Big events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl seem to bring out big brand messages. Companies obviously see it as an opportunity to make a bold statement in order to carve out a place in our consciousness.
As you might expect, a number of these organizations see purpose as the ideal vehicle for building affinity with prospects on this big stage. So we see a lot of grand messages. When companies get it right, it can be very moving. But more often than not, they leave us rolling our eyes.
What is it that seems so elusive for the majority of organizations?
What the posers don’t get
I was watching a commercial during one of these events. It started well. In fact, I found myself putting down my phone and giving what seemed like a purpose-driven message my full attention. But about halfway through, something happened. It started to feel kind of self-serving. And they lost me.
What led to the fail? It’s the one thing that reveals every purpose-driven wannabe. Here is the easiest way to explain it: you spend more time talking about yourself than talking about those you hope to serve.
You can feel it coming on when brands start talking about how important purpose is. That’s usually followed by them telling us that they are…
