The Wiser Strategies Team is… Thankful!
November 25, 2021
Happy Holidays from Wiser Strategies
December 23, 2021
People do not want to hear a catchy song, they want to know what you stand for.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a brand and its marketing messaging today? Is it their product, their color scheme on social media, their stance on environmental issues, or maybe how they treat their employees ethically?
Companies are advertising their brand purpose more than ever, and that is because the younger generations are demanding it.
Brand purpose can be generally defined as a company’s “why.” The purpose goes beyond money and essentially explains their reason for existing as a company.
At the forefront of this ethical marketing movement, you can find the Millennial generation. On average, this age group is less likely to spend money in general than other age segments. However, they are 73% more likely to spend money if the product is coming from a sustainable brand.
My sisters and I, ages 25, 23, and 21, are all great examples of this. We have all recently switched up our shampoo and conditioner routines and started using products by the brand Shea Moisture. This brand markets their brand purpose across all platforms, so people know who they are and what they believe before buying the product. We are all willing to switch our products and purchase this one because we know our values align with those of this company.
Brands and companies can come across as apathetic if they are not posting about the current events and issues going on in the world, and consumers notice when they do not. Eighty-one percent of Millennials say they expect public messaging from their favorite brands about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. It can even go so far as to affect whether or not the consumer will end up purchasing from or working with the company.
This is true when marketing B2B as well.
Because it is becoming so popular for consumers to expect sustainable marketing, businesses are now beginning to align themselves only with others who share their values. In the B2B marketing space, it is still important to show brand purpose in order to continue working with partners in the same field. Audiences pay attention to not only what is put out into the world now, but what is being done and what brands are connected with behind the scenes as well.
How can brands be sure they are up to the standards of this very influential generation? Traditional advertising may not be enough. Businesses are beginning to define their brand purpose and push it to the top of their marketing priority list.
Patagonia Sets an Example
Patagonia’s brand purpose, according to its website, is to save our home planet and do everything they can to combat the looming environmental crisis. Saving our home planet includes saving the people who inhabit it from oppression and any other harmful things that may come their way.
In June 2020, Patagonia was among a handful of large companies to pull their advertising off of the giant social media platform Facebook. Patagonia believes Facebook spreads “hate speech and misinformation about climate change,” which does not support their brand purpose.
Patagonia posted an update in October of 2021 stating that they still stood by their decision, and they would not be rejoining Facebook for advertising purposes unless something changes. Their status update, posted on LinkedIn, has over 155,000 impressions and over 1,600 comments.
Despite removing their advertisements from Facebook, which is a huge online marketing platform and is deeply engrained into a large majority of campaigns today, Patagonia remains an industry leader in the sportswear market in the US as of September 2021.
Their audience knows what they stand for, and they are supporting them for standing up for their purpose by continuing to purchase their goods.
How we Live and Market our Brand Purpose
The team at Wiser Strategies is always chasing new and more innovative ways to live out our own brand purpose. We believe life is short, and we must communicate well. We believe in helping people within our community and beyond by lifting their voices and aiding in telling their stories. We value education and ideas from our clients and team members. We think with our environment in mind as a digital-first agency – we rarely print out paper and allow flex time for employees to work from home if they choose to help reduce gasoline emissions. We are constantly finding ways to better our purpose and the ways that we live and market it.
Marketing with brand purpose in mind can boost revenue, create brand loyalty, and strengthen relationships with customers, or other businesses in the same field. What do you stand for as a brand? What do you believe in? The people want to know.
