Topics

Purpose

Brand Strategy: Why Are Purpose and Feelings so Important Now?

October 2, 2014 —

Brand Strategy: Why Are Purpose and Feelings so Important Now?

Brand Strategy: Why are purpose and feelings so important now? An emotive brand is the persona-driven presence and experience of an organization that has proactively decided to orient itself around a meaningful and purposeful promise. Such brands do so with the intent of emotionally connecting to people on a deep level, by addressing core human needs. Most significant, an emotive brand strives to forge these attitude and behavior changing connections both inside and outside their organizations. To summarize, an emotive brand is:  – Proactively meaningful across all its actions  –...
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Purpose-Led Brands: Is Purpose Only Created by Adopting a Cause?

July 25, 2014 —

Purpose-Led Brands: Is Purpose Only Created by Adopting a Cause?

There is a fantastic post from PR company Edelman on their notion of “purpose”. They see purpose as the next evolution of cause marketing. They point to 1983 as the start of cause marketing, when American Express sponsored the restoration of the Statue of Liberty by having each American Express Card purchase trigger a donation to the cause. They now claim we are in “Cause 4.0”, which leads to what is called “Social Purpose”. This is all about business doing well by doing good, but is it really only cause marketing? We don’t believe that a business...
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Should You Aspire to Have a Meaningful Brand?

July 21, 2014 —

Should You Aspire to Have a Meaningful Brand?

The idea o a  “meaningful brand” is taking industry by storm as more and more enterprises look for ways to prevail in the 21st Century, a time of great change and innovation. Should you join this bandwagon? Not before you fully understand what it means to be a meaningful brand, what it entails from an organizational change point of view, and what it can do for your business. Here, we provide top-line answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions. What is a meaningful brand? A brand transcends the market when it decides to look beyond the profit agenda and see its business...
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Your Brand Strategy for the Purpose Economy

May 27, 2014 —

Your Brand Strategy for the Purpose Economy

According to Aaron Hurst, we are moving from the Information Economy to the Purpose Economy. He states that this is a natural evolution, which is taking us from the first levels of human organization, the hoe-and-plow Agrarian Economy, through the smokestacks of the Industrial Economy, to the data farms of the Information Economy, and now to the human-centric Purpose Economy. Each of these economies been built on top of the proceeding, and represent evolutions more than revolutions. In his book, The Purpose Economy Hurst states: “When I say purpose, I mean more than serving others and the...
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Moving the Needle of Market Share Through Purpose

May 5, 2014 —

Moving the Needle of Market Share Through Purpose

Creating Market Share Market share is an essential goal for most businesses. Greater share leads to a stronger and more vibrant business. It fuels growth, stimulates innovation, and increases ROI. But is your business having a hard time moving the needle? It’s no wonder. After all, it’s tough out there. Your industry is becoming increasingly commoditized. Pervasive competitors are quickly copying and mimicking your innovations. At the same time, people who have been shook up by the financial crisis, and who increasingly seek values as much as value, are thinking more about what they buy, and...
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7 Reasons Why it’s Probably Time to Transform Your Business

April 23, 2014 —

7 Reasons Why it’s Probably Time to Transform Your Business

What’s the matter? We met with some prospective customers over dinner the other day, and started the discussion with our favorite leading question, “So, what’s the matter?”. The floodgates opened. As we listened to the issues tumble out – and sensed the pain, anxiety and frustration they provoke in the company’s leadership – we thought about how so many businesses today face the same basic challenges. For example, how many of these challenges which our prospects are now facing, are inhibiting growth, innovation and motivation at your business? Your...
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We All Know the Value of Collaboration, So Why Isn’t There More of It?

April 7, 2014 —

We All Know the Value of Collaboration, So Why Isn’t There More of It?

When people, departments, offices, and divisions collaborate, beautiful things happen. New product ideas are born. Smarter, more efficient processes emerge. More effective policies are developed. New energy is created. The rewards of collaboration are many, yet the spirit of collaboration is dimmed in many enterprises. There are many reasons for this, all of which add up to costly consequences. Human potential is unrealized. Capital isn’t effectively deployed. Resources are squandered. Growth, development and innovation are stymied. Enlightened organizations counter the forces that...
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Commerce Without Morality

March 24, 2014 —

Commerce Without Morality

Fans of Mohandas K. Gandhi will recognize today’s title as one of the “seven social sins” that Gandhi published in 1925. (The full list appears below.) Gandhi wrote that a friend had given him the list. But after he spent decades speaking and writing about the big themes on this list, people just naturally assumed he was the originator. The point for us is not who described “commerce without morality” as a social sin. The point is how deep the concept goes. First, the idea that businesses should be responsible to society is totally not new. We live in an age of constant invention, so it’s...
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Why Every CEO Should Pursue a “Purpose Beyond Profit”

December 2, 2013 —

Why Every CEO Should Pursue a “Purpose Beyond Profit”

It’s textbook management practice to formalize a company’s “mission, vision, and values.” And while these are important steps in helping form a direction and way of being for a company, many CEOs are nonetheless challenged with a litany of business issues: Unengaged employees An inability to attract the new talent needed Customer defection Lack of marketplace differentiation Dissatisfied shareholders This list goes on and on, doesn’t it? Behind each of these business challenges is a big question: How can my business matter more to people? When your business...
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“A Purpose Is A Direction That Reconciles Individual Ambitions And Collective Aspirations.” @gpetriglieri

September 22, 2013 —

“A Purpose Is A Direction That Reconciles Individual Ambitions And Collective Aspirations.” @gpetriglieri

So tweeted the amazingly insightful Gianpiero Petriglieri of INSEAD. Consider, therefore, how a well-crafted, emotionally meaningful purpose “hits two birds with one stone”. It takes into account what “I” want, need, aspire to – as a customer or employee. At the same time , it embraces the collective impact on “WE” – the company, the employees, the society, the planet. Properly implemented, such a purpose serves as a magnet for a brand. It achieves this status when management makes the purpose both personally relevant and emotionally important to all brand constituents. People see what they...
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