There is no question that purpose-driven marketing can be a powerful strategy, allowing brands to connect with customers in what feels like a more authentic way for all concerned.
Focusing on a sense of combined purpose offers the ideal opportunity for a brand to create genuine connections and foster a sense of consumer loyalty which can otherwise be difficult to orchestrate. But have brands gone too far in embracing purpose, at the risk of forgetting about the real reason for their advertising in the first place?
Sarah Morrell, senior client lead of Creative UK Insights at Kantar, explains why she believes why its time to put the product back in the spotlight.
Brands today often find themselves pushed by consumers to show they’re creating positive change beyond pure profit, balancing this with the commercial expectations of investors and shareholders.
Whether it’s more sustainable practices, advocating for equality or delivering social value, a growing number of briefs for adland have leant towards ‘purpose’ messaging.
Businesses absolutely have to keep pace with shoppers’ expectations on areas like sustainability and equality. It’s not only the right thing to do – our data shows that, when done in a way that suits the brand, it also boosts consumer perceptions.
But are we paying enough attention to what we’re actually trying to sell? The simple fact is, advertisers need to consider how they champion products as well as purpose to drive brand building in the long term and sales in the short.
Get the product out there
Significant investment is being made in product advertising, particularly new launches – almost half of the ads in Kantar’s creative testing database are for innovations. That’s 125,000 different executions.
Yet Kantar Worldpanel finds that 61% of new lines or products are declining or dead by the end of their second year. There will of course be a number of reasons for this and not all of them are within the marketers’ or advertisers’ control.
However, one factor that is all too common in these failed innovations is potential buyers simply not knowing that the product exists or not understanding its relevance to their needs. It’s a clear failing on the part of marketing and creative.
Too often, agencies see the role of advertising as purely forging an emotional connection with consumers – focusing on purpose. Those connections are important of course, but if the product isn’t front and centre, we can’t expect consumers to understand why it’s relevant for them – or why they should buy it.
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Make it memorable
The most persuasive and effective ads are those that strike the balance between the emotional and the functional, demonstrating the need or desire a product will satisfy in a way that leaves a lasting impression. It’s this which drives shoppers to reach for certain brands over others at the real crunch point – while they’re shopping.
Many factors contribute to this memorability – the relevance, credibility and clarity of the messaging are all important. Part of that is as simple as demonstrating the product being used within the creative – our data shows that ads which show this in practice create a greater sense of attraction to the brand from those who watch it.
A great example of this in action is McVitie’s Blissfuls, launched in 2022. Its launch advertising focused single-mindedly on the new treats and their intended purpose: delivering a blissful experience. We’re given a glimpse into the relaxing, almost mesmerising production of Blissfuls biscuits, meaning people are more likely to remember the snack when they’re browsing the aisles.
The ad ends with a couple ‘blissfully’ enjoying a bag at home in front of the TV, a relatable situation for almost everyone, underscoring the product’s relevance. According to our testing, audiences found the ad highly engaging and persuasive, sticking in people’s memories and making them curious to try the biscuits. Job done.
That said, it’s not all about a simple, straightforward message. To stay in consumers’ minds, creative also has to emphasise what a product or service can offer which no other brand can. This difference will not only increase memorability but also improve a business’ ability to justify a higher price, which in today’s competitive climate matters a great deal.
So, when it comes to advertising, don’t shy away from the product or take it for granted, especially when it’s new. Clear, relevant and meaningfully different creative can be the keystone to achieving returns in the short and long term and making innovations a lasting success.
This is definitely not a call to get rid of purpose campaigns. Brands still have to be showcasing how they’re making a positive impact on society and the planet – but marketers need to pay the same amount of attention to how products are portrayed through creative. After all, messaging around purpose is fruitless if no one is buying the goods.
