Common Core Company Values And Why They Matter

Giles Taylor writes for W/Brand Design Blog
Giles Taylor, April 23, 2021

Being unique is vital for any brand. Branding experts tell us time and time again that it’s crucial to have a personalised vision and values as a brand. We’re told not to simply lift from another brand’s manifesto, yet we can’t help but notice that some brand values seem to crop up a lot. The question is, does this matter, and does it dilute their meaning?

What are the core values of a company?

A company’s core values are a way of keeping everyone who works there on the same page. They allow customers to quickly understand what the brand’s personality is and what they stand for, without even needing to see their core values listed out. 

They are the essential glue that holds all these pieces together. Easy to understand, they should pervade through everything the business does and says. And what about the unique part? Well, like someone’s personality, nothing screams disingenuous like an imitator. So yes, they should also be totally, unfailingly bespoke to your business. 

Countdown of common core company values 

How does all this present itself in real-life examples? This is the fun part because if you head to articles about core values, you’ll find common, typically listed core values run fast and free. So many businesses put these kinds of things down:

  • Trust
  • Integrity
  • Boldness 
  • Continuous learning 
  • Accountability
  • Quality
  • Teamwork

It all starts sounding a bit like word soup. The meaning of words and phrases like this gets dull when you hear them over and over. But there is something to be said here for making them your own too.

Sure, integrity might have been used a zillion times before (we’re not counting, but that seems like an accurate estimate to us), but perhaps it is important to you. Perhaps in your market, integrity isn’t something that businesses are known for, and you want to truly change that. 

Now, we’d still urge you to rethink here and adapt to find something that’s less throwaway and more meaningful. But ultimately, it’s not just about the way you describe your core values but about the way you instil them and act on them as a business. 

W/Brand’s three core values 

What can we say about our core values? Well, as a branding agency, we should have some good ones, right? You are spot on. Our core values are:

  • Immersion
  • Relevance 
  • Diligence 

There’s not an “integrity” insight. And that doesn’t mean we don’t act with it. We have simply chosen ways to describe our agency in words that motivate, drive and describe us.  

In conclusion … 

First off, if you want to know why we selected those core values, you need to get in touch with us. We’ll explain in a clear and interesting way. We promise.

As for your core values, remember three things. One, always strive for uniqueness. Not for the sake of it, but because it’s vital. Two, whatever core values you choose, make sure you live by them. Otherwise, they are useless. And last but not least, if you need help with them, you know where we are. 

Giles Taylor writes for W/Brand Design Blog

Giles Taylor

Giles is the founder and creative director for W/Brand. A graphic designer from Reading in Berkshire, UK, he's a dad with two wonderful children who enjoys walking and playing the guitar.  

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