In a crowded market, brands need a clear sense of who they are—and that’s where brand pillars come in. Brand pillars define who your brand is and what it stands for. Why does your brand exist? What is your workplace culture like? What do you want your brand experience to be for customers?
Learn more about the five brand pillars and how to define them for your business to boost brand loyalty and customer experience.
What are brand pillars?
Brand pillars are the defining features that support your company’s purpose and identity. They’re often expressed as short statements that communicate your brand values to your team and other stakeholders. Most companies use brand pillars as the foundation for marketing, sales, human resources, and product development—and to define what sets them apart from competitors. Externally, customers see the impact of these brand pillars in a company’s mission statement, brand voice, and marketing materials.
The 5 brand pillars
Each pillar describes a different aspect of your business strategy:
1. Purpose
Your brand purpose is your overarching goal as a brand. It’s typically at the heart of your customer-facing mission statement and your company’s story.
Articulate your brand’s purpose by asking yourself why you started your company, what you hope to achieve in the future, and how you hope to impact your customers and the world. For example, an organic T-shirt brand’s purpose pillar may be to “make sustainable fashion accessible to everyone.” That mission shows up in their choice of materials, suppliers, pricing, and marketing.
Strive for a purpose pillar that resonates with both your internal team and target audience. Stay clear and authentic, and avoid generic statements that could apply to any business.
2. Positioning
Your brand positioning is often articulated in a short positioning statement that defines your target audience and differentiation strategy.
Ask yourself:
-
Who is my target customer?
-
What do they value?
-
What are their pain points?
-
What other brands appeal to them?
Explain your value proposition—why customers should choose your brand over others. A strong positioning pillar makes it obvious who you serve and why you’re the best fit.
3. Personality
Your brand personality is the voice and tone you use in public-facing messaging and within your company. It can range from the playful and cheeky brand voice of Good Girls Snacks (with its catchphrase “Hot Girls Eat Pickles”) to the refined and formal tone of custom wax seal company Artisaire.
Typically, the personality pillar is internal facing—you won’t post your brand’s personality guide on social media. However, it guides both internal and external communications to create an overall company culture that customers and prospective hires can appreciate.
Consider the best tone for your industry and target customer. What’s working for other brands in the industry, and what’s falling flat? What’s the attitude of your customers when they search for your product or begin their customer journey? Explore social media posts from potential customers or an established business in your industry to learn how customers perceive similar products.
4. Promotion
The brand promotion pillar covers marketing and promotion strategies. It determines which communication channels you prioritize, the kind of content you create, and how you attract new and repeat customers.
Think about your product features and ideal customer journey. What channels does your target market use? Should you focus on fast-paced social media videos, long-form white papers, email campaigns, or flash sales? What type of sales promotion would motivate customers to purchase? Are they careful shoppers making a big purchase or repeat buyers who would value a loyalty card? These answers will help guide your marketing strategies.
5. Perception
Brand perception is how customers feel about your brand. In some ways, this pillar is the culmination of how well you execute the other four. To create your brand perception pillar, you first need to know what customers have to say about your brand. Gauge your audience’s perception by studying online reviews, conducting surveys, and having in-person customer interactions.
Ecommerce brand pillar examples
Creating brand pillars might seem daunting, but you’re not the first to do it. Here are a few existing companies with great brand pillar examples:
The Outrage
The Outrage is a community activism organization that supports social movements and cultural initiatives through fashion and community programming. Its About Us page states a clear purpose: To make progressive activism accessible for all.
The Outrage dedicates a section of the page to illustrating it work as “an official partner for every progressive movement since 2016”—a strong positioning pillar that simultaneously appeals to its target demographic (progressive activists) and shows its differentiator (i.e., its deep involvement in social causes).
Potgang
Potgang delivers boxes of gardening supplies to beginners looking to start a home garden. As soon as you hit its homepage, you’ll notice two pillars hard at work. The first is the personality pillar: Its visual identity is fresh, energetic, and vibrant, with bright brand colors, animations, and bold headlines. The second is its promotion pillar: The “hear from the gang” carousel features reviews from happy customers, a small ticker at the top of the screen offers a 10% discount, and a series of clips that cater to customers who value short-form content.
Manitobah
Footwear brand Manitobah sells shoes and accessories designed and handcrafted by Indigenous artisans. Its positioning starts on their website’s navigation bar, which leads visitors to an “Indigenous Market” and a “Stories” section featuring Indigenous news and accomplishments. Manitobah’s website also publishes social impact reports, showcasing how it differs from other shoe brands.
Brand pillars FAQ
What are the 5 brand pillars?
The five brand pillars are purpose, positioning, personality, promotion, and perception. Together, these identity pillars clarify your mission, value proposition, communication style, marketing strategy, and public image.
How do you identify your brand pillars?
To identify your current brand pillars, consider how you approach product promotion, identify your brand’s perception among consumers, and determine your overall goals. Create your main brand pillars based on your findings.
What is the goal of brand pillars?
The goal of brand pillars is to clearly and succinctly define your company’s mission and vision to ensure a cohesive brand strategy and a stronger brand overall. Although they’re not public-facing, brand pillars help you present your brand in a way that customers understand.
