As belief declines and shopper expectations rise, model values have change into important. You may see this in how individuals choose manufacturers on social media.
In response to a Q3 2025 Sprout Social Pulse Survey, almost half of social media customers (47%) usually tend to purchase from corporations that talk out about particular causes or subjects within the information, with this quantity rising to 63% for Gen Z. And in response to a separate, Q2 2025 Pulse Survey, the boldest factor an organization can do on social is be upfront about their merchandise, providers and what they stand for.
By incorporating your values into your model technique and your model storytelling, you’re higher positioned to construct belief, strengthen your status and encourage customers to purchase from you.
Learn on to see how main manufacturers put their values into motion and to learn to outline and talk yours on social media.
What are model values?
Model values are the beliefs that information a company’s enterprise practices. They assist leaders make strategic selections and allow workers and prospects to gauge whether or not the group resides as much as its said values.
Together with a number of different foundational components (like mission, imaginative and prescient, story, voice, and many others.), a model’s values play a key function in its identification and notion, each internally and externally.
Why model values are vital for companies
If you wish to construct a memorable model with a loyal following, you want model values to face out, construct belief and join with audiences on a deeper stage.
To show this, let’s contemplate the shopper journey of shopping for a pair of footwear. Whereas manufacturers is perhaps comparable by way of worth or design, the choice typically comes all the way down to which model’s values align with the patron’s personal. Values are the distinction between “I like this shoe so I’m going to purchase it,” and “I like what this model stands for, and shopping for from this model makes me really feel good, so I’m going to purchase this shoe.” Model values set up an emotional connection between customers and your model.
This shoe instance illustrates the affect that model values have on buying selections. Values give your model one thing to face on that’s greater than your services or products. However right here’s the catch: You must talk your values clearly and usually so customers affiliate them together with your model.
Working your values into your social media content material technique makes it simpler to inform genuine tales that mirror what your model stands for. In response to The 2025 Sprout Social Index™, customers ranked authenticity as an important trait of brand name content material.
And authenticity pays off. In response to Sprout’s Q2 2025 Pulse Survey, 41% of social media customers say they’re most definitely to name out a model for unethical habits. This exhibits persons are paying consideration, and whenever you constantly again up your values with motion, you stand to strengthen your model status.
6 examples of robust model values
Worth-driven manufacturers encourage model loyalty and inspire individuals to behave. By constructing on robust values, you’ll be able to create a office workers are proud to be part of, a model customers belief and a presence followers wish to have interaction with on social.
Step one is making your values seen. Values-driven companies don’t draw back from making their values accessible.
Under are a number of manufacturers which are main by instance with robust values. Be happy to make use of this as inspiration you’ll be able to apply to your personal model values.
1. Sprout Social
Sprout’s values are constructed into the instruments we develop and the way in which we current ourselves to prospects. After 15 years of innovation, we lately refreshed our values to mirror the place we at the moment are.
Listed here are Sprout’s up to date values:
- Be a pleasure to work with
- Put your title on it
- Change the sport
- All in, all collectively
By creating options like Sprout’s Social Buyer Care device, we assist manufacturers be a pleasure to work with by streamlining workflows and permitting individuals to deal with significant interactions that strengthen buyer relationships and construct loyalty.
Sprout lives its put your title on it precept by constantly publishing authentic analysis, like The 2025 Influence of Social Media Advertising Report, to share insights that profit entrepreneurs throughout the trade.
You may see how Sprout is all in, all collectively by way of exterior partnerships like our expanded integration with Salesforce, and in the truth that workers and executives are sometimes the voice of our social content material. These examples present that we worth collaboration, each internally and externally.
The lesson right here is that evolving your values is simply as vital to staying genuine as residing them. As a substitute of clinging to values that not serve your model, updating them as your model evolves can open up new methods to innovate and join.
2. Marriott Worldwide
Marriott Worldwide, a well known hospitality model, has values that align with its attain and focus.
Marriott Worldwide’s core values embrace:
- We put individuals first
- We pursue excellence
- We embrace change
- We act with integrity
- We serve our world
Marriott Worldwide places individuals first by recognizing hardworking workers with the J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence, then celebrating the winners on social by sharing what drives them.
Marriott Worldwide additionally runs a number of initiatives in step with its dedication to serve our world. HotelHelp, a pilot program that donates rooms to supply emergency lodging for human trafficking survivors, is one among these initiatives.
Via these examples, you’ll be able to see how Marriott Worldwide’s values unify each inside and exterior touchpoint of its world model technique. No matter your model’s dimension, try to be striving for consistency as a result of it’s a constructing block of belief.
3. Blueland
Blueland, a plastic-free cleansing merchandise firm, constructed its complete model round its values.
Blueland’s values embrace:
- At all times Innovating
- No Harsh Chemical compounds
- Clear with out Compromise
- Sustainability
The product vary displays the model’s dedication to all of its values. Blueland gives compostable, refillable packaging and progressive liquid-free formulation made with clear components.
Past the merchandise, Blueland teaches its followers about sustainability in an approachable approach on social media. For instance, a TikTok “Spelling Bee” skit that includes co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo playfully educates viewers on hidden plastics in on a regular basis merchandise.
