Purpose
Purpose is the pillar which defines the reason for which an organisation has been created. It also relates to the business owner’s sense, revolve, and determination.
Brand philosophy refers to the brand’s beliefs, and it consists of three factors, which are mission, vision and value. Brand philosophy is important because it will give the brand an image and a personality (Jannois et al., 2007). This is also how a company will communicate its products, and what the brand wants consumers to feel when interacting with the brand. Furthermore, a business having its own image and personality will have a promise to its customers (Wheeler, 2023).
For example, Too Faced is a beauty brand whose mission is to give individuals the freedom to express themselves through the products this company sells (The Estee Lauder Companies, 2023). Their vision was to be a brand that is building a community with their consumers, while their values revolve around inclusivity, creativity, and integrity (Monteros, 2022). All of these values and goals of the company have helped attract more customers throughout the years.
According to Nanda, (2020) Gen Z is looking for brands that listen and learn from feedback given by consumers, and brands that act on their values and purpose. It is also important that a brand’s values align with those of Gen Z in order to be able to communicate with this generation. One of the ways a brand can communicate their purpose to Gen Z is by engaging in social issues; members of Gen Z are very considerate when purchasing from different brands – for example, most of them prefer buying from brands that prioritise sustainability, local practices, and diversity (McKinsey & Company, 2020)
Furthermore, brands communicate their purpose to Gen Z through social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram. For example, the purpose of the brand Asos is to create a world where individuals have the freedom to express themselves without judgement. In order to attract members of Gen Z, they have realised that it is important to create an ‘emotional connection’ with them, which is why the brand has shared their purpose through different social media platforms.
In 2021, Asos has created the ‘#AsosAlertEgo’ campaign, which consisted of users showing their transformation over Halloween, whilst wearing clothes from their brand. This campaign has helped attract more Gen Z consumers as this campaign allowed individuals to express themselves, which relates to Asos’ purpose (Grobosch, 2022).
Reference List
Grobosch, L. (2022) Educational resources and meaningful connections: how Asos is attracting Gen Z. Available at: https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/educational-resources-and-meaningful-connections-how-asos-is-attracting-gen-z/2022060963504 (Accessed: 30th October 2023)
Janonis, V., Dovalienė, A. and Virvilaitė, R. (2007) Relationship of brand identity and image. Engineering economics, 51(1). Available at: https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=52290 (Accessed: 27th October 2023)
McKinsey & Company (2020) Meet Generation Z: Shaping the future of shopping. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/meet-generation-z-shaping-the-future-of-shopping (Accessed: 28th October 2023)
Monteros, M. (2022) Too Faced’s svp of global marketing on how the company plans to win shoppers this holiday through text. Available at: https://www.modernretail.co/marketing/too-faceds-svp-of-global-marketing-on-how-the-company-plans-to-win-shoppers-this-holiday-through-text/ (Accessed: 28th October 2023)
Nanda, M.C. (2020) Gen-Z shopping: Separating myth from reality. Business of Fashion. Available at: https://thinkific-import-development.s3.amazonaws.com/8603/GenZShoppingSeparatingMythfromReality-201007-150632.pdf (Accessed: 28th October 2023)
The Estee Lauder Companies (2023) Too Faced. Available at: https://www.elcompanies.com/en/our-brands/too-faced (Accessed: 27th October 2023)
Wheeler, K. (2023) Brand Identity: How to Develop a Unique & Memorable Brand in 2023. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/agency/develop-brand-identity (Accessed: 27th October 2023)
Image Reference List
Toofaced (2023) ‘Two icons, one pic’ [Instagram] 27 October. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy4Wnl-tA1D/?hl=en (Accessed: 28th October 2023)