The brand purpose process is real

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's 2018 Letter to CEOs said companies must "serve a social purpose."

Will & Grail has focused on helping companies understand how to respond to the societal trends toward a better balance of purpose and profitability. Along the way we learned four things:

- The purpose movement is real. Statistical evidence shows the power of purpose. From employee recruitment and retention to customer acquisition and retention, data shows that purpose-driven companies are more successful. (Just this month, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's 2018 Letter to CEOs said society was demanding companies "serve a social purpose.")

- While people want to work for and do business with purpose-driven companies, there’s no common definition of success.

- Without that definition, there are gaps in how organizations see themselves and how the world see them through the lens of purpose.

- We need a process to help companies see how they're viewed, then clarify and better align brand and business strategies to bring purpose to life.

With this in mind, we tested our process to help companies build a purpose-driven brand that connects in real and meaningful ways. The result is a proven Brand Innovation process that aligns three key areas:

How the world sees your organization

The first step is Brand Believability®. It's one of the few ways to understand how the outside world views your organization in relation to purpose. It's the standard companies must aim for if they want to the world to see them as having a true purpose that matters.

It's the benchmark for understanding how key audiences view an organization and areas where it can improve, aligning what you say with what you do.

How you want the world to see your organization

The second step is the process of understanding your key audiences, clarifying why you exist and connecting to the way you communicate with the world. We call this Brand Intention and it's the ideal way prospects, customers, employees and the community view your company.

How to close the gap

The final step is activating your purpose to close the gap between how you're seen and how you want to be seen. In Brand Activation, we create personas and customer journey maps, then amplify your purpose through tailored brand experiences. Our work is collaborative and ongoing.

As you look further into where your company stands, it’s natural to have questions. Organizations are in the early stages of understanding and adoption. There are questions and uncertainty about how organizations make the shift toward the balance of profits and purpose. Our Brand Innovation process provides answers and a path to move forward, gaining confidence along the way. In the coming weeks, we'll release an ROI calculator that shows the positive economic benefits of purpose-driven brand and business strategy.

Contact us to learn more about this growing trend and our Brand Innovation process.