Brand identity work: defining your brand’s core values
Pet owners are looking to connect with brands, and building your brand identity will help that happen. | Nicholas Brownlow, Unsplash
Developing a brand identity is a multi-step process, and the first steps is figuring out what you stand for as a brand.
BY Lindsay Beaton, Founder/Principal
Beaton Path Communications LLC
Locking in your brand identity as a company isn’t unlike figuring out your own identity as a person. While the execution is through a business lens, the concepts behind the answers are largely the same. It can be a little uncomfortable, if only because it can feel like blurring the lines between company-as-entity and “companies-are-people” (don’t worry, they still aren’t), but there’s a good reason for copying the path towards knowing thyself and pasting it into a corporate setting: consumers are people, and in the pet space specifically, they want to be treated as such. That means relationship-building behind your brand, and you can’t do that unless you know what your brand stands for.
Creating a customer value proposition
One of the first steps in figuring out your brand’s values is to create a solid customer value proposition. According to Salesforce, “a customer value proposition (CVP) is a statement that summarizes why a potential customer should choose your product or service over the competition.” A good one will highlight your product’s specific benefits and value, and convey why it’s the best available solution for your potential customers’ needs. Clearly defined, you will be able to meet your prospective and current customers where they’re at in a way that makes them feel understood.
So, how can you go about creating a solid CVP? In a blog written for Salesforce in 2025, Cherilynn Castleman, managing partner/executive coach at CGI Sales Coaching & Training LLC, said there are three major components of an effective CVP: operational excellence (how your product is delivered to customers), product leadership (how innovative your product is) and customer intimacy (how you deliver the best customer experience). Stated more broadly, you must be able to articulate how you can solve the problem your customer has.
“The value proposition should communicate what you offer, how you solve your customers’ problems and what sets you apart,” said an August 2025 Business Insights blog written for Harvard Business School. “When consistently reflected in your branding, your value proposition strengthens your brand’s reputation and builds brand equity.”
There are six steps to creating a customer value proposition, according to Castleman:
Identify your target customer.
Determine their pain points.
Describe your solution.
Highlight the benefits that matter most to them.
Stand out from the competition.
Provide proof through testimonials or sales data.
It’s possible you already have some, or even all, of these answers floating around in your marketing department or business development plan. But sitting down and really diving in, making sure all the parts are in the same place so you can begin to build a picture with them, is vital to figuring out just “who” your brand is.
What to do with the answers once you have them
A completed CVP will sound a lot like a mission statement: “We help (A) do (B) by doing (C).” A is your target customer, either actual or potential. B is the problem you’re going to solve. C, of course, is the solution you’re going to provide. Once your formula is complete, you should ensure it shines through in everything you do with your brand. Whether verbal or visual, each element of what you build must present this mission to customers in order to send a cohesive message. Internally, having a CVP can make sure everyone is on the same page. Whether you’re working with R&D or marketing, whether you’re pitching a line extension or your salespeople are explaining the brand to retailers, the messaging should be the same.
This will help make that happen.