Do brands need a purpose?

The ongoing debate. Again. From fuelling consumer scepticism to brand inconsistency, few brands actually deliver on their stated purpose. So what's the problem?

Companies attempting to create their purpose and aligning with ‘doing good’, all too often retro-fit and merely fuel consumer scepticism. Pundits have suggested that marketers would do better to focus their efforts on defining a better positioning and forget defining purpose.

“From fuelling consumer scepticism to brand inconsistency, few brands actually deliver on their stated purpose.”

Okay, on a superficial level I agree, but there is a massive dimension being overlooked in all this that is a key driver of standout brand success - brand storytelling.

To explain. Since very ancient times stories have connected people. The more interesting the story and the better the storyteller, the greater the attraction and fascination. If a brand’s purpose is why it exists, it is also critically, the foundation of brand storytelling.

And, spoiler alert - a brand story is categorically not marketing blah-blah.

The brand story

A brand story is all that your company and brand are and all that you do. It is a blend of so many facets: the people behind it, the ideas that drive the brand forward, what makes your products and services so special, what makes the brand ‘human’ and how you improve people’s lives. The right story will resonate with audiences who will wish to be part of it - the ultimate emotional connection. Compelling reasons, surely, to define your brand purpose?

Then, there’s the Positioning vs Purpose point.

Sure they’re linked, but they’re not the same thing. The clue lies in the richness of the brand story described earlier. Not only does purpose come first, but by definition, it is bigger and richer than positioning and should inform it. More like a brand’s Northern Star (or Southern Cross). And yes, it should be loftier. Positioning is more the day-to-day strategy of how you present your brand. Strategy (and tactics) shift according to market demands, but your purpose does not.

“A brand's purpose is bigger and richer than positioning and should inform it. It should be loftier.”

A strong brand platform

Where marketers and brand custodians come unstuck is when the squeeze is on, through demands for more profit or competitor threat. Those who have not defined their brands clearly, including purpose, find themselves on shaky ground. With a clearly defined brand platform, you know where to push the envelope or engage different brand levers. With a poor one, you can end up with ‘do good’ bolt-ons under the guise of a purpose. A clear recipe for disaster. Consumers can spot a half-baked story in a social heartbeat.

“Strategy (and tactics) shift according to market demands, but your purpose does not.”

So marketers and brand custodians are perhaps themselves to blame for 'purpose' being called into question. An even more compelling reason to (still) take the definition of your brand purpose seriously.

And, it won't be getting any easier. It just means brand owners and their agencies need to raise their game. Again.

#brand #purpose #storytelling #str8Talking