Why not values? Values are a list of words on your website that nobody reads (including you). It’s a list of nothingness that does little for your brand or the people you serve. Principles however.. *chefs kiss* are more interesting. In short, they are the unique hills your business will die on. Non-negotiables that guarantee the kind of excellence customers can only get from you.

Done properly, your principles form the operating system of your organisation, the rules that guide every decision, every hire, every piece of communication.

Brand personality is how those principles are revealed in the way you communicate. It’s the human characteristics your brand embodies. They need to be abundantly clear. 

Choosing principles that actually mean something

Most organisations pick safe, generic values: integrity (🥱), respect (😒), excellence (🙄), care (🤯). They might look good on a wall but they mean absolutely nothing in practice.

Good brand values are:

  • Specific – not interchangeable with any other organisation
  • Actionable – they guide real decisions
  • Defensible – you could give an example of upholding each one
  • Authentic – they reflect how you actually operate, not how you wish you operated

The test

For each principle you’re considering, ask: “Would we ever make a decision that contradicts this?” If the answer is no, it’s real. If you’d compromise it under pressure then cut it.

Defining your brand personality

Think of your brand as a person. How would they speak? How would they dress? What would they never say?

Useful dimensions to consider:

  • Formal vs Casual
  • Serious vs Playful
  • Bold vs Gentle
  • Expert vs Approachable
  • Traditional vs Progressive

Most strong brands sit decisively on one side of these scales, not awkwardly in the middle (unless awkward is the brand). Ask yourself, if my brand was a person I met at a party, how would they be behaving? What principles would they have? What would I notice?

Exercise 1

List 3-5 genuine brand principles. Things you’d happily argue over or lose customers over. For each one, write one sentence explaining what it looks like in practice at your organisation. 

Exercise 2

We like to ask clients this question;

Put yourself in the shoes of your typical client. You’re at a party and notice someone across the room… You can’t take your eyes off them. You have to meet them. You ask your friend who that captivating stranger is. They whisper (in a voice like they’re surprised you don’t already know) that it’s [Your Organisation]…

  • First impression? What’s their ‘vibe’?
  • What are they wearing?
  • What kind of music are they dancing to?
  • What do they smell like?
  • How do they introduce themselves?
  • How are they interacting with others? Surrounded by a big crowd, or having an engaged conversation with a small group?
  • How do they talk? Are they loud and use excitable? Are they quieter and deliberate?
  • How do they make me feel?
  • What do we talk about?
PreviousNext