The Purpose Learning Curve

Written by Charissa Chadderton, B2B Business Director

Photo Credit: Agency Hackers/Neil Stoddart

Brand purpose is much talked about. There are now whole award ceremonies focused on companies and individuals that are doing it well, alongside events whose sole focus is understanding what purpose means and how organisations can make better progress when it comes to both articulating and communicating theirs. 

One such event held in the iconic Ministry of Sound recently was the Good Agencies Summit from Agency Hackers, billed at the World’s First Agency Purpose Conference. Eager to find out more (and check out the venue without the usual crowds), I went along. These are some of the key takeouts from the day. 

THE SHIFT FROM PURPOSE TO IMPACT 

For a conference focused on purpose, there was a great deal of discussion around whether we should even be focusing on ‘purpose’ at all – the argument being that purpose may simply express an intention, so should we be changing the terminology to talk about impact instead. Certainly an interesting way to start the day. There were thought-provoking questions raised around whether we’ve all become too caught up in the agency and marketing bubble and forgotten what really matters to our target audiences when it comes to why brands exist and why people want to engage with them.

‘The consensus was while it’s okay to still talk about purpose, we need to shift the focus more on to outcomes’  

And that means we need to understand the change that people want to see and what needs to be done to get there. For us as an agency and for our clients, this means really getting under the skin of what motivates people to shape a purpose that has real meaning. Once you have that, you need to create ways to measure the impact that purpose can have. 

Photo Credit: Agency Hackers/Neil Stoddart

INTERNAL V EXTERNAL PURPOSE 

Should purpose be communicated internally, externally, or both? Interestingly, this is a conversation that I had with a client at a recent meeting and there was a split down the room. What was clear from the discussions at the summit is that there is no right or wrong way or place to articulate your purpose – but it does have to be impactful and understandable.  

Some companies exist to create something. For others, they exist to counteract something that is wrong or off-balance with the world, their purpose is to correct. What seems clear to me though, is that if you choose to have both an internal and external articulation of your purpose in order to deliver real meaning, both need to be pulling in the same direction. The overarching goal has to be the same if your purpose is going to work. 

The conversations we’ve had over the last few years have led us to reconsider our purpose as an agency and how we articulate that better to clients and our team. Stay tuned for some exciting developments on that front. 

BEING PART OF THE CLUB 

A session I was particularly keen to attend looked at the value of becoming a B Corp. It’s a hot topic for many agencies and an accreditation that some of our clients are considering as part of the development of their own ESG strategies.  

‘Most importantly the conversation once again turned to impact’

I took away a lot of useful advice on how we can make this happen, but most importantly the conversation once again turned to impact. You might be sensing a theme. To be part of the B Corp club as it were, you must be able to demonstrate impact and progress towards key targets. It takes conversations around purpose away from aspiration and turns them into action.  

All in all, there was so much food for thought and vital lessons to share with both our clients and the team at Tangerine. Conversations around purpose are here to stay and it is an exciting time to be talking about what it means for us as an agency and what it means for our clients.  

On that front, we’re excited to bring you our very first Purpose Report created to delve deeper into the meaning of purpose in B2B marketing. To sign up for a copy, please share your email address in the box below. 

Image: B2B Purpose Report 2022