What is Purpose Driven Marketing?

Purpose driven marketing is a marketing strategy that focuses on creating a positive impact on society and the environment, beyond just selling products or services. The goal is to build trust and loyalty with consumers by showcasing how a brand’s mission and values align with making the world a little better.

Key Aspects of Purpose Driven Marketing

Some key aspects of purpose driven marketing include:

• Highlighting Social Causes: Brands highlight specific social causes, charities, or environmental issues they support. This shows consumers the values that drive the company beyond profits.
• Taking a Stand: Brands take a stand on social, political, or environmental issues related to their mission and values. This helps cement the brand’s purpose in consumers’ minds.
• Impact Messaging: Brand messaging focuses on the positive impact the brand is having rather than just touting product features and benefits. Stories and messages highlight how the brand is helping people or the planet.
• Authenticity: There must be an authentic connection between the brand’s purpose and its actual business operations and values. Purpose can’t just be an add-on marketing tactic.
• Employee Empowerment: Brands empower their employees to get actively involved in volunteer work, social causes, and sustainability initiatives. This brings purpose to life internally beyond just external marketing. Salesforce employees get paid time off for volunteering.
• Responsible Sourcing/Manufacturing: Brands ensure responsible and ethical sourcing and manufacturing practices to minimize environmental footprints. This allows them to market the sustainability of their operations. For example, Everlane emphasizes its use of factories with fair wages and ethical working conditions.
• Transparency: Brands transparently communicate about their business practices, supply chains, and social impact work. They welcome scrutiny and input to continually improve. Transparency builds consumer trust and reinforces purpose commitments.

Examples of Impactful Purpose-Driven Marketing Campaigns

Here are some examples of purpose-driven marketing campaigns that had a huge impact on consumers.

• Dove – Real Beauty Campaign: Dove started this campaign in 2004 to widen the definition of beauty and make women feel more empowered. Studies found it increased positive perceptions of Dove and drove sales growth. Their viral “Evolution” ad highlighting Photoshopping techniques received massive views.
• TOMS Shoes – One for One Model: For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, the company donates a pair to a child in need. They’ve given over 86 million pairs of shoes so far. This campaign helped TOMS stand out in the crowded shoe market and created an emotionally-connected customer base.
• Always – Like a Girl: This campaign tackled stereotypes and low self-esteem many girls feel by puberty. Their viral ad showed the power of doing things “like a girl” and helped change perceptions of the phrase. It received over 85 million views and enormous media coverage.
• Gillette – The Best Men Can Be: Gillette tackled toxic masculinity and bullying in this short film ad. It sparked an international debate on the topic with over 28 million views. The campaign aligned closely with shifting cultural views on manhood.
• Patagonia – Don’t Buy This Jacket: Patagonia has long been a purpose-driven brand. But in 2011 they explicitly told customers not to buy one of their jackets due to the environmental damage done sourcing materials. This cemented their brand purpose and values.

These examples show how when done right, purpose-driven marketing can drive business growth while also creating tremendous positive social and environmental impact. Aligning brand purpose with cultural conversations and placing mission over sales is key, especially in the age of social media where consumers are very quick to share their opinions, both good and bad. Purpose driven marketing benefits both brands and society.

Benefits for Brands:

• Improved brand loyalty – Aligning with purpose creates stronger emotional connections with consumers that drive loyalty.
• Increased sales – One study found that 78% of consumers would recommend a brand if it was purpose-driven; millennials are even more likely to be receptive to purpose-driven marketing.
• Higher employee retention – Employees are more engaged when their work has a purpose beyond the bottom line. Turnover is reduced.
• Greater innovation – Purpose provides a guiding light for product and business model innovation that helps society/environment.

Benefits for Society:

• Spotlights key issues – Brands leverage their huge audiences and platforms to bring attention to social causes, raise funds, and mobilize consumers.
• Drives positive change – Brands use their resources and influence to develop innovative solutions to problems and enact real change.
• Promotes conscious consumerism – Purpose driven brands encourage more conscious consumerism where people support companies aligned with their values.
• Provides role models – Successful purpose driven companies set examples for other brands on how business can be used for good.

How Can Brands Effectively Communicate Their Purpose-Driven Initiatives to Consumers?

• Storytelling – Tell compelling stories that humanize the issue and explain how the brand is driving change. Visual content like videos and ads are very powerful.
• Social media – Use owned social channels to educate followers on issues, highlight progress, and promote involvement. Partner with influencers to expand reach.
• Hashtags – Create unique hashtags related to the cause that followers can share and rally behind. Trackable hashtags amplify messaging.
• Campaign microsites – Develop websites just for the initiative that go in-depth on mission, goals, and how to help. Make them engaging and shareable.
• Influencers and brand ambassadors – Partner with prominent figures who share brand values to tap into their audiences and credibility.
• Packaging and products – Include messaging on packaging explaining the purpose and impact. Create special edition products that fund the cause.
• Media outreach – Craft press releases and story pitches to secure earned media coverage on the purpose campaign.

The key is to leverage multiple methods of ongoing communication across channels to drive awareness and engagement. Tie messages directly to brand values while inviting consumers to be a part of positive change. Authenticity is crucial.

In an era where consumers are demanding more accountability from brands, purpose driven marketing provides a win-win proposition for both businesses and communities when executed strategically and authentically. Brand purpose must be woven into the core fabric of operations for maximum impact.