#5: Be consistent.

As you build your purpose and your brand, be consistent.

Here’s a recent case in point. For generations, Budweiser was guided by a sense of purpose: A celebration of the American everyman and his favorite pastimes. It was voiced through Clydesdales, dogs, games, sports sponsorships, and even humorous commercials of guys simply acting like guys and yelling, “Whassup!”

In 2023, they decided to branch out and embrace purposes that were a total departure from who they’d always been. The result was an immediate 20% decline in sales.

When the backlash hit, Bud Lite immediately backtracked. They launched commercials with pickups, horses, and American flags. In the process, they revealed how disingenuous their latest experiment was – and even called into question who they really were.

There are hundreds of potential purposes, causes, viewpoints, missions, and charities out there that you can embrace.? But you can’t embrace them all. Find the purpose that is authentic to your brand and stick with it.

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BEST PRACTICE TIP

Do not get distracted. Be consistent in your purpose.

About this series

Over the past few decades, businesses and consumers alike have placed more and more importance on the notion that brands should serve a purpose.

It matters to people. It matters to brands.? Consider the following statistics:

• 77% of consumers say they have stronger emotional bonds to Purpose-driven companies*
• 66% of consumers are willing to switch from a known brand to a Purpose-driven brand*
• 57% are willing to pay more for an equivalent product from a Purpose-driven brand*
• Brands set on improving our quality of life outperform the stock market by 120%*
• According to Deloitte, purpose-driven brands have 49% higher employee retention

Many companies see the value of becoming a purpose-driven brand. But many are uncertain of how to get there.

While there is no one single, right way to do it, we’ve identified 9 Best Practices that are common among brands that successfully identify, promote, and live their purpose.

We've published these best practices here in a series and invite you to follow them in creating a purpose you can love.

*SOURCE: Cone/Porter Novelli Purpose Study