Picking a purpose ‘fight’ really can drive growth, brand love and ROI

For brands that take a stand, ESG is table-stakes.

A materiality-informed sustainability strategy is your right to play.

Picking a purpose ‘fight’, however, can provide material focus for insight, innovation and behaviour change in addition to the broad trajectory of sustainability fundamentals. Done right, purpose is no longer in paradox, but a driver of growth, brand love and ROI.

It’s not just what we focus on, it’s how a brand shows up to deliver purpose in action.

Purpose in action is a framework for business transformation - a driver for business innovation, progress, and participation, and delivered through brand behaviours and consumer actions (it’s not a marketing platform).

Find your ‘fight’ at the intersection of material issues (and where the greatest need for intervention is), your sustainability strengths and ambitions (set against the scale of the issue) and what your stakeholders (investors, employees and consumers) expect from you.

My formula for delivering effective, impactful purpose in action (that stands up to scrutiny):

• Creative innovation that solves a genuine human need, and creative work that is hopeful, emotive and transformational, grounded in:
• Credible claims that are authoritative, science-based and third-party verified, backed up by credible corporate actions in areas most material to the business, backed up by:
• Actionable content that inspires brand and consumer change through relevance, urgency, and opportunity to engage beyond the campaign on the issues most material to the company, brand or audience