Purpose or Perish: The Brand Imperative

If you know me, or if you’ve read anything I’ve written before, you already know this: for me, marketing begins and ends with brand. And brand always begins with purpose. Full stop.

Now, imagine this – you walk into a store filled with products that all check the box. Every single one delivers. No clear winners. Nothing overtly wrong. But also? Nothing right enough to feel like you. In that sea of sameness, how do you choose?

That’s where brand purpose steps in.

Not as a tagline or a CSR campaign, but as the heartbeat of the brand.

This isn’t new. But it’s never been more urgent.

In a world of infinite choice, infinite voices, and a cultural climate where people are no longer just skeptical of business—they’re exhausted by it—what you stand for has become as important as what you sell.

Purpose is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the new baseline. And it’s redefining how we lead, how we market, and how we earn the right to grow.

Brand Purpose Is Not a Campaign. It’s a Commitment.

Let’s be honest–this isn’t a trend. It’s a tectonic shift.

Purpose is about knowing who you are as a brand, and why you exist beyond profit.

As marketing leaders, we’re not just responsible for the message. We’re the stewards of meaning. The bridge between company values and cultural impact.

And in today’s world, that means showing up. Not perfectly. But consistently, transparently, and with intent.

Because the brands that win long-term are the ones that align business success with societal progress. They make purpose their strategy—not their side dish.

What Customers Expect Has Fundamentally Changed

Millennials and Gen Z didn’t just inherit a broken world. They’re rebuilding it with their wallets. And they’re asking different questions of brands.

What do you believe? What do you do about it? How are you using your influence, your platform, your dollars?

Deloitte called it in 2021. Nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials choose jobs, and brands, based on shared ethics. They don’t just want function. They want alignment.

Purpose is the filter. It’s how they decide who gets their trust. Their loyalty. Their paycheck.

Look at Patagonia.

They didn’t just say the Earth mattered. They made it their only shareholder.

That wasn’t a press stunt. It was the natural result of decades of purpose-led decisions. And people noticed.

But let’s be real–none of this works if it isn’t authentic.

Customers have world-class BS detectors.

They don’t want perfection, but they demand truth.

Purpose-washing isn’t just a risk; it’s a liability.

You can’t fake a soul.

Purpose Isn’t a Differentiator. It’s the Differentiator.

When product features blur, when price points match, what breaks the tie?

It’s emotion. It’s values. It’s meaning.

That’s the secret to brand relevance. It’s not about being louder. It’s about being clearer.

Dove leaned in with “Real Beauty.” Not just for the likes, but to shift how we define beauty. That purpose created brand stickiness. Emotional loyalty. Actual movement.

Tesla’s mission? Not to sell cars. To accelerate a sustainable future. That purpose turned customers into believers and a product into a movement.

But here’s the nuance: you can’t out-purpose your competitors with words. You win with actions. Real, integrated, baked-into-the-DNA kind of actions.

Purpose doesn’t belong in the marketing plan. It belongs in the business plan.

There’s a Business Case. And It’s a Strong One.

Let’s talk results. Because purpose isn’t charity–it’s a growth engine.

Purpose-driven brands grow faster. Win more market share. Attract better talent. Build longer-lasting customer relationships.

Look at Unilever under Paul Polman. Purpose was their operating system, not their press release. And the brands with purpose baked in? They grew 69% faster than the rest.

This isn’t magic. It’s mechanics.

Purpose earns trust. Trust builds loyalty. Loyalty compounds.

But make no mistake–it’s not automatic.

It requires courage. Consistency. Sometimes making the harder short-term call to protect the long-term relationship.

You can’t measure purpose the same way you measure a click-through rate. But the impact? It shows up everywhere.

Purpose Builds Trust. And Trust Is Everything.

We are in a global trust recession. And yet, consumers still trust brands more than governments and media. That’s not just an opportunity. That’s a responsibility.

Trust is the currency. Purpose is how we earn it.

Ben & Jerry’s didn’t become beloved because they took a stand once. They became beloved because they never stopped. Even when it was inconvenient. Even when it cost them.

That kind of commitment builds connection. Credibility. Loyalty. And yes, business results.

But it’s a tightrope. Take a stand that’s hollow? You’re done. Speak up without backing it up? You’ll be called out.

This is not about politics. It’s about principles. And principles, when lived authentically, create brands people believe in.

How We Bring Purpose to Life

So what does this actually look like? Purpose in action is less about bold headlines and more about operational consistency.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Start with truth. What do you uniquely believe? What are you uniquely built to do? Your purpose should emerge from your DNA; not from a deck.

Live it everywhere. Culture. Product. Customer experience. If your purpose only lives in your ads, it’s not purpose—it’s packaging.

Measure what matters. Build in metrics. Track real impact. Share what’s working—and what’s not. Transparency builds trust.

Be brave. Purpose doesn’t mean you’ll please everyone. But it does mean you’ll resonate with the right ones. Sometimes standing for something means standing through the storm.

Stay open. Purpose isn’t a one-and-done. It evolves. It deepens. Keep asking the hard questions. Keep listening. Keep growing.

So where does that leave us?

Brand purpose isn’t just a marketing play. It’s the center of gravity. It’s how we matter in the world. It’s why we exist. Why people choose us. Why they stay.

And if we’re bold enough to live it out loud, to build brands with meaning baked in–not painted on–we don’t just win market share. We earn something far more powerful. Belief. Advocacy. Legacy.

Because at the end of the day, people don’t fall in love with brands because of what they buy.

They fall in love because of what those brands believe.