In recent months, one word has been most frequently mentioned in articles about the marketing industry – purpose. Initially, the purpose of a brand’s existence that is not focused on business results but on the general betterment of the world was analyzed in the context of the pandemic. More precisely, in addition to COVID-19 disrupting (and still doing so) the normal lives of most Earthlings, it has exposed certain brands that during the quarantine months proved that their purpose was merely a cosmetic addition to marketing communication, and when it truly comes to saving the world, jobs, or the mental health of consumers, they are nowhere to be seen.
During the days of June, purpose moved into the ranks of protesters who expected companies that swore to stand by their consumers regardless of the color of their skin or sexual orientation to join them in the fight for racial and gender equality. All these global upheavals confirmed what many advertisers have overlooked – purpose is not a word to merely mention in marketing campaigns; it is a statement that is lived, a word that binds, and its manifestation will make a difference between the winners and losers of the global crisis. Its growing importance, or rather, the importance of demonstrating purpose that brands highlight as their primary mission is the subject of a recent report on global trends published on Trendwatching.com.
Three Trends
The ‘hunters’ team highlighted three trends that will determine the future of ‘purpose’ that brands can practice daily, not just in exceptional situations such as the pandemic or recent American and European protests or the June Pride parades (Pride 2020). The first trend they cite is ‘sustainability as a service,’ claiming that consumers in the future will choose those brands, or services, that allow them to track and reduce their negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, they announce the trend of open source solutions that will be offered by more and more companies, as well as the trend of so-called code breakers – brands that will operate against their own or the customs of the entire industry for the sake of sustainability and ethics.
However, before they began explaining each trend, the trend watchers emphasized that the businesses they cite as examples are not perfect; each of them is expected to continue changing, following shifts in consumer behavior and their needs. Nevertheless, they show in which direction other players in the industry should move, so together, step by step, they can give meaning and purpose to individual brands, and ultimately change society as a whole. But let’s go in order.
As mentioned, the first trend ‘sustainability as a service’ refers to companies that enable customers to minimize their own negative impact on the environment. These services are often part of a subscription business model, brands that offer a high level of personalization, or the so-called circular economy, which, precisely because of consumer impact on the state of ecology, is becoming part of the mainstream. The Australian travel company Intrepid Travel has partnered with Offset Earth to offer its users a subscription (the minimum price is $6.50 per month) that finances reforestation to reduce carbon dioxide’s impact on the climate.
Subscribers receive a detailed monthly report at their address that records details related to the climate, harmful emissions, and results of ecological action. The e-company Loop is an excellent example of the circular economy. It collaborates with major brands such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, Proctor & Gamble, and Unilever. Loop delivers their products to customers’ addresses in recyclable packaging and also collects used packaging, which it then sterilizes and returns to use.
