you over your competitors. Use your background to tell stories that connect with the interests of your customers, and show your humanity.
Collaborate Carefully: Partner with people who share the same values as your business. For example, Innocent teamed up with a company called “Grow it Yourself”, to keep children informed about where food comes from. The collaboration supported their brand purpose to improve the world, and helped the company to earn more loyalty from their audience.
Identifying a strong purpose-driven brand means having a distinct perspective that influences everything your enterprise does, and doesn’t do.
To help give you a little guidance, here are just a few brand purpose examples that could give you the inspiration you need to discover your driving spark.
DOVE
Dove is one of the best brand purpose examples around. The Dove brand purpose is about improving the confidence of girls around the world.
Their recent “My Beauty my Say” movement asks women to design their own interpretation of what is beautiful. The campaign hopes to inspire women to stand up against negative judgments, and find their inner confidence.
While the Dove brand purpose might not make the company more profitable directly, it does make them easier to relate to, which inspires greater company loyalty.
STARBUCKS
The CEO of the company, Howard Schultz, is known throughout the world for his unshakeable commitment to corporate responsibility. With their unique brand purpose, Starbucks have shown their commitment to fighting back against hunger, helping the environment, and making the world a more empowered place.
From a background with its very own rags-to-riches story, to their position as a world-leader today, Starbucks has made an incredible impact on the world.
TESLA
Finally, Tesla is a company that creates innovative technology for the world of the future. The company mission is to accelerate our journey as a species, towards an era of sustainable transportation. Elon Musk created his purpose driven brand with a vision to make the world a more environmentally-friendly place, no longer reliant on fossil fuels for transportation.
The purpose of a brand that creates eco-friendly products is to save the planet. They are achieving their goals by creating a culture of innovation and design, fuelled by an ongoing ambition to eradicate pollution and transform the world with electrical vehicles. The people who work for Tesla are inspired by their brand purpose.
In fact, Tesla is a great example of how brand purpose can work to unite and enhance your corporate culture. People united towards a shared goal are far more likely to feel inspired, and engaged by the business they work for. In other words, becoming a purpose-driven brand could help you to retain your customers, and your key employees too.
Some organizations tend to substitute their mission and vision for their purpose. If you want your audience to connect with your mission, you need to communicate with clarity about why, what, and how you are creating value and impact.
If you're traveling anywhere, you begin at one point along a certain path, and eventually, arrive at your destination. You begin with the end in mind; you are guided by why you went on the journey, driven by how you followed the path, and what you expected to find when you arrived.
TESLA
Finally, Tesla is a company that creates innovative technology for the world of the future. The company mission is to accelerate our journey as a species, towards an era of sustainable transportation. Elon Musk created his purpose driven brand with a vision to make the world a more environmentally-friendly place, no longer reliant on fossil fuels for transportation.
The purpose of a brand that creates eco-friendly products is to save the planet. They are achieving their goals by creating a culture of innovation and design, fuelled by an ongoing ambition to eradicate pollution and transform the world with electrical vehicles. The people who work for Tesla are inspired by their brand purpose.
In fact, Tesla is a great example of how brand purpose can work to unite and enhance your corporate culture. People united towards a shared goal are far more likely to feel inspired, and engaged by the business they work for. In other words, becoming a purpose-driven brand could help you to retain your customers, and your key employees too.
Some organizations tend to substitute their mission and vision for their purpose. If you want your audience to connect with your mission, you need to communicate with clarity about why, what, and how you are creating value and impact.
If you're traveling anywhere, you begin at one point along a certain path, and eventually, arrive at your destination. You begin with the end in mind; you are guided by why you went on the journey, driven by how you followed the path, and what you expected to find when you arrived.
As Kevin Starr, director of the Mulago Foundation and the Rainer Arnhold Fellows Program states, "You have to know where you're going to be able to figure out the best way to get there."
Why do you believe you can make a difference? — Purpose needs a reason.
To inspire your followers, you'll want to focus on a purpose statement that articulates why your organization matters, and why your cause is meaningful. Your audience will connect more deeply with the higher purpose, character, and vision of your organization, than with even the most effective mission statement.
Your company’s values and purpose are best shared through a compelling narrative and Stories, Not Your Mission Statement.
Impact Is What Matters
When your audience knows why your organization matters, they will know if your cause is meaningful. When a supporter connects with your purpose, they will believe in your mission. When they all align, you will achieve greater impact for the cause you care about. Purpose is the foundation of mission and vision, but impact is what matters.
Why do you believe you can make a difference? — Purpose needs a reason.
- Who do you work to impact? — Purpose needs people.
- How do you achieve the impact? — Purpose needs a plan.
- What will impact look like when you achieve it? — Purpose needs vision and impact.
To inspire your followers, you'll want to focus on a purpose statement that articulates why your organization matters, and why your cause is meaningful. Your audience will connect more deeply with the higher purpose, character, and vision of your organization, than with even the most effective mission statement.
Your company’s values and purpose are best shared through a compelling narrative and Stories, Not Your Mission Statement.
Impact Is What Matters
When your audience knows why your organization matters, they will know if your cause is meaningful. When a supporter connects with your purpose, they will believe in your mission. When they all align, you will achieve greater impact for the cause you care about. Purpose is the foundation of mission and vision, but impact is what matters.
