Brand Purpose is a hotly debated topic in the world of marketing. To add to the discussion, I wanted to share my favourite purpose-led brands. The brands that I feel are doing a great job in articulating and delivering a mission to change the world. To help narrow down my choices, I thought I’d focus on relatively new businesses vs brands that are part of multi-nationals.

But firstly here’s a definition of what we mean by brand purpose, coined by Peter Field.

“A commitment articulated by a commercial brand or its parent company to goals other than improved profits or products, involving contribution towards one or more positive social impacts in the fields of health, the environment, human development, sustainable business practices, or other similar areas.”

Using this definition as my starting point, here’s my top 10 - in no particular order.

1 Tom’s

Tom’s was founded in 2006 by social entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie and is credited with inventing the one-for-one business model. If you buy a pair of Tom’s shoes, a pair is given to a child in need. Initially, shoes were given to children in Argentina, but they’ve now made donations to children in 70 countries. In 2021 they moved away from the one-for-one model. Instead, they give away 1/3 of their profits to ‘grassroots good’. Their business model has moved on, but they remain committed to supporting local communities. Blake was a real pioneer. He speaks on several podcasts and is worth listening to.

2 Warby Parker

Warby Parker is an American eyewear business. Initially, it was online but is now sold primarily via retail outlets. It’s a classic start-up story. Four friends at University started with a $2 5000 seed investment and created a hugely successful business. They followed the example of Tom’s by adopting the buy a pair, give a pair model, which it still adheres to. As of 2022, the company has distributed over ten million pairs of glasses via the scheme.

3 Tony Chocolonely

The Dutch chocolate brand is making huge waves in the confectionery market. Its purpose is to create a world of what it calls ‘slave-free’ chocolate. To eliminate the curse of modern slavery. To ensure everyone across the entire chocolate supply chain gets their fair share. I love the way it tells its story on the inside of the wrapper. The chunks of chocolate are produced in irregular, uneven patterns, to symbolise the fact that we live in an uneven world. Very clever. And it’s a great-tasting product too.

4 Oddbox

Oddbox aims to eliminate food waste. The killer fact they use on their website is that 1/3 of the food grown in the world is wasted. Astounding isn’t it? And the reason? It doesn’t fit the narrow specifications determined by supermarkets. Therefore with an Oddbox subscription, they deliver odd-shaped fruit and veg to your door.

I’m a fan and a subscriber. Every two weeks I get a Friday night delivery. I’m always excited to see what weird-shaped produce they’ve sent me. Sad, I know.

5 Who Gives a Crap

Toilet paper, at first sight, appears to be an unlikely category for a purpose-driven brand. Not for the Australian founders of Who Gives a Crap. They point out that 2 billion people across the world don’t have access to a toilet. To help solve this they donate 50% of their profits to ensure everyone has access to clean water and a toilet. Like Oddbox, their business model is direct to consumers. Their packaging is playful, attractive, and plastic-free. Worthy of any bathroom.

6 Patagonia

Patagonia is a trailblazer in the arena of purpose-driven brands. Its founder Yvon Chouinard has been supporting environmental projects his entire life. It’s a brand that’s loved across the globe. Their latest initiative is to commit 1% of its sales to environmental projects. Over the past year, it’s supported over 1 000 non-profit organisations.

7 Hiut Denim

Whilst they may not be trying to change the world, they’re trying to change the town of Cardigan in south Wales. In 2002, 400 jeans makers in Cardigan were suddenly put out of work when their employer outsourced denim production overseas. Cardigan natives Clare and David Hieatt decided to put Cardigan back on the map by reopening the factory. They rehired the original team to make the bespoke, premium quality jeans. True local heroes.

8 Dash Water

Dash Water is on the same mission as Oddbox. To eliminate food waste. The way they do it is through sparkling water. This is what they say on their website

‘We infuse our sparkling water with real wonky fruit’ They talk about accepting misfits and products that have been rejected by supermarkets.

Like Oddbox, they also have a direct-to-consumer model. You can simply buy direct or else take out a subscription. Much healthier than standard carbonated soft drinks.

9 Oatly

There’s been a whole wave of brands in recent years that are encouraging us to adopt plant-based eating habits. Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are a couple of examples. The brand that is making a huge impact in the non-dairy milk category is the Swedish brand Oatly. There’s so much that I like about it. The packaging, the personality the tone of voice. And of course, the clarity of their communications.

Summary

What characterises these brands is the single-minded pursuit of profit is not a primary goal. It didn’t motivate the founders or leaders to create these businesses. In an era where marketing is much maligned, it’s great to see there are some ‘good people’ out there. With more noble aspirations than simply getting rich.

It’s also motivating to the people who work in these kinds of organisations. In the hunt for the best talent, this works in their favour.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that every brand in the world needs to develop a clear purpose. There are other routes to growth. Sometimes it’s just best to focus on the traditional virtues of developing and selling exceptional products that people love. Trying to shoehorn a purpose into a business will look fake.

But it’s great to see companies that sell exceptional products and services are also making a positive impact on our world.