Is Covid Washing Out Your Brand Purpose?

The nasty virus sweeping the world is waking us up in unexpected ways. The piecemeal and bogus attempts at “brand purpose” and soundbite fakery that has passed as marketing is losing its lustre, and the rise of the hashtag #Covidwash is our evidence.

In the early months of 2020 as the corona virus has challenged global humanity, so many topics have come into crystal clear focus. With assassin-like precision, society and markets have passed judgement on behaviors previously thought acceptable, and demanded new services and experiences not considered important just weeks before.

The lion share of the mental shift happened both globally, and at pace, in little over a month. Naturally, brands have struggled to respond and unsurprisingly many have tripped over their shoelaces and skinned their knees. There is blood on the floor. Faces needs saving.

In amongst that, there have also been some awesome acts of service to mankind and market from both major and minor players alike. I’m not, for even one second, diminishing what they have done with this article. I am a huge fan. Huge.

And with that said, I’ll get to my point.

There has also been a whole heap of quite ridiculous “virtue signalling”. You know, where a brand tells you all about how great they are what they’re doing to support their staff.

Er… ok.

But it’s not like abandoning your people in a pandemic was ever an option, right? Surely, these are just basic expectations, not dramatic acts of brand courage or values that we should all admire?

I mean, we are happy that you’re doing that, but we are also happy that cars have wheels, and that paint dries.

People are over this dramatizing of the essentials. And #Covidwash is our proof.

Purpose Based Brands

This should be a clear warning sign to those rushing to join the purpose led brand movement — and it kind of is a movement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a massive advocate of purpose for all the reasons that everyone else is, but a brand-purpose…