One of the most important takeaways of 2019 is that consumers want brands that care. Trust in brands and their respective marketing and advertising efforts have severely declined and in order to reverse that, it is up to brands to effectively demonstrate and communicate that they stand for something through brand purpose.
When creating a brand, establishing a brand purpose is essential as it can dictate how the brand is perceived by the public. According to Adweek, 80% of consumers in the United States are more likely to trust and be loyal to mission-driven brands, while 64% of consumers believe that a brand’s purpose should focus on improving the world.
Brand purpose is necessary because it establishes the why behind the brand, as well as the impact it will have in the world. It shows that a brand is more than its product or service, it is more than something that has practical use, and it is more than something that will only be sold for profit. Brand purpose is something that consumers can personally connect to and therefor support. When working on communicating your brand purpose you want to ask yourself, how does this brand create value?
When finding how your brand can create value, it is important to always keep authenticity in mind by sticking to your capabilities and identity as a brand. Consider determining how your brand can create value by finding the intersection between your product and services, and what your consumers care about. As marketers, we strive to deliver the right message to the right audience, but it is very important in this case to not lose sight of who you are as a brand in this process.
A good example of finding balance between authenticity in brand purpose and catering to consumer needs is Axe and their advocacy against bullying. According to their research, they found that young males are subject to pressure to act a certain way, and get criticized based on their appearance. Their mission to combat bullying is fitting since Axe is a brand that offers a product that affects its consumer’s appearance, and therefor self-perception, through smell.
According to Adweek, another method we can apply when building brand purpose is having a point of view, and most importantly sticking to it despite possible controversy. While we want to cater to all of our audiences’ needs, the truth is that we can’t always please everyone. And while a brand’s mission might not resonate with the entirety of a brand’s audience members, showing consistency and advocacy can help strengthen the bonds with those who do share similar points of view. As Adweek states, another benefit is that it shows consumers that your brand doesn’t just care about turning profits.
Regardless of what your mission may be or who it speaks to, communicating a brand’s purpose will only be perceived as authentic as long as it is truly embedded into every part of your organization’s activities, from product production to marketing, the brand purpose must always be present. If not, your brand may run the risk of having its consumers think that the brand purpose isn’t legitimate, and instead, is just for show. Actions speak louder than words, so instead of just talking about your brand purpose through your marketing material, it’s recommended to always act on your brand purpose.
source: https://www.adweek.com