Edutainment content material like that is precisely what 66% of social customers say they discover most partaking, in response to The 2024 Social Media Content material Technique Report.
Blueland exhibits that credibility comes from speaking clearly about your product options and advantages whereas additionally talking in regards to the bigger points behind your values. The very best manufacturers steadiness each.
4. Reformation
Reformation is a Los Angeles-based sustainable trend model. Regardless that they aren’t listed wherever on the web site, the model exhibits it values environmental duty and transparency by way of its actions.
The model maintains environmental duty by monitoring the environmental footprint of its clothes utilizing RefScale, and transparency by sharing quarterly sustainability experiences. On its web site, the model takes a extra critical tone when discussing these initiatives, whereas on social it retains the tone lighter but nonetheless aligned with its values.
For instance, its “Sustainability Road Smarts” TikTok collection asks individuals on the road informal questions associated to sustainability, like “would you date somebody who doesn’t consider in local weather change?”
Reformation stays true to its model voice and ensures its messaging displays its commitments, whereas adapting its tone to the context (web site vs. social media). This exhibits your values don’t have to sound the identical in all places, and in reality, they shouldn’t.
5. Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, the beloved fast-casual chain, solely has one overarching worth: every thing we do is actual.
So what does being actual imply? Sourcing recent, high-quality components, treating workers and companions with respect and being genuine and clear on social media and in model communications.
This worth additionally comes by way of in Chipotle’s irreverent social content material on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X and Threads. For instance, the model captioned a publish on Fb, “okay fess up,” and paired it with images of orders with humorous names individuals made up on them, making it appear to be these had been images individuals despatched to the model.
The voice and writing type in posts like this mirror how Chipotle’s viewers truly talks and engages on-line, making them really feel extra genuine and fewer company, which aligns with the corporate’s central model worth.
Chipotle demonstrates how having one central worth leaves room for vary and artistic interpretation whereas offering focus. This can be an strategy you need to remember when defining your model values.
6. Patagonia
While you consider a value-driven model, you most likely consider Patagonia, the outside attire firm.
Listed here are Patagonia’s values:
- High quality
- Integrity
- Environmentalism
- Justice
- Not certain by conference
As a number of examples of how Patagonia practices its values of environmentalism and justice on a enterprise stage, it’s a part of 1% for the Planet and champions environmental activism by way of Patagonia Motion Works.
However what Patagonia is most recognized for is its model storytelling. It places the attire on show in an natural approach that evokes individuals to get exterior. The model’s “Microbeta” YouTube collection about Patagonia ambassadors tackling iconic and difficult climbs is an effective instance of this.
By grounding its storytelling in and across the neighborhood and life-style Patagonia helps, it creates a way of satisfaction and belonging. This sort of emotional connection is what makes model storytelling so worthwhile.
Tips on how to outline your personal model values
Defining your model values isn’t a matter of pulling them from skinny air. You must develop them based mostly on the views, experiences and priorities of your workers and followers. In any other case, your model values might not come throughout as genuine or be actionable throughout your complete group.
Comply with the tried-and-tested steps Sprout makes use of to formulate its values under to outline your values.
1. Set up your group
First, it’s vital to herald a various set of voices and factors of view. Invite individuals from completely different departments, similar to advertising and human assets, in addition to opening the invitation to extremely engaged workers or group members who work together immediately with prospects.
Be sure you have a sampling of various ranges all through the group (i.e., not simply senior leaders). Sprout did this by sending an open invitation to your complete firm after which whittling it all the way down to a working group of 15 people.
2. Collect suggestions
For the values growth course of to achieve success, workers ought to really feel possession within the course of. That is why Sprout’s working group held department-based focus teams to reap suggestions from throughout the corporate (amongst different tasks).
Equally, your facilitators ought to accumulate enter from numerous departments and people. By the tip of those classes, it’s best to have a large checklist of concepts.
Social listening may assist right here, offering particulars about what your prospects love about your model and what they assume you could possibly do higher.
3. Establish themes
With so many concepts to contemplate, it might get overwhelming to slender down your set of values. Begin by figuring out themes among the many submissions. For instance, there is perhaps 10 or 15 comparable concepts round worker development that may be mixed right into a thematic grouping.
You should definitely focus in your present tradition and your aspirations for the longer term. The place are you at this time? But in addition—the place do you wish to go?
4. Refine and talk
Now that you simply’ve developed a slimmer checklist of themes, it’s time to current them to the chief group for suggestions. This council will refine the themes all the way down to a manageable set of values that mirror the enter and analysis gathered all through the method.
From there, deal with inside communications to make sure each worker understands and connects together with your newly established values. Management ought to share the ultimate values broadly and in a number of codecs, together with in locations like group conferences, inside newsletters and intranet posts.
The purpose is to assist workers see themselves within the values, and video is likely one of the greatest methods to try this. Sprout’s new values video is an effective instance as a result of it explains the which means behind every worth, exhibits how they information selections and encourages workers to convey them to life of their day by day work.
By speaking thoughtfully and constantly, inside comms turns model values right into a shared approach of working and making selections.
