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How to Recognize and Avoid Purpose-Washing While brand purpose has become a requirement for companies seeking to appeal to younger generations of consumers, the pursuit of it can be haunted by the dark twin of purpose: purpose-washing. Fortunately, guests on the ANA Center for Brand Purpose’s Beyond Profit podcast periodically offer advice on how to avoid this danger, and three tips from the show follow below. 

Brand Purpose as Competitive Advantage More and more companies are embracing brand purpose; however, many continue to do so simply because “it’s the right thing to do.” While true, this position ignores the competitive advantage that the adoption of a brand purpose can afford an organization. To illuminate this matter, guests of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose’s Beyond Profit podcast shared three observations on the benefits of purpose that go beyond altruism.

It appears we are recalibrating to a post-purpose world. This podcast discussion from WARC about brand purpose was really interesting. Purpose was once high on the corporate agenda and marketers the world over were scrambling to out-demonstrate each others’ purpose bonafides. But a funny thing happened, for many organisations, purpose turned out to be a bit of a red herring and we’re now seeing CEOs and CMOs from some of the worlds’ largest marketers dial back the rhetoric and emphasis on purpose and returning to fundamentals. Creative marketing that delivers tangible commercial results. That’s not to say we should abandon purpose wholesale. NGOs and non-profits have purpose baked into their DNA and rightfully so. Patagonia (I know... predictable that I mention them but credit where credit's due) are an outlier in how they put purpose front and centre in their company’s values and mission. The Body Shop is another outlier. However for the bulk of companies that are measured on financial performance (that's a separate discussion and debate on whether companies should be measured in this manner in the first place!), shoehorning purpose into the mix is like trying to square a circle. It’s not a natural fit for most companies and maybe we should be less inclined to accept the thin veneer of purpose window-dressing that’s on display these days. Beyond the marketing, companies should back up their messaging with real meaningful results. There are of course companies that do this and they should recognised and acknowledged for those efforts. I was astounded to learn of the hypocrisy of State Street, the financial services company that commissioned the much lauded and awarded Fearless Girl statue in New York’s financial district. State Street actually paid US$5m in 2017 to settle its own sexual discrimination cases! I really liked the distinction between purpose and responsibility and ethics. Responsibile and ethical behaviour seem to me to be more natural bedfellows for companies and something we don’t need to engage in logical acrobatics to persuade consumers that your toothpaste brand can help to solve world peace. Well worth a listen. Let me know your thoughts if you agree and also if you don’t agree with my comments. * I checked out how LinkedIn AI's would have rewritten this post. Maybe it was better and tighter structurally and grammatically but it didn't sound like me so I didn't go with the AI polished rewrite. Nice one David Tiltman Ed Pank Jenny Chan

If building an online brand has been part of your ‘to do’ list for a while but you haven’t gotten around to it, then this episode of the EnvisionAir Podcast is not one to miss! Emma Bower joins me as we dive into the importance of building your brand online! Having successfully optmised her LinkedIn profile (having her LinkedIn content viewed over 860,000 times in the last year), Emma shares easy-to-implement strategies that anyone can use today to build an authentic brand and community on any social platform, including LinkedIn! Topics we cover: 🤔 Building One’s Online Brand: ◦ Why it's so important to have an online brand and how it can impact various aspects of our lives including our careers, businesses, romantic relationships, and family and friends. 🎉 Opportunities: ◦ Potential opportunities that arise from having a strong online brand. 😧 💡 Challenges and Solutions: ◦ Common challenges people face when building an online brand, including fear of being rejected or ridiculed and putting ourselves out there in general. ◦ Strategies to overcome these challenges. 🔋 Emma’s 4-Step Framework to Building an Online Brand, that anyone can start to implement today! Links in comments. #brand #buildingabrand #onlinebrand #pr #podcast #linkedin #community

Is it time for a rebrand? How do you know? What are red flags of a bad rebrand? We answer all this and more about rebranding on episode two of our podcast. https://lnkd.in/g7CaMt3J

NEW PODCAST EPISODE! Join Kaeli Lindholm and Tyler Terry as they discuss the essentials of building a standout brand in the competitive medical aesthetics industry. Discover insights on future trends, wellness integration, and challenges faced by female entrepreneurs. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/expxZMQX #medicalaesthetics #innovation #Podcast

The first episode of #GVGLBrandTalks is here! ☀ In our inaugural episode, our host Ebru Tuygun welcomes special guest Maria Gedeon, a seasoned executive in retail and entertainment, for an insightful discussion. In this episode, you will also learn: - The importance of brand promise in shaping customer perceptions and fostering loyalty. - Maria Gedeon shares her expertise on brand strategy fundamentals, including the ABCDEF framework. - Actionable strategies for aligning your brand promise with customer experience. - Examples of brands excelling in delivering on their promises - Personal insights from Maria Gedeon on brands that resonate with her personality and her envisioned boutique hotel brand, "Sandinavian". Stay tuned for empowering insights to elevate your brand journey! 🎧 Listen now: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dRJBrkD3 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dxMHbzcy #BrandTalks #BrandStrategy #BrandPromise #MarketingInsights #PodcastEpisode #BrandBuilding #newpodcast

The final episode of Futureproof Brands in 2023 discussed the 12 truths for staying out of trouble in brand-business management. A great way to end the year, listen to how to successfully prepare your brand for 2024: https://lnkd.in/e_AV89du

Is it time for a rebrand? How do you know? What are red flags of a bad rebrand? We answer all this and more about rebranding on episode two of our podcast. https://lnkd.in/g6-gSqPQ