Purpose-Driven Marketing: Why Thinking About Values Is The New Year’s Resolution That Pays

Blockchain. Self-driving cars. Another year is about to pass. Still, technology continues to evolve at an explosive pace. But the more things change, the more some things stay the same. 

As marketers, we need to remember people are people. They’re curious. They want to connect. (See how Issuu can help you do that.) And they want to be associated with brands that share their values, according to a recent study by Accenture. 

Learning from this insight may be the most important New Year’s Resolution you make.

Purpose-driven marketing

Purpose-driven organizations that anchor their business with a mission and a set of company values have gotten a lot of attention recently for driving employee retention. Employees like to work for companies that share their beliefs. 

But why are values relevant for marketers? The analysis begins with the widely acknowledged observation that no one trusts advertising or marketing. We know the reasons are varied. The explosion of online platforms like YouTube and apps like Instagram. Streaming. Social media. 

It has been a long time since everyone in the family sat around the television set. But we’re not feeling nostalgic. 

Rather, the splintering of content into a million brilliant pieces—all with unique tribes of followers—has created a new world for marketers. And those purpose-driven marketers have a tremendous advantage.

Why values are so valuable 

In a world of choice and sameness, the brands that stand out make an emotional connection to their audience. Nike’s recent “Just Do It” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick is a useful example.

An extension of the sports apparel brand’s decades-long campaign to celebrate the spirit of competition, the iconic “Just Do It” ads have accompanied Nike’s climb from outsider to mainstream brand. 

When Nike made Colin the face of the 30th anniversary campaign, they risked alienating a lot of their customers. At launch, the situation looked bad. There was controversy. The stock plummeted. Now after a year, however, we know the results were a huge success and a model for purpose-driven organizations. In fact, according to Fast Company, the campaign drove a $6 billion brand value increase and a 31% boost in sales.

The opportunity for value-oriented marketers

Getting behind the things you believe and practicing what you preach takes determination and integrity. The good news is companies that establish and define who they are, and create a track record to prove it, can stand out. 

If you need a New Year’s Resolution, resolving to explore and articulate your organization’s purpose is an exercise that could prove both valuable for marketers and the business in 2020.

About Issuu Blog

Connecting content to people, the Issuu Blog seeks to cover the topics of interest to our community—from tips to trends to best practices. See how Issuu can transform a single PDF into a high-quality campaign that connects on Facebook, Instagram, and across the Web.