Tips on how to talk your model values utilizing social media
To speak your model values utilizing social media, you must make them a part of your content material technique. This exhibits that your values are an inherent a part of the way in which your organization operates, attracting extra like-minded customers and constructing goodwill amongst your viewers.
Listed here are a number of concepts that will help you begin showcasing your values on social media.
1. Put them in your web site
Technically, this isn’t a social media tactic, nevertheless it’s so vital it wanted to be included right here.
The extra visibility and transparency your viewers has into your values and the issues that make your model tick, the extra linked they’ll really feel. And as we’ve already established, that results in extra gross sales. Whereas social media is a superb place to showcase your values, don’t neglect to incorporate them in your web site, too.
You may add them to your about web page, create a brand new web page to share your mission and values or write a weblog publish particularly about your values. Regardless of the place you set them, you’ll wish to embrace a short and clear description of what every worth means.
As an example, Sprout’s about web page explains that “Be a Pleasure to Work With” means “in each buyer interplay, we ship distinctive worth.” By translating its values into plain language, Sprout makes them simpler to grasp and establish in motion.
2. Share your story
Folks like tales. It’s how we make sense of the world. And types which are actually good at telling their tales typically construct a loyal following, too.
Model storytelling goes past the info to indicate the aim and values behind your corporation. Your services or products remains to be current, nevertheless it fades into the background so the main focus is on the human tales round your model.
When performed effectively, model storytelling evokes individuals to take motion: change into model ambassadors, make a purchase order, have interaction on social or have interaction within the life-style your model promotes. You may inform the tales of consumers or workers, or you’ll be able to accomplice with influencers.
Cariuma’s “Wander Extra” collection on Instagram is a powerful instance of brand name storytelling by way of influencer advertising. As a substitute of spotlighting its sneakers, the model adopted skater Louise Maurisset by way of her day by day surf rituals, espresso stops and neighborhood connections, displaying how she embodies Cariuma’s values of sustainability and acutely aware residing.
Take Cariuma’s lead, and inform human tales associated to your model values to make your model extra relatable and your content material extra partaking.
3. Associate with influencers
Borrowing the cache of an influencer or content material creator who shares comparable values can multiply the impact of your values-driven social content material.
Each genuine influencer partnership begins with analysis. You could find somebody who aligns effectively together with your values manually, or use Sprout Social Influencer Advertising to make the method quicker and simpler. It helps social entrepreneurs discover creators who share their model values, observe the affect of partnerships and keep compliance and transparency.
If the purpose is to share your values by way of an influencer-brand partnership, a method is to lift funds for a shared trigger you each care about. You are able to do this by growing a particular product, planning a fundraising occasion or making a social media problem and cross-promoting it.
For instance, Grounds and Hounds Espresso partnered with Doug the Pug, a pet influencer, on a restricted version espresso mix the place a portion of the gross sales went to the Doug the Pug Basis.
Instead, you can too present influencers with a inventive temporary that highlights your model’s values as an alternative of product options.
4. Associate with nonprofits
One other instance of “two accounts are higher than one” is partnering immediately with nonprofits that help causes associated to your values. This will go a great distance towards serving to you authentically embody your model values on social.
You may collaborate on a challenge or just work together with one another, like sharing one another’s content material. Both approach, the symbiotic amplification is a win-win.
Rothy’s created a set of luggage from repurposed supplies in help of Feed Initiatives, and debuted the collaboration on Giving Tuesday.
Working with a nonprofit not solely helps increase consciousness for a trigger your model (and viewers, by extension) cares about, but in addition exhibits that your values have an precise affect.
5. Showcase your workers
When you consider an organization’s values, you’ll be able to’t neglect in regards to the workers. A model’s dedication to its values can be illustrated in the way in which it treats its group members. And workers are those residing your values in motion each day.
You may showcase your workers by making them the voice of your model on social, or by making a content material collection, like #LifeAtGoogle, that offers audiences a glance into the values that form the corporate tradition.
One other technique to humanize your model and improve your attain is thru worker advocacy, which is the place you encourage workers to share brand-related content material on their very own social media networks. Instruments like Sprout’s Worker Advocacy answer make this simple by giving groups a platform to share company-approved content material.
6. Sustain with present occasions
Preserve your model feeling recent and related by weighing in on issues which are taking place on the planet proper now on social media. The previous few years have proven that buyers need corporations to face behind what they are saying they consider.
Patagonia does a superb job of this. The model isn’t afraid to face up for environmental points, which has earned it a loyal fan base. As an example, they lately referred to as on their followers to take motion to guard The Roadless Rule, a conservation coverage that protects hundreds of thousands of acres of US forests from logging, mining and street constructing.
Whereas the sort of content material will be polarizing, whenever you make it crystal clear the place you stand on vital points on social, it in the end helps you curate an viewers that shares your ideas.
Embody your model values to construct belief
Your model values are only one piece of the puzzle relating to incomes belief and constructing your credibility. Now that you simply’ve developed them, you’re well-positioned to make strategic selections and inform genuine tales on social.
Obtain our social media audit template to ensure your values are precisely mirrored in your social content material.
