In 2025, unlocking your brand values is more important than ever.

With the rise of social media and the increasing importance of customer experience, brand values are playing a more and more critical role in shaping customer perceptions and driving business success.

According to the HubSport Consumer Trends report, 82% of consumers want the brands they engage with to share their values, giving rise to purpose-led brands that connect with their customers on a deeper level.

In this article, we’ll explore what brand values are, their importance in 2025 and beyond, and some brands leading by example. We’ll also share some tips for how to incorporate brand values into your own strategy and how Rooster Marketing can support you in elevating your marketing success.

 

Defining brand values

Brand values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide your company’s decisions and actions. They are the foundation of your brand identity and help to shape your company culture, employee behaviour, and customer experience.

 

Why brand values are important

With endless options available for purchase in today’s market, standing out from the crowd is essential in ensuring your brand not only survives but thrives.

Particularly prevalent amongst Gen Z consumers, brand values are increasingly informing decision-making and commitment to purchase. As a result, brands failing to commit to or communicate their values will be at risk of falling behind.

 

Considerations before selecting brand values

Before selecting your brand values, you’ll need to consider a few elements that might impact your decision:

 

Alignment with your mission

Every brand has a mission – a clearly defined path that each one of your business’s decisions acts to further. When defining your brand values, you must ensure that these values align with your company’s overall mission and vision for the future. Otherwise, your brand will feel disjointed and will fail to connect to your target audience.

 

Relevance to your target audience

Forming meaningful connections with your target audience is invaluable to your success as a business. Your brand values should be relevant to your existing and prospective customers and resonate with their own principles.

The inclusion of brand values in your strategy will truly elevate your business in the eyes of your customers, and broaden your scope with like-minded audiences.

 

Authenticity and credibility

Your brand values should authentically reflect your company’s true character and everything you stand for, enhancing your industry reputation and level of credibility simultaneously.

 

Above the competition

Differentiate your business from your competitors with brand values. Your competitors might offer a similar product, but your brand values are unique to your business, thus establishing you as a leader in the market you operate within.

 

Brand values may include…

Here we’ve compiled a list of brand values that you should consider implementing in your strategy. Remember, your brand values shouldn’t limit you. They should expand your growth and your business, so choose wisely:

  • Integrity: This represents a commitment to honesty, transparency, and ethical behaviour.
  • Innovation: Does your business drive to create new and better products and services?
  • Quality: Does your company focus on delivering high-quality products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations?
  • Customer focus: This is a dedication to providing excellent customer service or exceeding customer expectations.
  • Social responsibility: Does your business uphold a commitment to giving back to the community and making a positive impact on the world?

 

Leading by example

There are so many flourishing businesses that weave their brand values into the very fabric of their offering. And there’s a reason for this success: their commitment to brand values. Here we explore some notable examples:

 

World of Books

By buying books back from customers and purchasing excess stock from charities, World of Books can significantly reduce waste and give more books the home they deserve. This brand also has its very own independent charity ‘The Wob Foundation’, which is working to support literacy and the circular economy.

In 2023, World of Books saved 622,878 trees and rehomed over 28 million books. This brilliant business isn’t only saving the planet; its commitments to diversity and inclusion, as well as a sustainable supply chain, are remarkable.

World of Books is truly a representation of a passion for a cause, enabling bookworms, who likely care about the environment, a chance to save their money and the planet. They have successfully found a crossover of interests within their target audience, and subsequently, their message resonates with hundreds of thousands of customers around the world.

 

Ben & Jerry’s

An ice cream company with a vision to make the world a better place, Ben & Jerry’s has been incredibly influential in demonstrating that wearing your heart on your sleeve works as a business strategy.

Their brand values are the cornerstone of their operations. They are vocal in their support for a range of movements, including climate justice, Fairtrade and LGBTQ+ rights, across their social media platforms, as well as through a whole section of their website that is dedicated to sharing their mission.

Its advocacy of these causes encourages its customers to commit to the same values, if they haven’t already, thus aligning seamlessly with its target audience.

 

Patagonia

During the span of almost 40 years, Patagonia has been making a difference in the quest to find solutions to the climate crisis. Their mission is to “force governments and corporations to take action in solving our environmental problems” for the good of future generations.

Their ‘1% for the planet’ initiative represents the percentage of sales that the organisation donates to the “preservation and restoration of natural environments”.

What’s more, 70% of businesses under ‘1% for the planet’ have seen revenue growth year-over-year, indicating that putting money into good causes is beneficial for both businesses and the environment.

 

Tony’s Chocolonely

Ever wondered why Tony’s chocolate bars are weird and uneven shapes? It represents their commitment to ending the exploitation in cocoa.

Through the power of chocolate, Tony’s Chocolonely is empowering more sustainable and ethical choices for consumers. Combatting the unfair distribution of value and power in the industry, as well as child labour and forced labour on cocoa farms, Tony’s is broadening awareness of these issues one bar at a time and influencing their customers to act.

This purpose-led brand is an inspiring showcase of the tangible difference businesses can make on the planet, whilst also making a profit.

 

The Body Shop

“Businesses can drive positive change in the world” was a founding principle for The Body Shop when it began in 1976.

Fighting to empower women and girls around the world, The Body Shop is a self-proclaimed “feminist brand” that fights for equality of rights and opportunities. This women-oriented brand inspires people to shop more consciously and support causes they care about with their credit cards.

That’s not all. They’re also fighting for our planet and its animals. Best known for its stance on animal cruelty in testing practices within the beauty industry, this organisation has amassed millions of signatures for petitions against animal testing, inspiring change on a global scale.

The Body Shop has proved that investing in brands is not only an act of self-care, it’s an act of care for the planet and its people too.

 

Tips for unlocking your brand values

So, how can you unlock your brand values and put them into action within your business?

 

Communicate your brand values clearly and consistently

Make sure your brand values are communicated clearly and consistently throughout your organisation, from your website and marketing materials to your employee handbook and customer service interactions.

 

Measure the impact of your brand values

Track the impact of your brand values on your business, such as customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and brand awareness.

 

Be willing to adapt

As your company grows and evolves, your brand values may need to progress as well. A willingness to adapt your brand values to reflect your company’s changing needs will be invaluable for your long-term success.

 

Build a better business with Rooster Marketing

By unlocking your brand values, you can build a strong brand that resonates with your target audience, attracts and retains talented employees, and drives business success in 2025 and beyond.

At Rooster Marketing, our brand experts craft compelling marketing strategies that are bespoke to your business and will encourage a return on your investment.

Unleash your true potential. Get in touch with our team of experts today to learn more about our services.