This one sign reveals brand purpose posers
Big events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl seem to bring out big brand messages. Companies obviously see it as an opportunity to make a bold statement in order to carve out a place in our consciousness.
As you might expect, a number of these organizations see purpose as the ideal vehicle for building affinity with prospects on this big stage. So we see a lot of grand messages. When companies get it right, it can be very moving. But more often than not, they leave us rolling our eyes.
What is it that seems so elusive for the majority of organizations?
What the posers don’t get
I was watching a commercial during one of these events. It started well. In fact, I found myself putting down my phone and giving what seemed like a purpose-driven message my full attention. But about halfway through, something happened. It started to feel kind of self-serving. And they lost me.
What led to the fail? It’s the one thing that reveals every purpose-driven wannabe. Here is the easiest way to explain it: you spend more time talking about yourself than talking about those you hope to serve.
You can feel it coming on when brands start talking about how important purpose is. That’s usually followed by them telling us that they are purpose-driven.
The telltale sign is when you hear a brand using ”we” and “our” over and over.
If you’re looking for one signal, listen for “we” and “our”. Truly great purpose-driven brands don’t feel the need to take credit for pursuing a purpose. They’re focused on those that they are helping. They’re focused on the difference they hope to make in a life, a community, or even the world.
Want to separate yourself from the posers? Then give this a try. Take your brand message and rework it to eliminate instances of “we” and “our”. It will force you to relinquish the focus on yourself. I know you have lots of features, accomplishments, and good intentions that you think you want to share. But do those listening (or not) really want to hear those things? The answer is no in case you were wondering.
Instead, take all that inward focus and turn it outward. Put your focus on those you hope to serve. Talk about them. Their needs. Their hopes. Their desires. And figure out how you can connect them with the way forward to fulfilling all those things – all without the excessive use of "our" and "we". Do that and you'll earn a place in their heads. Do it well enough, and you may even find your way to their hearts.