Marketing campaigns that are Purpose-driven are a great way for your brand to connect with their target audience based on their values and interest, typically through supporting deserving causes.
The essence of purpose
‘Purpose’ is the reason behind a brand’s existence and should be well connected to its vision and mission.
The surge of purpose-driven campaigns
Purpose-driven campaigns increased immensely after the pandemic. The awareness of environmental issues, mental health and racial injustice became even more prominent than before. As anxiety and depression spread during the lockdown and The Black Lives Matter movement commenced, consumers started to demand transparency and accountability from companies.
Gen Z’s call for purpose-driven marketing
As companies gear up to engage with the next wave of consumers, Gen Z, they must embrace purpose-driven marketing as a key element of their business strategy. The gen Zer’s, who’s born into the digital era, and shaped by a “changing-the-world” mindset, are demanding that brands take social responsibility, practise ethical behaviour, and prioritise sustainability. Companies that fail to do so risk losing relevance and market share.
Going beyond profits
Purpose-driven marketing goes deeper beyond profits and often connects brands to their audience through a social cause. Let’s look at an example of a purpose-driven brand which wants to make the world a better place, both for people and brands to live in.
Practising Purpose-Driven Marketing
The renowned outdoor apparel brand, Patagonia, is connecting with its audience by making our home planet their purpose. By donating 1% of their total sales every year to grassroots environmental nonprofits, and through campaigns such as #CrudeAwakening, in which they aim to protect coastlines from oil spills, Patagonia is genuinely connecting with their adventurous and outdoor-activity-loving audience. Their customers are not only purchasing their products, but they are also supporting and identifying with the values they represent.
Here are a few examples of how your company can practise purpose-driven marketing:
- Partnering with relevant charities and donating part of their profit.
- Create social impact programs which address specific social issues in the communities they serve.
- Engaging employees in volunteerism and community service.
- Create products that address societal needs, such as clean energy or affordable housing.
- Create fundraising events.
- Climate compensation.
The Deeper Connection
To conclude: Purpose-driven campaigns are an exceptional way for your brand to connect with its target audience on a deeper level. By defining the purpose of your business and aligning it with your target audience, you’ll generate a more devoted and loyal customer base who identifies not just with an individual product but with your brand and organisation as a whole. It’s a considerable opportunity to differentiate your brand from its competitors and help to attract employees who are passionate and driven by your brand’s purpose, while at the same time driving profit and making a positive impact on the world.
If you need help in creating your brand’s next marketing strategy and are curious about purpose driven marketing, do not hesitate to contact us at Manifesto Design, we’ll be glad to help!
— Eleonore Lija–
