Is there really any value in brand values?

We all know that brands are valuable and the 2018 figures emphasis the point big time. Amazon is at number one, worth a jaw-dropping $150 billion. Not far behind is Apple with a value of $140 billion. And Google comes in a creditable third, worth $120 billion. But do these gigantic valuations have anything to do with their brand values? Or are they just extraordinary companies, with remarkable consumer offers. A good place to start, is by answering the question, what exactly are brand values? They are what the company believes in and the way it operates and conducts itself. They provide guidance, direction and support for everyone in the organisation, as to what is expected of them, when working for and representing the company. They are the guiding principles for all activities undertaken by the company and its employees. So, fairly important then. When we look at the brand values of Amazon, Apple and Google it’s like looking at a blue print for earth-shattering success.

Amazon brand values are;
Customer Obsession, Ownership, Invent and Simplify, Are Right, A Lot, Hire and Develop the Best, Insist on the Highest Standards, Think Big, Bias for Action, Frugality, Vocally Self Critical, Earn Trust of Others, Dive Deep, Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit Deliver Results

Apple brand values are;
We believe that we’re on the face of the Earth to make great products. We believe in the simple, not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products we make. We participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot.

We don’t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change.

Google brand values are;
Focus on the user and all else will follow. It’s best to do one thing really, really well. Fast is better than slow. Democracy on the web works. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer. You can make money without doing evil. There’s always more information out there. The need for information crosses all borders. You can be serious without a suit. Great just isn’t good enough.

Although their brand values are quite different in terms of their content, emphasis and language, there is a common denominator. They can all be described as full-blown business philosophies. That’s what makes them so effective in terms of ‘providing guidance, direction and support for everyone in their organisations’. Whereas their competitors make do with what can best be described as statements of the obvious. Take Samsung, Apple’s arch rival. Their brand values of People, Change, Co-Prosperity, Excellence and Integrity could be claimed by any global organisation.

The amount of thought, care and inspiration, that has gone into the brand values of Amazon, Apple and Google, is immediate and obvious. Each of these top three global brands have developed a belief system that attracts both employees and customers alike. And there’s no reason why every company, whatever its size, shouldn’t go through the process of clearly defining and expressing its brand values and gaining genuine benefits from doing so. To help you to discover your core brand values, why not send for our Free DIY Brand Workshop Pack. In it you’ll also discover exercises on how to establish your brand vision, brand mission, brand personality and brand positioning.

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