Want customer loyalty? Live your values
Two stories caught our eye recently.
Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, walked away from the business after nearly 50 years because his values no longer matched how it was being run.
And British cosmetics retailer Lush? They shut every UK shop, factory and even their website for a whole day. Not for maintenance but to take a stand, in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Two very different examples. Same message: values aren’t just words on a wall. They drive decisions. And sometimes, they mean making bold, uncomfortable choices for the world to see.
Why values matter more than ever
Customers expect more. It’s not enough to have a good product, people want to know what you stand for.
Gen Z especially won’t stick around if your actions don’t match your words. They’ll call it out and move on.
And with AI spitting out generic content everywhere, authenticity is the real currency. People know the difference between a brand living its values and one just paying lip service.
It’s not just about customers
It’s about your team too. Work takes up so much of life, why waste it somewhere that doesn’t align with what you believe?
When values are aligned, you feel proud to show up. When they’re not, it drains you fast, just ask Jerry Greenfield. Walking away from your life’s work only happens when that gap gets too big.
My own experience
When I was head of marketing at telecoms giant, plan.com, I helped shape a company-wide values programme. We didn’t just stick words on posters, we wove them into everything from recruitment and performance reviews, to celebrations and culture.
That was more than five years ago, and those values are still being talked about. Why? Because they were real. People lived them, and that’s why both employees and customers wanted to stick around.
Tips for small businesses
You don’t need to be Ben & Jerry’s or Lush to get this right. In fact, smaller businesses can move faster.
Pick 3–5 values that mean something. Be specific (swap “integrity” for “we always give honest advice, even if it costs us a sale”).
Stress-test them. Would you stick to them even if it lost money? If not, they’re not real values.
Use them. In recruitment, conversations with customers, marketing - everywhere.
Call them out. Celebrate when someone shows a value in action.
Stay consistent. People forgive mistakes, not hypocrisy.
The takeaway
Values aren’t about posters or marketing campaigns. They’re about how you actually run your business and how it feels to work there. And right now, with younger generations demanding better, and AI making authenticity more important than ever, values can be the thing that makes your business stand out.
Sometimes they’ll cost you time or money in the short term, but in the long run, they’re what builds trust, loyalty, and a brand people believe in.
If you’re thinking about how your business defines its values — or how to actually embed them into your brand, marketing or internal comms — that’s exactly the kind of work we love to support at Great Minds Marketing 👉 hello@greatmindsmarketing.co.uk
So, if your values were tested tomorrow, would you stand by them?
