Deloitte’s annual 2021 Global Marketing Trend report has found a bunch of new trends that brands have been adopting over the past year that are becoming the expectation from consumers. One new buzzword; purpose, has recently become the talk of the branding world over the past few weeks.
Purpose is when an organisation is deeply attuned to why they exist and who they were built to serve. Put simply brand purpose answers the why behind your brand. This is something that organisations have been answering in the past but is becoming more integral with the pandemic sweeping the globe. It seems the ‘we’re all in this together’ marketing has really had a splendiferous effect.
With companies doing more and more good during the pandemic consumers are expecting brands to act against their own self-interest in order to enact positive change. A great example is the legendary Four Pillars using their gin to make hand sanitiser for healthcare professionals and other front line works peak pandemic. How bloody wonderful!
So, does your brand need a purpose?
No one can tell you what your brand must have as there is no cut-paste approach. However, purpose seems to be making some big brands stand out from the crowd at the moment. It is important to note that trends do come and go so while at this point in time purpose may sound like a no brainer there are no guarantees long-term.
Deloitte has described a brand purpose as the soul of an organization and all pretentiousness aside I can see why branders are excited. The purpose when done well has the power to personify your brand making consumers more emotionally connected to you and more likely to buy from you.
In the age of informed and perhaps more cynical consumers I wonder how long till consumers see these acts as disingenuous? Perhaps never!
THE NO-BULL BRANDER 