What is Brand Purpose and How Can You Define it to Build a Lasting Brand?
When asked to define brand purpose, one might say, “to make money”. Yes, financial gain is one of the key factors for starting any business. However, monetary benefits should not define your brand’s purpose.
To define the purpose, your mindset must shift towards an emotional connection with your audience, i.e., understanding the “why” behind your brand’s existence. Even as a company seeks funding, one of the standard questions for investors is, “Why have you started this company?”. Therefore, having a clear purpose is imperative, and it even supersedes a brand’s values and mission.
This blog discusses the fundamental understanding of brand purpose and how to showcase it at every stage of a customer’s journey. It also shares real-life examples to illustrate the importance of defining your company’s purpose. Read details!
What is Brand Purpose?
Brand purpose is the “why” of your company. It is the reason for your brand’s existence and the values it represents. The purpose can be societal, moral, ethical, or offering people a choice to use better products and change their lifestyle.
For example, Dove, a global personal care brand, places a strong emphasis on self-love and confidence. With a brand purpose strong enough to foster long-lasting relationships with customers, Dove has been able to stay ahead of its competitors.
However, not every brand requires a powerful cause to stay consistent in the market. Your goal is achieved even if you can distinguish your brand from others through a unique purpose.
How Brand Purpose Differs from Mission and Core Values
Not everyone understands the distinction between purpose, mission, and core values. Yes, all these terms move your company in the same direction. However, they are interrelated, not the same.
Let’s understand the key differences between the three:
| Fundamental | Meaning | Example |
| Brand Purpose | The reason behind your business. | Make sustainable transport a reality. |
| Mission | The way through which you will achieve your long-term company goals. | Innovation in the transport industry is needed to achieve a zero-carbon footprint. |
| Core Values | Your initiatives while conducting the business. | Accountability, partnership, and teamwork. |
In a nutshell, brand purpose is the starting point from which your company’s mission and values flow.
Demonstrating Brand Purpose Across Customer Touchpoints
Merely defining your brand purpose isn’t sufficient unless you follow through on it. By aligning it with your process, your audience can also understand what you are offering.
Here is how you can showcase your brand purpose:
Integrate Brand Purpose into Marketing
Social media plays a crucial role in boosting a brand’s value. Therefore, the best way to highlight your purpose is to advocate for it through your marketing channels. Making it a regular part of your messaging helps customers match your brand offerings with the purpose.
For example, Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign.
Leverage Storytelling to Communicate
Sharing the “why” behind your brand through stories can help you connect with your audience and evoke emotions. This storytelling enables you to showcase the journey of your brand, the purpose behind it, and how it benefits your customers.
For example, Dove’s showcase of stories where customers celebrate who they are, rather than focusing on their shortcomings.
Align Digital Experience with Your Purpose
Create such a user experience that customers can feel your brand purpose in action. From the website to social media channels, the user experience must consistently reflect the brand’s core purpose—not just in messaging, but in design, tone, and functionality.
Take Dove as an example. Its commitment to body positivity isn’t limited to ad campaigns; the brand extends this purpose through actionable initiatives, such as the #KeepHerConfident donation drive featured on its website. Similarly, its social media platforms regularly promote real, unretouched images and stories that align with its mission. This seamless alignment builds credibility and strengthens emotional connections across touchpoints.
Case Studies: Companies Getting Brand Purpose Right
While Dove is a well-known example of understanding brand purpose in action, several other companies have also made a strong mark.
Here are a few examples where companies have successfully demonstrated their brand purpose to succeed:
- Unilever
Unilever, a global consumer goods’ umbrella company, ensures that its every brand is driven by a purpose. Its CEO, Alan Jope, has put immense faith in brand purpose with:
- Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: Focuses on anti-racism and climate change.
- Lifebuoy: Focuses on health and hygiene improvement in developing countries.
Although the company doesn’t have a unique purpose, it ensures that every brand under it has one and a distinct way of expressing it.
- Zoom
Zoom is a video communication company with a specific brand purpose. It focuses on making communication secure and frictionless, enabling people to accomplish their goals. The company offers a secure and user-friendly platform for collaboration and conferences, bringing its brand purpose to life.
- Airbnb
Airbnb was initiated to create inclusivity and a sense of belonging. It has achieved the same by providing accommodations worldwide. The same is showcased through guests’ and hosts’ stories, which highlight Airbnb as a part of their successful travel.
Purpose Meets Performance: Boosting Sales Through Shiprocket Checkout
As a company, you aim to always focus on “What’s next?”. To reinstate your brand purpose among the customers, why not add value to the website’s checkout page?
Several companies add a purpose-driven message on the last page, for example, “with every purchase, you are helping a child go to school”. Such emotional messages boost sales by evoking empathy in customers, and that’s where Shiprocket Checkout assists. The tech-enabled checkout solution triggers personalised messages and reminders to entice customers. We also provide innovative upsell suggestions to businesses for increasing the order value without interfering with the shopping experience.
Conclusion
Brand purpose is not exclusive to a single business; it aligns with the vision of every industry. Whether you are in a product or service sector, imbuing a purpose into your goals helps attract customers and boost sales.
Today’s brands are aware of the benefits of aligning a brand’s values with those of the customers. That is how they are able to sustain in the market.
So, if you are planning to start a new business and are unsure how to proceed, make establishing a brand purpose one of your priorities, and grow from there.
