Vision Statements of Top Brands
As a part of a brand’s strategy, mission and vision statements are frameworks that managers use to clearly specify the brand’s DNA.
Strategic planning helps to set priorities, allocate resources, and ensure that everyone is working towards common goals and objectives.
Vision statements, together with mission statements, core values and brand personality are the components of a sound brand strategy.
What is a Vision Statement?
Vision Statement is a one-sentence statement describing the clear and inspirational long-term desired end-state.
A brand’s vision is a short phrase describing the future your brand is ultimately working towards.
It simply refers to the ideas behind a brand that help guide the future and captures the change resulting from a brand’s work.
In this article I feature some of the top brands and their vision statements.
Looking at other successful brands is a great source of inspiration.
It doesn’t mean that you have to copy them — not at all, your vision should be unique to your brand.
But you can get inspired and understand what vision statement is all about by looking at examples of famous brands we all can relate to.
And at the end of this article, you will find my tips and template on how to write your vision statement.
Vision vs Mission statements
Vision statements and mission statements are complementary but unique.
Elements of both are often combined to provide a statement of the company’s purposes, goals and values.
However, sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably.
Check the graphic below for quick distinction between both:
Who write mission and vision statements?
Typically, senior managers will write the company’s overall statements.
Then other managers at different levels can write statements for their particular divisions or sub-brands.
Benefits of having a Vision Statement
When the brand vision clicks, it will reflect and support the brand strategy.
- It will differentiate your brand from competitors and resonate with customers.
- It will also energize and inspire employees and partners.
- And finally it will help you come up with ideas for marketing programs.
When, on the other hand, the vision is absent or superficial:
- The brand will drift aimlessly.
- Employees and partners might feel confused.
- Marketing programs are likely to be inconsistent and ineffective.
A sound brand vision will enable strategists to make better judgments as to whether something is “on brand.”
1. Starbucks
Starbucks conceptualizes the future position a business wants to be in:
To be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world.
Starbucks’ vision statements is probably why the multi-million dollar coffeehouse chain has soared to success.
After all, the real essence of a brand can only be captured by its mission, vision statements and values.
After carefully examining the Starbucks’ vision statement, it’s clear that like other growing companies, has ambitious goals to become the finest coffee markers in the world.
Starbucks echoes its desire to lead from the front and by example through superior coffee products.
If you have a clear vision of where your brand is heading, then you can make meaningful decisions along the way.
2. Nike
The vision statement adopted by Nike reflects exactly what the company has been known for since its beginnings in 1964.
To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.
Despite changes and rebranding, the goal of Nike remains unchanged — to lead in manufacturing products that bring out the best in athletes.
Nike projects an image of the ultimate manufacturer of what athletes need to compete at the top level.
The Nike’s vision statement focuses on the extent and scope of influence the company would want to have in the sports sector.
And thanks to clearly defined mission and vision statements, the brand was able to stay true to its DNA over the years.
What we can learn from Nike’s examples is that your vision statements should communicate the purpose of your brand to the employees and other stakeholders alike.
The statements provides them with the inspiration to achieve that purpose.
3. Visa
Visa’s statement serves as the company central focus which is to become the most trusted means of payment transaction.
To be the best way to pay and be paid, for everyone, everywhere.
On its about page you can read a headline “A better way to pay and be paid” — that is clearly based on that statement.
VISA strives to achieve a leadership position in payments sector in general.
You may think that this vision statement looks a bit generic, because it doesn’t state where specifically VISA is trying to reach and how it expects to be there.
However, your vision should as open as possible for future growth while still providing enough direction.
A good vision statement is like a guiding star and provides an overall direction.
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