Purpose. Everyone’s talking about it. Every brand claims to have one. But let’s be honest, it’s become somewhat of a trend and many brands that claim to have a purpose are simply playing it safe, with no real substance, action, or impact.

In a world that demands more from business than ever before, it’s no longer enough to treat purpose as a tagline or a CSR project on the side. It has to be your North Star, your anchor when times are tough, and your engine for real change.

The brands that are breaking through and growing over the long-term are those that are bold enough to put purpose at the core of what they stand for. These brands are not just surviving, they’re leading the way.

Having worked in large organisations, supported growing start-ups and watched scale-ups be swallowed up through acquisitions, I’ve seen the most common pitfalls that undermine real purpose. In Part 1, I’ll share five of the biggest traps that derail even well-intentioned purpose-led strategies - and how bold brands break through.

1. Being too vague about the change you want to make

The pitfall: Vague, generic statements like “we want to make the world a better place” or “we will improve the lives of millions of people in communities where we source and operate” without clarity of how that translates into action and impact.

The breakthrough: Get really specific. Define the unique change you want to make in the world.

Think of Tony’s Chocolonely’s purpose: “Together, we will make all chocolate slave-free”. It’s crystal clear, and and it guides every decision, from supply chain to product design, partnerships and storytelling. Tony’s doesn’t try to fix the entire food system. It’s focused on ending slavery in the chocolate supply chain and that focus fuels impact.

2. Spreading yourself too thin

The pitfall: Trying to support every cause, donate to dozens of grassroots initiatives, or align with every awareness day and social movement. While the intention is good, it often creates diluted impact and confusion about what you actually stand for.

The breakthrough: Bold brands focus. They choose a cause that aligns tightly with their purpose and focus on real impact.

Take Chobani, the yogurt brand. Instead of spreading donations across many causes, they’ve consistently focused on food access and refugee employment - both deeply tied to the founder’s story and the brand’s DNA. That tight focus has made their impact visible, credible, and scalable.

3. Using old-school marketing tactics to compete

The pitfall: Relying on outdated marketing strategies that are designed to drive trial, rely on mass reach, and push sales through short-term tactics (aka Byron Sharp’s leaky bucket concept).

The breakthrough: Bold brands don’t push consumption for consumption’s sake. They focus on building loyalty through meaningful connections. Instead of treating buyers as funnels to fill, they build tribes who share their values and beliefs. And for good reason: The Harvard Business Review revealed that acquiring a new customer can be 5 to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one whilst research from Bain & Company states that a 5% increase in retention can lead to a profit increase of up to 95%.

A brand like Veja - that sells sustainable sneakers - has built trust over time without ever spending a cent on traditional advertising. They detail everything - where the cotton is grown, how much workers are paid, the carbon cost of production, and even what’s not perfect yet. They then let their community do the talking. They’ve grown almost entirely through word-of-mouth and earned media.

4. Treating purpose like a comms strategy, not a business strategy

The pitfall: Keeping purpose siloed in the marketing department, while the rest of the business operates as usual.

The breakthrough: Purpose is not just a communication strategy. It needs to become the soul of your business and drive every decision you make. If you’re not acting on what you preach, there’s no real impact.

Dove has been committed to changing the beauty industry’s negative impact on mental health for over two decades now. The brand has seen significant growth behind its equity-driving campaigns, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been an easy ride. Before 2010, investing in purpose was not mandatory within Unilever and country managers remained focused on short-term profit targets.  As such, Dove’s Real Beauty campaign became no more than a tagline. It was only when Paul Polman introduced the Unilever Sustainable Development Plan that investing in purpose became mandatory. The CSR corporate department was dropped in favor of each brand fully integrating purpose into its strategy. Paul Polman made a bold external commitment: Dove would reach 15 million girls by 2015. The brand massively exceeded that goal through strategic partnerships and body confidence programs.

5. Losing your way when the pressure’s on

The pitfall: When crisis hits - economic downturns, backlash, or boardroom pressure - many brands quietly shelve their purpose to protect short-term performance. But if your purpose only holds when it’s convenient, you’re purpose-washing.

The breakthrough: Bold brands stand firm, using their purpose as a compass even amid controversy. They recognize that consistency in values fosters long-term loyalty and resilience and use their purpose as a guide to make hard decisions, not avoid them.

In early 2025, amid mounting political pressure under the Trump administration to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, many US corporations began scaling back their commitments. Target, for instance, rolled back its DEI programs, leading to significant backlash, including a reported $12.4 billion loss in market value and a 40-day consumer boycott. 

In contrast, Costco upheld its DEI initiatives despite similar pressures. The company’s board rejected shareholder proposals to roll back or reassess its DEI policies, emphasizing that such initiatives are integral to attracting talent and driving innovation.

The Recap

To lead with purpose - and create real impact – ensure these essentials are embedded into your strategy:

1. Get Crystal Clear On Your Impact: Define the specific change you exist to make
2. Focus Your Efforts: Go deep on one aligned cause, not wide on many
3. Build Trust And Loyalty: Don’t get caught up in pushy marketing tactics that are designed to fuel mass consumption
4. Turn Purpose Into Action: Let purpose guide every team and every decision
5. Stay Anchored Under Pressure: Let purpose be your guide when things get tough

These five shifts are the foundation of a strong purpose strategy - but they’re just the beginning. In Part 2, we’ll dive into how bold brands stay relevant, evolve, scale with purpose, and build deep loyalty. Stay tuned.

If you're serious about embedding purpose that drives impact and performance, I’d love to help. I offer tailored strategy sessions for leaders and brand-building training for teams looking to upskill. 

📩 Email or DM me if you’d like to explore how we can work together: [email protected]