Messaging vs Values!

Is your messaging in conflict with your values?

If your values aren’t clear, how do you come up with your messages? If your values aren’t clear, how do you tell the world about what you do? If your values aren’t clear, how do you respond to the inevitable inflection points?

Take these three examples and bear with me for a moment.

Late last year, Sam Adams came out with the campaign “Brewed Inefficiently since 1984“. Inefficient? Who wants to drink that? The values they advocate are innovation, quality, craftsmanship. Those are the things I look for in beer, taste, not efficiency. It seems like a case of marketing getting too clever for the product; it happens all the time. I’ll still drink the beer and wait for a new ad campaign.

There is a company; I’d like to patronize as little as possible. But it’s not easy; there aren’t so many choices as in choosing a beer. Facebook’s stated mission is to give “power to build community.” However, the more we learn, the more we come to understand that the real purpose is to monetize the user and the community the user builds. That is, to monetize you and me. Now they want to create a currency. Please just pay me for my data, and let’s call it even. #OwnYourData  

Then, think of Tesla. The mission is about sustainable energy. Through “electric cars and energy generation.” “You don’t have to compromise to drive electric,” they say. For all the troubles at the company, those two things remain true. If you don’t believe me, check out Mr. Money Moustache, this guy is a tough sell. And I can attest to the experience; maybe I’m biased; success for Tesla is good for all of us.

How do your companies messaging align with its values? Do you know?   

Are you clear on your personal core values? Inflection points may seem less daunting when you know your values. Your core values should probably be a list of only 2 or 3, any more than that, and it can be challenging to remember them when they are needed. I have a fun exercise that explores this topic, reach out if you’d like to discuss.

Let me know your thoughts about values.

Thanks,

Ted