Advances in brain science are starting to challenge many of the old tenets of marketing and brand strategy. We are learning that the most powerful connection a brand can make is on a values level. Brands that clearly articulate and live up to a values system create more profound loyalty, are more elastic and support higher margins. Some of the most powerful brands in the world – Apple, Nike, GE and Virgin for example – work on this level.
A great brand can help consumers add meaning to their lives by creating a sense of greater personal expression and self-definition. It can only do this when it makes a values connection by linking the brand to ideas of fundamental importance to people. Moreover, making a values connection can also forge a more differentiated brand strategy.