Live Your Brand Purpose
The trick to a great brand purpose is to make it memorable, simple, and actually stand for something.Hey Friends,
As I look out my window, I see the beginnings of spring. Trees are starting to bud and with the calendar change to March, we’re only a few weeks away from the change of season.
With all the change in the air, it’s nice to know that there are still brands out there wanting to change for the better. Wanting to continue to live up to their purpose.
Speaking of purpose, I was in Cincinnati last week doing a workshop with a wellness brand on this very topic: Purpose.
But this workshop was different. It was about how to live it. How to stand actually stand for something and make it part of the brand's ecosystem.
So, as I workshopped with this brand about their purpose and ways to make it come to life, it occurred to me that most brands, no matter the size or budget, are able to follow a similar trajectory.
They’re able to live their purpose with every action, touchpoint, and conversation they have.
Define Your Purpose
This first step is defining your purpose. This is what you stand for besides making money. Some may call it your north star, others may call it your WHY, but no matter the word you choose, the essence is the same.
The trick to a great purpose is to make it memorable, simple, and actually stand for something.
Some examples you might know…
Identify a social cause that aligns with your purpose
Lots of brands are leaning into purpose marketing recently, and in my opinion, it’s those that don’t force it but create it based on a need that actually wins heart and mind share.
Some examples below are purpose initiatives brands are using in the field which has all come naturally and organically through seeing a need their customers have and realizing how the brand can show up.
During a natural disaster, people need to wash their clothes. It’s a basic necessity. Seems like a perfect opportunity for a brand like TIDE to show up and give back.
Good health starts with great mouth hygiene. Worldwide, there are too many kids who don’t have access to toothbrushes or toothpaste. Colgate’s mission, since 1991, is to connect underserved communities to oral health education, free dental screenings, and treatment referrals.
Launched in 2004, Dove’s Real Beauty campaign is aiming to build self-confidence in women and young children. For them, it’s about breaking stigmas, stereotypes, and seeing the beauty in all.
Determine your SMART goals
When thinking about your purpose marketing efforts, a great strategy starts with goal setting. Looking at your efforts through the lens of SMART goals, you can begin to narrow in your focus and set some guardrails so you’re not being everything to everyone, but showing up to those you truly want and feel the need to impact.
Create synergy between your purpose and this social cause
You’ll notice that most brands use the power of partnerships to bring attention to their social cause / purpose marketing efforts. More than likely there are other organizations out there that share similar views on a topic or issue. So instead of being competitive with them, be creative. Engage. Partner.
True impact is achieved when we can all show up together, championing a common cause / purpose.
If you’re looking for someone to help identify and align your brand purpose with marketing activities that matter, I’m here to serve you and help your brand win.
Just reply to this email or holler at me on LinkedIn.
✌️ Steven
P.S. This article was NOT written using ChatGPT. 😆