PURPOSE-LED MARKETING

Why purpose-led marketing is a must for African brands

By our News Team | 2022

Do consumers care how a company behaves, if the product and price is right? Research shows they do favour brands with a social purpose.

Any marketer worth their salt knows that change is good and based on the permanent flux of human evolution. A seasoned marketer embraces this and the ethos that marketing is a service to others; not the opportunistic entity that it is sometimes portrayed to be.

Purpose-led marketing is, by definition, when a brand and its audience connect on a mutual cause that both believe in. In a perfect world, purpose-led marketing would be an extension of a purpose-driven business model.

The latter goes deeper than simply aligning with a cause, which in itself is a good thing. However, when the business model is built on a purpose, it makes people, their experiences and their well-being the primary aim of what the organisation does.

Why brands need to be more purpose-driven

The old adage of ‘do my customers actually care as long as my prices are competitive and my products or services provide the desired quality?’ is fast becoming redundant.

Several marketing surveys in recent years have revealed the ascent of purpose-led business and why consumers support certain brands. Business magazine Forbes published a comprehensive list of many of these surveys and the overarching message was clear: The purpose-led business model is on the rise and for good reason.

Photograph via Strategic Marketing for Africa magazine

Consumers are changing and so are their choices. Consider that Generation Y or Z consumers will likely be a large part of a company’s current customer base and most/all of its future customers.

Several recent studies also reveal that the aforementioned generations not only choose to support brands that align with their beliefs but, where possible, prefer to work for brands that do so!

To read more about how purpose-led marketing strategies are being implemented, go to page 39 of the latest digital edition of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC) here: https://africanmarketingconfederation.org/strategic-marketing-for-africa/

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.

Top african marketing voices confirmed for amc

Top African marketing voices confirmed for AMC 2026

Explore the 2026 AMC Conference speaker line-up. Top African marketing voices gather in Zambia to tackle AI, AfCFTA, and brand power. Register today.

Person holding two smartphones with app icons visible on their screens a large tv screen in the background shows colorful app icons

Broadcast Research Council confirms launch of total video measurement

New industry currency will bring South African television and online video audiences together in a single measurement system.

Dj performing on a brightly lit stage as colorful lights shine over a dancing crowd

Sense of belonging and atmosphere are key to attracting event-goers

Making people feel that an event space reflects their values leads to long-term loyalty and spending. FOMO also plays its part.

Smiling woman with curly hair in a yellow and white striped shirt holds a red can and points to the text 'what makes some ai ads creepy '

Researchers examine why some AI ads fail while others succeed

Norms may change, but right now it’s better to err on the side of caution when using AI in advertisements, study finds.

Woman in a denim jacket looks at her phone while standing with a shopping cart in a grocery store aisle holding a boxed item

Study examines drivers of FMCG purchases in three African markets

GeoPoll insights report from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa finds that quality remains the key purchase driver in FMCG.

E-commerce retailer aims to speak to the hearts of South Africans

As the country celebrates Heritage Month, Takealot embarks on a campaign to speak to consumers in all 12 official languages.