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Purpose, Cause and the New Brand Attributes
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Today's world faces the phenomenon of consumption facilities and lifestyle difficulties. In this
atmosphere, brands have not had an easy time defining their positions. At the same time, the population
has gained empowerment and consumption ability has grown, but global economic and environmental
issues have become real obstacles.
Discussions about how to support world growth painlessly take place all the time, globally, regionally
and locally. Developing or emerging countries are facing the great challenge of sustaining their growth
pace and respecting global agreements on environment and sustainability.
This entire scenario impacts, definitely, the way brands position themselves to consumers and what the
consumers seek in a product.
Edelman's Good Purpose demonstrates this new behavior, and localizes when these movements are
taking place. Focusing on Latin America, it is possible to say that everything is a novelty. Recently
promoted from Third World to emerging region, with economies growing at high levels, and having
Brazil as the head of the BRIC countries, the region represents a real challenge for brands. Good
Purpose shows how Brazil, the largest country in the region, both in extension and economy, has a
surprising consumption consciousness.
Currently, 14 percent of Brazilians affirm their contentment in the shopping experience. Consumers
wants more. They desire a cause behind a brand, reason why beyond product attributes. They look for
products that exercise responsibility within society. The survey shows that 83 percent of Brazilians
would switch brands if a different brand of similar quality supported a good cause and 81 percent of
them would recommend a brand that supports a good cause. Other Latin American countries behave in
a very similar way.
Therefore, brands must change. Brand positioning must be reviewed and, more than that, reflected
through actions. It is not about being socially responsible anymore, it is about being responsible. The
difference? Instead of only having a CSR policy, the brand must be responsible in its essence, its
personality.
Consumers want more. Brands must deliver.
