Turning brand purpose into action is critical

2020 has shown that brands need to build their reputation through action, rather than the image they present; brand purpose is not a style exercise, says Jane Asscher – brand image must give way to brand substance.

Getting purpose right

Writing for WARC, the founder of 23red notes how, during the pandemic, many brands have struggled to use purpose in an authentic way to connect with their customers. She offers a few pointers:

• Purpose does not have to be world shattering – it can be modest, but it must be honest.
• The ‘think, feel, do’ approach to a creative brief needs to be reversed: action should be the first step, with all else leading from that.
• Brand purpose requires organisations to change the way they behave and introduce processes that support that.

Key quote

“Determining brand purpose is about meeting the needs of this generation working for brands, who are shaping the business. People – especially younger generations – want to be proud of their employer and feel that they can contribute something” – Jane Asscher, 23red.

Sourced from WARC