When did purpose become more important than distinction?
PHD strategy director, Kate Portelli, questions why advertising has given up on brand distinction.
Open any industry publication showcasing the latest work and you’ll be bombarded with a sea of purpose-driven advertising. It’s the new normal. With appealing research into the desire for brands to take a stand on bigger issues, it’s easy to see why so many brands are jumping on the purpose bandwagon.
But are we spending enough time thinking about how these purpose-driven campaigns impact our brands in the long term? And does every brand really need to have a worthy purpose?
When did purpose become more important than distinction?
“Cover the logo and you should still be able to tell what brand the ad is for.” Cadbury’s distinctive purple, McDonald’s ‘do do do do duh’ , M&M’s cheesy but iconic characters. It’s an old mantra, but a good one. So when did we decide to give up on it?
Never have brands been so desperate to have a purpose tied to bettering our world. And it makes sense, right? CommBank reported in 2022 that 59% of people engage with brands’ messaging about social purpose. And this is just one stat in a plethora of research saying people buy from brands who stand for something bigger. Something they care about.
This makes sense. But something we talk about a lot in our team is “purpose pervasion”. Pervasion is a good word. It summarises the sheer insanity that has taken hold of the marketing world.
Where brand managers are willing to throw out their most distinctive and memorable assets, the things that help consumers identity their brand, in a desperate bid to stand for something they believe is more meaningful.
Walking to work this morning I saw a billboard I was sure was for Corona Beer. Their distinctive font, a beach-side location, a partnership with ‘Clean Up Australia’. Tick, tick, tick.
But as I rounded the corner, I saw it wasn’t for Corona. It was for an ice cream brand. Huh?
Will I recognise that ice cream next time I’m at the shelf? Probably. Will I remember this ad? Only as a pale imitation of Corona Beer.
Will I buy them because they recycle? Don’t they all these days? No doubt the brand team were lured in by the data which says 67% of shoppers are aware of their environmental responsibility. But did they factor in that only 19% are committed to putting it into practice ?
“People will only buy our ice cream if it has meaning!” Nope. People will buy your ice cream if it tastes good. But you know what will help them find it and remember it on the shelf? Distinctive brand assets.
“We’re failing if our laundry detergent doesn’t recognise the gender debate”. Are we? While that’s an important topic, do people need to hear it from their detergent brand?
“My plastic-based product needs to tell consumers a sustainability story.” Does it? While important, is it something your brand has a right to talk about? Or do you just need to address the issue of excess waste first?
This is not to say these conversations aren’t important. It’s precisely because they’re so important that they need to be treated with care and consideration.
There are times when purpose holds meaning. When it’s embedded into a brand’s DNA. Ben & Jerry’s have a strong history of advocacy. Continued advocacy makes sense. Sustainability from a beer brand who jumped on the bandwagon early and spent years of hard work, time and money committing to ensuring their brand has the lowest environmental footprint possible. Go forth and host beach clean ups!
But here’s an unpopular opinion; if you’re sitting around a board-room table and workshopping what cause your brand should be tied to for the future, it’s probably too tenuous.
Will you commit for the next decade? Unlikely.
Is it an easy reach for consumers? No.
Will they even care? Probably not.
Chances are those dollars you’re considering investing would be much better spent doubling down on fortifying your most important assets. Your core brand assets.
When in doubt, cover the logo. Can someone who doesn’t work on your brand still tell who the ad is for? No? Sounds like you’ve got work to do.
Kate Portelli is a strategy director at PHD.
Great article.
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So very true. Another point to add, if you’re going to be purposeful, you have to do something, well, purposeful, before telling people about it.
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Well said Kate. In my mind, too many businesses jump on every popular cause of the day without really understanding what they are advocating. For people to know what your brand represents, you need to stand for something. Not everything.