Nmblr Edge Step 6: Brand Identity

How to define your brand values & personality

1. Revisit your positioning statement

• Review your positioning to ensure clarity on your unique promise, target audience, and competitive differentiation.
• Ask: What do we want to be known for, and how do we want to be perceived?

2. Reflect on the space occupied by the competition

• The competitors’ brand values and personalities.
• Identify overused traits (e.g., 'innovative,' 'caring') and areas where competitors sound or act alike.
• Spot opportunities for your brand to stand out.

3. Extract Emotional and Functional Drivers

• Revisit your core insight and the emotional/functional benefits you deliver.
• Identify the feelings and experiences you want to evoke in your audience (e.g., confidence, empowerment, optimism).

4. Co-Create Brand Values

• Brand values are the foundational beliefs and guiding principles that shape how the brand operates, makes decisions, and interacts with the world
• Gather a cross-functional team (marketing, leadership, frontline staff) for a workshop.
• Brainstorm values that:
  • Reflect your positioning and winning focus
  • Guide decision-making and behaviour inside and outside the company.
  • Are actionable, not just aspirational
• Prioritise 3–5 values that are unique, authentic, and meaningful.

Example: If your positioning is about 'empowering patients to take control', your values might include: 'Transparency', 'Empathy', 'Proactivity.'

5. Define a Distinct Brand Personality

• Brand personality is the set of human traits and emotional characteristics attributed to a brand, shaping how it expresses itself and is perceived - making the brand relatable and distinct in the minds of its audience.

Imagine your brand as a person. What traits would it have (e.g., bold, nurturing, witty, authoritative)?

Brainstorm values that:

• Align with your positioning and values.
• Are differentiated from competitors.
• Can be consistently expressed in tone, visuals, and behaviour.

Example: A brand positioned as a 'trusted guide' might have a personality that is wise, approachable, and reassuring.

7. Test for Distinctiveness and Resonance

• Share your proposed values and personality internally and with select customers.
• Ask: Are these believable? Are they different from competitors? Do they inspire pride and action?
• Refine based on feedback.

8. Embed and Activate

• Integrate values and personality into your brand guidelines, onboarding, and performance reviews.
• Celebrate and reward behaviours that exemplify your values and personality.
• Ensure every touchpoint - marketing, service, product - reflects your chosen identity.