Ken Beaulieu

It has become rather trendy to question — or even speak out against — the value of brand purpose. That mountain of studies from trusted sources about consumers preferring to support, buy from, and work for purpose-led brands? Overblown and misleading, the skeptics say. The idea that a deeply embedded purpose can drive business strategy and operations, improve organizational culture, and lead to solutions that address societal issues? Perhaps, but at what cost to the business in time and effort? The notion that purpose can spur sales, business growth, and competitive advantage? Oh, please.

The 2021 ANA Masters of Marketing Conference certainly had a different feel than those of years past. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the in-person crowd in Orlando, Fla., to a fraction of its typical size (although more than 3,000 registered to watch virtually).

As more companies look to make a larger impact on society through purpose-driven strategies, they would be wise to heed to the warning of Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally Financial: “While the potential of brand purpose is game-changing, it’s also a minefield if you get it wrong.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rampage across the globe, with seemingly no end in sight, has there ever been a greater need for brands to activate their purpose or reason for being beyond profit?

The ANA Center for Brand Purpose recently released “Discovering Brand Purpose: A Playbook for Uncovering the ‘Why’ of Your Business,” an insight-rich resource for maximizing your understanding of doing good business.

Mo Katibeh, CMO of AT&T Business, is excited for 5G. Get a preview of his session at the 2019 ANA Masters of B2B Conference in this exclusive Q&A.

Aligning an organization around a well-articulated and meaningful purpose has a greater impact on growth than any particular product or service. The new ANA Center for Brand Purpose will provide tools and resources to help brands overcome the challenges of bringing purpose to life.

At Mondelēz International, legal plays a critical role in driving growth initiatives across the company.