A case against brand purpose

I’m falling out of love with the idea of brand purpose, not because I don’t think it’s a valuable concept, but because I don’t entirely believe that brand purpose, with its lofty ideals and characteristic optimism, is entirely relevant for South Africa right now. Perhaps even the world.

The South African reality is radically different from the ideal

The concept of brand purpose reminds me of democracy. It functions well when the status quo is mostly balanced, all participants start off from a high base (think economic opportunity, education, social stability etc.) and those that the system is designed to govern are both the conscious benefactors and considered determinants of that very system. You can afford to have ideals because they are attainable.

On the contrary, in a place like South Africa, democracy, with its accompanying premise of equality, is window dressing for a reality where basic human rights are still in question and extreme disparity in terms of historic advantage, lived experience and human potential denies an equal footing. The agency participants believe they possess is only so good as their level of education and critical thinking, and the promises they buy into that potential vying leaders make on their behalf.

In a context like ours, brand purpose feels like another mass-produced political manifesto that paints unrealistic pictures of the future based on policies, procedures and operations that few really care to consider and craft.

I’d argue that brands intent on pursuing a life cycle of purpose should think very carefully about what they are promising to and selling their followers and active consumers. While I cannot disagree that an optimistic pursuit is a good thing for any brand, I do think that it defies the reality of the South African socio-economic landscape and consequently the lived experience of a majority of South Africans.

I believe we are becoming fatigued by rainbow promises and the investment of energy in distant and idealised (non-)realities. Especially now after the Corona Virus pandemic, South Africans’ actualities are blaring at them loud and clear. The fight is not one for love, peace and acceptance, it’s a fight to stay alive. It’s a fight to remain relevant. It’s a fight to simply continue.

It is within this context and in the often choking haze of today’s zeitgeist that I think a concept like brand responsibility is better suited for brands and their marketing efforts in South Africa. It is no longer about selling people a positive ideal that is too often in direct contradiction to their realities, it is about actively participating in whatever the current reality is. Getting one’s brand hands dirty and helping people get through this. Presenting day-to-day solutions that make life easier and more bearable: simpler, safer, more certain.

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