Committed brands: 82% of consumers don't care

The purpose, a lot of noise, little echo?

In 2023, three years after a pandemic that had put CSR and “raison d’être” on everyone’s lips, Unilever’s new president, Hein Schumacher, sounded the death knell for benevolence and purpose . Without denying its effectiveness at certain brands, such as Dove, he preferred performance culture to purpose. Some were moved by this, seeing it as a further sign of the conservative shift then underway, which is illustrated today with the end of DCI policies under the battering of the Trump administration.

Was Schumacher wrong? Was purpose really a source of value? Does a company's raison d'être resonate with consumers (to influence their purchasing decisions)? Do they even know it?

The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute (directed by the renowned Byron Sharp , author of How Brands Grow and who has formulated many of the most influential theories for brands) conducted surveys in three countries – the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia – of 14 brands “ widely regarded by the marketing community as examples of purpose-driven strategies. ”

Without spoiling the study ( Brand Purpose… Are consumers aware to care?) for you right now , this “disclaimer” seemed quite relevant to me as a prelude: “ Let me introduce myself: I am Victoria Tait, principal researcher of this study. I chose the theme of “brand purpose” because I believe in the positive impact that brands can have on society and the environment. As a responsible consumer, I try to align my purchases with my values, supporting brands likePatagonia for their environmental efforts.

Read the full article inLa Reclame.