It’s no secret that at The Marketing Pod we love working on campaigns that do more than promoting a product or service. As an agency focusing on sustainability and social value, we are proud to work with clients who uphold the same values and are keen to communicate them.
However, not everyone seems to share our passion for purpose-driven marketing, or at least not anymore. According to Marketing Week, at the end of 2023 purpose-led campaigns were having a crisis of confidence. The publication pointed out that several large consumer brands, after years of force-fitting purpose into their campaigns, were making a U-turn and going back to more traditional brand building techniques. As a notable example, it reported on Unilever’s new CEO, Hein Schumacher, who recently claimed that purpose is simply not relevant to all of the group’s brands.
“The secret is in the execution”
‘Force-fitting’ is an apt choice of word when we’re talking about campaigns where purpose is used as a click-baiting trend. And at Pod, we definitely agree that superficially addressing social and environmental issues misses the mark when it comes to effectively engaging consumers. But we also believe that, when purpose is embedded in a brand’s history and vision, it can be a powerful way to connect with like-minded audiences.
“Too many brands have jumped on the bandwagon of purpose purely for profitability,” explains our Head of Content & PR, Emma Crofts. “To resonate with the audience, purpose should be truly embedded in a brand’s mission. The secret is in the execution of a campaign, which should be based on a truthful and authentic communication strategy.
“In sustainability-related campaigns, for example, brands can and should talk about their progress towards net zero goals, but they should be transparent and include challenges and setbacks, rather than boast about vague sustainability achievements.”
“Purpose cannot just be a PR hook, it needs to infiltrate every element of your communication strategy,” agrees our PR consultant, Jessica Keynes. “You might also want to consider the longevity of your messaging before dismissing purpose as something that’s not relevant to you right now,” she adds. “For example, you might think that now it’s not the right time to invest in sustainability and shout about it, but how will you feel in five years, when your competitors have set and met their net zero objectives, and you’ve been left behind?”
“Remember that not taking a stance is also a choice that might be criticised, especially when environmental or socio-political issues are closely connected to your field of expertise,” adds Content & PR Writer, William Tomaney. “For example, if you’re a cleantech pioneer, you might be expected to have an opinion on how new government policies will affect net zero progress. If you don’t, customers and prospects might interpret that as passivity at best, and as lack of awareness of your marketplace at worst.”
The challenges of communicating authentically
It is understandable that, with consumers becoming increasingly aware of marketing gimmicks, some brands may opt for ditching purpose-based campaigns altogether.
There are several reasons for this. The first is that, in a politically charged environment like the one we’re working in, it can be hard to take a stance without it leading to backlash. With elections taking place both in the UK and the US, two wars on our doorsteps, and a general disillusionment with politics worldwide, purpose-led campaigns need to be carefully thought out to have the desired effect.
It is also difficult to authentically engage with a public that has become increasingly fed up with brands that were less than transparent in the past. For example, frequent greenwashing scandals have undermined the credibility of sustainability-focused campaigns, meaning marketers will have to work hard – and provide science-backed evidence – to rebuild trust in green marketing.
It’s also important to consider that, when communication is perceived as inauthentic, it can be difficult to manage the public’s reaction on social media due to the speed and resonance of a potential PR crisis.
Three tips for communicating purpose authentically (with examples)
At The Marketing Pod, we like a challenge. We believe that the public has become fed up of seeing social and environmental issues being addressed superficially, not of purpose altogether.
Restoring trust in purpose-based communications is a challenge we’re more than happy to take on. Over the years, we have gathered the necessary expertise to get under the skin of a brand and unveil its true purpose, communicating it authentically to audiences who care. So, what are our top tips?
1. Collaborate with partners who walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.
You might be passionate about a social or environmental challenge, and your brand may be closely aligned with it. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have the know-how or the lived experience to talk about it in a credible way. That’s when partnering with a not-for-profit, a research institute, a trade body or even a peer organisation becomes essential.
We used this technique on several occasions. For example, our client Xoserve, the central data services provider for Britain's gas market, recently partnered with the Fuel Bank Foundation to help raise awareness of fuel poverty. This collaboration gave Xoserve access to data and quotes from people actually living in fuel poverty. This allowed them to organise an impactful event where stakeholders in the gas industry were exposed to the same conditions as these people for a day. The strong emotional response elicited by the event will hopefully influence future energy policies, leading to a just energy transition that leaves no one behind.
Collaborations also allow organisations to leverage each other’s networks. This is what we did when we collaborated with WUN – Womens Utilities Network to circulate a survey aimed at assessing the impact of gender bias in the energy and utilities sector. In fact, this collaborative approach was so impactful that it won us a Silver medal at the 2024 UK Content Awards, in the category Collaborative Campaign of the Year.
Check out the collaborative report we created with WUN – Womens Utilities Network.
2. Embrace complexity in your messaging
Your audience’s challenges and priorities rarely revolve around just one issue. There will always be several pain points they’re trying to address, and several priorities that intersect. Your messaging needs to consider the complexity of your audience’s experiences and avoid oversimplification.
For example, our client Root Capital is an impact investor that works in the Global South to create change in four main areas: access to finance, climate action, gender equity and next generation jobs. However, they wisely avoid creating silos in their messaging, aware of the fact that the rural communities they operate in may need support in all of these areas.
Take a look at Root Capital’s brand refresh
3. Demonstrate tangible results
Actions speak louder than words. It’s true that, in many cases, purchasing decisions are based on a strong emotional reaction rather than on logical responses. However, your messaging will need some proof points to be convincing, especially in this era of heightened scepticism towards purpose-led marketing.
Needless to say, green marketing campaigns will need to be backed up by specific, science-based net zero targets and by reliable and transparent ways of measuring progress. But campaigns based on a social value should be data-led too.
Our client Social Value Portal (SPV) is an expert at this. Having created an industry-leading solution to quantify organisations’ social value, SVP can communicate the impact of its portal in a way that is both credible and impactful. Thanks to an array of data, to quantifiable results and to alignment with national and international social value standards, SVP has established itself as the leader in social value know-how.
Check out our case study on the Social Value Portal campaign
Purpose-driven campaigns may have become more challenging to execute than in the past, but that doesn’t mean they have become less effective. When rooted in a brand’s authentic purpose, marketing that addresses a specific social or environmental challenge can and will appeal to consumers who, more than ever, demand action over empty words.
If you’re planning to run a purpose-driven campaign and would like some support in the delicate planning and delivery process, we have the expertise you need. Get in touch with our team and let us know how we can help.
James Montgomery
Adam Leach