Mission, vision and values

If positioning says where you are now, your mission, vision and values say how far you can go. The mission answers why your business exists beyond profit; the vision, what world it wants to leave behind; the values, what it won't sacrifice, even for the sake of profit. They are the difference between a business we forget within a year and a brand that gathers a loyal tribe for the decade ahead.

The problem with most such statements is that they are interchangeable. If you can put your competitor's logo on your mission and it still rings true, you haven't said anything yet.

The useful check is whether a decision follows from them. A value that has never made you turn down a project, a client or a shortcut is a wish — not a value.

Related terms: Brand promise, Positioning, Brand personality and archetypes.