What is Brand Purpose and Why is It So Important?
What gets you out of bed every morning? Why does your brand exist? If someone asked you these questions, could you answer them right away? If you can, then you have already defined your brand purpose. But if you can’t answer these questions and you’re not exactly sure what your brand purpose is, then this is the post for you.
People usually establish their brand vision, mission, and core values early on, but many people forget to define their brand purpose. I didn’t have one established when I first started my design business. Instead, my focus was on earning money and making a living. Of course, making a living is a necessity, but it’s not a satisfying purpose.
Successful brands like Patagonia and Dove have a strong brand purpose. Each brand has established a purpose that succinctly communicates with everyone - employees, customers, and the larger community - what the brand is all about.
Patagonia’s purpose is associated with sustainability and caring for the environment, whereas Dove focuses on women and positive body image. Nowadays, people care about what kind of impact brands are making on the world.
“People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”
- SIMON SINEK
In today’s article, I’ll show you what brand purpose is and why it’s important for your business.
What is brand purpose?
Your brand purpose is your why. It's the reason that your brand exists. Some people may refer to it as your North Star because it will guide all of your actions. It is what you stand for above all else.
For example, this is Dove’s brand purpose:
‘To help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them realize their full potential.’
Brand purpose focuses outward on something larger than the brand itself. It conveys to everyone that the brand wants to make a difference in the world and is working to make that purpose a reality.
What’s the difference between brand purpose, vision, mission, and core values?
Your brand purpose is different from your brand vision, mission, and core values. They’re related, but you can think of your brand purpose as the unchanging foundation that the vision, mission, and core values are built on.
Your brand vision, mission, and core values are all inward-focused. Your brand vision establishes where you are going over the long term. Your mission describes how you’re going to get there. And brand value describes how your brand will act along the way.
Brand Purpose: Why your brand exists
Brand Vision: Where you are going
Brand Mission: What you are doing
Brand Values: To achieve your future vision, what your beliefs and behaviors are about
Another way to think about how your purpose, vision, mission, and core values fit together is by looking back to Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle. The Golden Circle was created by Sinek to show how leaders inspire others to act, but it can easily apply to your brand as well.
At your brand’s core is its purpose. This is why your brand exists. It's your purpose that emotionally connects with people and inspires them to act.
The next circle out is how you do what you do. This is what sets you apart from your competition. It includes the goals and strategies you plan to use to achieve your why. Your vision, mission, and core values fall into this second circle.
The third circle is what you do. This includes your product or service and all of the day-to-day activities involved in running your business.
Why is brand purpose important?
Let’s face it, there are a lot of similar products on the market. Why do some brands soar while others with similar products fail? People don’t just buy products on a purely economic or logical basis. They buy products when they emotionally connect with the brand.
Your brand purpose tells your audience who you are and what you stand for. When you’re clear on who you are and why you do what you do, you will easily connect with people who share similar values. As a result, your brand purpose will increase customer loyalty to your brand.
Hiring will also become easier as you will attract people who also believe in your brand’s purpose. You will find more candidates who are a good fit for your company culture.
Brand purpose also generates excitement among your customers as they will feel that they are part of a larger cause, rather than just buying a product.
Conclusion:
I hope this article helps to clarify what your brand purpose is and why it’s important for your business.
The first step to find your brand’s purpose is to discover who you really are. You can find it using the ikigai ( reason for being ) *diagram or you can download my Brand clarity book and do a little exercise.
* Marc Wynn created a Venn diagram that can help you visualize it.
Any questions or thoughts? Please feel free to leave comments below.