In today’s world, consumers are increasingly demanding that companies align themselves with causes and values that matter to them. This shift in consumer expectations has led many brands to reevaluate how they market to their audiences.
This rise in popularity of “purpose driven marketing” allows companies to connect with their customers on an emotional level and differentiate themselves from the pack. But what is purpose driven marketing?
What is purpose driven marketing?
Purpose driven marketing is a relatively new concept, so there are no shortage of definitions around it. The American ad council describes purpose driven marketing as:
A strategy used by an organization to center its external communications efforts around a social cause that aligns with its core values.
Other definitions of purpose driven marketing differ, but most center around demonstrating the values of an organization and/or the causes that the organization directly or indirectly supports.
At Wholeheart, we define purpose driven marketing as follows:
A marketing strategy based on an organization’s expressed purpose that puts awareness, education, and social impact at the core of its marketing and communications efforts.
As we see it, purpose driven marketing offers the dual benefit of driving positive social impact through education and awareness, while also helping the brand to connect with audiences on causes they both believe in.
The Customer Journey Is Changing.
Consumers today have more choices than ever before. Rather than being limited to what they might find at the local store, they have access to options literally around the world.
They also have the ability to look more deeply into the brands they support. When weighing their options, a conscious consumer will consider not only the price of a product, but the overall impact that product or company has on the world– whether intended or not.
Customers Are More Discriminating Than Ever Before.
Consumers today are more likely to consider an organization’s values before making a purchasing decision. They expect companies to demonstrate their commitment to those values throughout their decision-making, processes, and communication efforts.
It’s not enough for a company to say it cares about the environment, for example… it needs to demonstrate that through sustainable business practices. It’s quite easy for consumers to sniff out (and call out) instances of greenwashing or virtue signaling without taking action.
Consumers Want To Be Heard.
According to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, consumers want brands to listen to them. They want companies to understand what they care about and how they think about things. They want brands to use their influence to speak out against injustices and to support causes they believe in.
If you want to attract and retain customers, you need to align your business with their values. This means making sure your brand stands for something beyond just selling products or services. It means creating a culture where employees feel valued and appreciated. And it means using your voice to speak up when you see an injustice happening in the world.
Consumers Want Purpose Driven Marketing.
Consumers are constantly inundated with advertising and marketing communications. Whether we’re browsing the web, reading the news, or walking down the street– advertisers are there with us.
As a result, consumers have gotten adept at blocking out the ads, whether via our own “ad blindness” or through ad-blocking plugins and apps. The best way to break through this barrier is to offer purpose driven marketing that benefits someone besides the brand itself. People are more likely to pay attention when doing so will help support causes they care about.
How to Build Purpose Driven Marketing in Your Brand.
Building purpose driven marketing into your brand isn’t something you can do in a single meeting or strategy session. It requires a deep exploration of your brand’s mission, vision, values, and– you guessed it– purpose.
Exploring these critical brand elements is a great place to start. Whether your brand’s mission, vision, values, and purpose are ready-to-go, in need of updating, or need to be written from scratch, use this foundation to guide your purpose driven marketing strategy.
When you’re clear on your purpose, you can begin to strategically and consistently build that purpose into your marketing efforts.
Explore our purpose driven marketing services at Wholeheart Agency.