"Brands with Purpose" are in vogue these days.  But what are they?  Most of my clients do charity.  Are they all brands with purpose?  Nope!

Look at Harry's, the latest rage in the razors-mailed-to-your-home craze.  They donate 1% of their revenues to charities related to men's mental health.  Does that make them a Brand with Purpose.  Couldn't they charge 1% less and I can Zelle it myself?  What is their value add?  That is the wrong way.

In contrast, Allbirds, another rising star, has engineered new kinds of shoes with environmentally friendly materials:  breathable merino wool and eucalyptus tree fibers.  That's not something I can do on my own.  That's a Brand with Purpose the right way!

Marketers wanting to build Brands with Purpose need to  leverage their knowledge and assets to do good.  If you are UberEats, deliver excess food from restaurants to the poor and hungry.  If you are Harry's, give free razors to men who can't afford one before a job interview.

In my book, Right Between The Ears, I show how markers can build epic brands. If you want to know how to do so for yours, message me for a workshop.

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[Written by: Sandeep Dayal]