WE is the new ME, Branding with Purpose

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Shelley Stevens — Leave a Comment

Simon Mainwaring is a man on a mission. He’s a social branding consultant and author who made his way to North America from Australia via London. And like many people who are set on changing the world, he experienced a personal loss that realigned his priorities toward something bigger. I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Mainwaring speak at the recent WOMMA Summit, and came away inspired. His choice of what “bigger” might be came directly from a 2008 World Economic Forum speech given by Bill Gates, where he challenged his audience to think in terms of “creative capitalism” and how it could be used to change the world; a concept that positions the power of the marketplace behind social good.

As luck would have it, when Gates proposed this idea, how we communicate was radically shifting with the adoption of the internet. Technology was, and continues, to advance toward faster and easier transfer of information across the globe. The world was changing in other ways too – greater pressure on financial markets, recessions that keep visiting, unemployment rates on the rise. This perfect storm of not-so-perfect events caused Mainwaring to wonder if there was a new way to think about Capitalism.  In his newly published book, WE First, he quotes David Suzuki:

“We’re in a giant car heading toward a brick wall and everyone’s arguing over where they’re going to sit.”

Clearly we need some GPS. And someone who’s willing to drive.

Like Mainwaring, I’m no economist. I’m a brand girl at heart and as he spoke, I was struck by how aligned it was with my personal views as well as how our agency operates. The concept of building a brand through connection to consumers that resonates for them personally just makes sense. Some of the finest brand stewards around have mastered this idea. Target, who not only gives 5% back to local communities, but makes sure they are always keeping their identified target market in mind. The brands of P&G that work hard to benefit constituents on a global level with programs strongly rooted in purpose. Pepsi Refresh is a great example of this. Patagonia is promoting sustainability as a core element of their brand by encouraging consumers to buy fewer, more enduring products.

Consumers are expecting more from their brands. They want to spend their hard-earned dollars with companies that care about the things they do and give back in a purposeful and significant way. If that isn’t happening, they now have the channels to voice their opinions. This power can no longer be ignored. Cases in point highlighted by Mainwaring include the recent Occupy Wall Street protests, the result of the Netflix customer revolt and the debit card fiasco for B of A, where one woman reached out to 24 friends that ultimately connected to over 3,000 consumers.

To lead from WE instead of ME, brands can:

• Accept that we are a connected society; a company’s needs need to be in line with society’s needs.
• Transformation is possible through collaborating to solve societal issues – utilizing best practices from individual businesses and industries.
• Offline brands can partner with online brands for greater leverage and connection to consumers through social media, which provides necessary scale.
• Embrace the fact that “the future of profit is purpose.”

Back In 1971, an ad guy at McCann-Erickson wrote a song for a Coca-Cola spot (I’m sure you know the one I’m talking about). Consumers want to build a better world, and furnish it with love. Seems like a good idea.