Style over substance: How to avoid the biggest brand purpose pitfall in 2021

Jane Asscher

Brand purpose has been a hot, and much debated, topic in marketing for several years and the COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to properly address their purpose.

This has been a year when many previously rare phrases have entered the marketing lexicon, but one that stands out from the crowd has been brand purpose. Momentum has been building for many years, but in 2020, brand purpose gained a weight and universality not witnessed before.

So, while it is a theme that marketing has tackled and debated considerably, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has meant businesses have now been forced to properly address their purpose. The impetus has often come from customers who – during lockdown – have been granted a period of reflection not previously experienced...

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