Purpose vs Purposewash: TCO panel at the Content Marketing Association Summit

Speaking of the panel, which included Goodvertising’s Thomas Kolster, Simon Baker, TCO’s Managing Director, said.

“A panel focused on purpose is always going to be a lively discussion. My view is that you can't be authentic without having a purpose or reason for existing.

Brand purpose seems to be confused with sustainability initiatives - whereas sustainability should just be the new normal, and often isn't congruent with your purpose. In the context of today's environmental, political, and societal brokenness - brands should look to reassess their role in the world and whether they can align their reason for being, the action they can take, and their messaging power in more positive ways. If they can, they should do better.

Communicating a purpose that is aligned with a positive impact on the world, while selling a product is fine if it has integrity, but doing this with the necessary clarity that consumers (and employees) needs, seems to be where brands are missing the mark. Ultimately, purpose alone is meaningless without action.”