Why purpose-led marketing is a must for African brands

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.