One of the keys to success in the 21st century, according to Harvard Business Review, is going to market armed with a strong brand purpose aligned with customer values.
Customers are increasingly being drawn to the impact of their own actions on their immediate environment and the world as a whole. And nowhere is this more evident than in their purchasing and lifestyle decisions.
They are gravitating towards brands who care about the same things that they do- from politics to socio-cultural and environmental issues.
But it is not enough to just say it in promotional campaigns. Brands must now look inwards at their own values and truly embody them- demonstrating to their customers with decisive, visible action (both in their internal and external operating environments) their commitments not to just make money, but to make lives better.
In the age of data, automation and technology, emotion continues to drive the most impact in the 21st century.