I used to be a big advocate for purpose, but it’s time we revise how we activate purpose. And yes, purpose is being challenged from many fronts these days for not being good for business (Unilever vs. Terry Smith) to not delivering the results for the brand (like criticized by Mark Ritson and others).
As I argue in my book The Hero Trap, there are simply too many “Saints” in the supermarket aisles, so the big question is: Who to trust?
The brands that carved out a niche on activism are themselves being challenged by faster and more agile competitors, making their activism their biggest Achilles heel. People are no longer buying what you do or why you do it (values have become a commodity), but instead who you can help them become?
A caring Dad teaching his son to stop buying bottled water and instead go for the push of the SodaStream button. An informed mother helping her daughter understand financial literacy one penny in the piggy bank at a time.
The Arrow-model helps you focus your efforts on building a brand, that truly transforms people lives by asking 4 simple questions – the most pivotal being a move from the naval-gazing WHY to the enabling WHO can you help people become? It’s time to embrace #transformativebrands.
The Arrow – Thomas Kolster
