Even before COVID-19 lockdowns, direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing was picking up steam, with brands such as Harry’s, Bonobos, and Allbirds becoming...
It is not even radical to suggest that purpose is the new pillar of brand building. Just a few years ago, “good works” and “social responsibility” were like the vegetables corporations were forced to eat once or twice a year – a well-meaning press release here, a charity donation there, with little engagement from the company as a whole.
But today, we live in a new brand universe. Climate change has brought sustainability into sharp focus as an urgent priority, not just a nice-to-have. The tragic deaths of George Floyd and many others have transformed social justice into a mainstream priority, something brands of every kind simply cannot ignore. Most recently, we are even seeing companies take a stand on abortion rights – a topic once deemed too hot to handle for even the most progressive brands.
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GfK research has shown that enhancing a brand’s ability to be loved, relevant and meaningful – being a catalyst for creating change – will also boost its capacity to build long-term value, or equity. And while a few brands have CSR baked into their core identities, most are still struggling to find their ways with a variety of purpose-driven messages and creatives.
These campaigns may have the best of intentions, but they also represent major brand investments and need to be measured against some standard. If they are trying to enact global change – and build brand loyalty in the process – how are they doing? Surprisingly, purpose ads have rarely been compared, side by side, for actual effect. Is all of this good feeling actually moving the needle with consumers – in terms of awareness, engagement, and motivation to take real action?