Mission, Vision, Values

Before you pull out a map to plan any journey, you’ll likely ask yourself a couple of basic questions: Where am I headed and how am I going to get there? 

Mission, Vision, Values defined: It’s imperative to clearly state the reason a brand exists and to specify precisely what it will deliver. This articulation serves internal brand stewards in guiding all efforts effectively and aligning marketing and operations in a singular goal.

Ask ten of your employees about your brand’s Mission: Are they consistent in understanding and conveying why the brand exists? Can they articulate the Mission and further, execute on that Mission? You’d be doing well if three of them are on message regarding the Mission or the Values of the brand. And the Vision? Well, what is it that they’re working toward? They need to know.

When we talk about Mission, Vision and Values, we are referring to the “North Stars” of the brand, as well as defining why the brand exists, what the brand aims to achieve and how the brand will make an emotional connection and create a loyal customer.

The Mission is the formal declaration of the goals and values of the brand. It’s the reason for being. As an essential statement of the brand’s purpose, the Mission is both the who and the why of the brand story.

The Vision is what the brand aims to become and how you’re going to succeed in getting there. By its very nature, the Vision is forward-looking and it’s grand. But the Vision also requires a clear picture of the initiatives that the brand will undertake to ensure that the stated Vision becomes reality.

The Values of the brand serve as your compass points in aligning both its culture and in guiding the decisions which reflect the brand internally and to its customers. While the Values are the substance of the brand’s being, they will naturally adapt and evolve over time.