Accelerating purpose-driven marketing – The four gears

There is a lot that is going on globally around how marketing could be more purpose driven, to the extent that it may seem more complicated than it is. Well, perhaps it is.

Be it any function, purpose acts as a strong glue to bind a goal. Below is an effort to simplify purpose-driven marketing approach to execution with four simple gears that form the pedestal for the right momentum before velocity.

Solutioning mindset

A campaign is usually done to augment sales with best possible return on investment along with brand or product recall. However, at times it is not just about doing a campaign but the mindset which is solutioning driven rather than sales driven. This question propels the strategy towards a deeper connect with a brand message and taking time to set the context. Though this will depend on the channel as in print, television, digital or mobile, what I have observed that simple message juxtaposed with right quantity of emotion can create a powerful message for a brand. This jigsaw joins together when brands or their consultancies ask this one question – what are we trying to solve?

A/B Testing

Many of us leverage this for different initiatives and at times shape up a Minimum Viable Product. A/B tests helps us get closer to better predictions and expected outcomes by identifying and prioritising areas of improvement. So, when it is about purpose-drive marketing, budgeting an A/B always helps. However, there are a few questions to ask while going for an A/B. First – is the A/B being done on Training data or Test data. Second – is it being done with a proper control group. Third – is the control group selection made random. The acronym VUCA in this ecosystem instils more faith in a logical and data-driven approach to a purpose-driven marketing. As a panoramic view this will clear your Venn diagram.

Optimal Emotion

Any messaging, advertising campaign requires using emotion in the right mix or at times perhaps it is just one emotion in a subtle way. This is perhaps the most difficult part as considering everyone as unique audience for your messaging, there may be learnings with every campaign. This in turn can be translated into data and trends while mapping with the psychographic behaviour of the evolving consumer with the help of the fourth point below.

Leverage Data Science

Nostradamus does form a good example in some way. That yes, predictions could be made and could be made better and better. Couple of decades back, this may not have made much sense in the traditional scheme of things. Not only the discipline of Data Science has evolved but how humans are working on variety of algorithms to make highly informed, meaningful decisions in almost every industry. Starting from identifying the most significant variables via regression analysis to various other statistical approach, this study of using past data, segregating relevant data sets and continually studying them is one of the most rigorous yet most desirable for enabling the right kind of messaging and campaign for your audience.

So, at the end I would say that passion will lead you ‘here’ and purpose will take you ‘there’. So, keep those windows open, you never know what light creates that magic.

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Reputation Today.

Ankoor Dasguupta

Ankoor, President’s Select Member of Leaders Excellence [MLE] at Harvard Square, is a prominent figure in the industry, serves as a mentor, advisor, and speaker at the Indian Institute of Film Training & Digital Marketing (IFTDM). Holding a significant role on the Advisory Board of the Marketing Department at ISBR Business School, Ankoor is also on the Advisory Board of Global Mathematics & Mathematics Olympiad Graded Assessment Test with Competition. Ankoor is also an empanelled Speaker at SpeakIn which also runs the Indian Speaker Bureau.

Extending beyond academia; Ankoor has been honoured with the "CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE 2024" award by Passion Vista and recognized as the "MAN OF EXCELLENCE, 2024" by the prestigious Indian Achievers' Award. Additionally, he received the "LEADER 2.0 AWARD, 2023" from adgully and was named a "DIGITAL KAIZEN LEADER by DigiAdCon 2024”, Ankoor’s contributions to the field of marketing are widely acclaimed, marking him as an inspiring thought leader in his domain. Ankoor is also a member of IMA India’s CMO Forum.

Ankoor is a key member of the esteemed International CMO Council, member of MarketingKind, and also a GLG Council Member. Ankoor keeps delivering lectures at top Business Schools and colleges at University of Delhi. As an industry expert, Ankoor has also been a member of the interview panel at MICA for their PGP Group Exercise & Personal Interview PI process for PGDM-C/PGDM selection for two consecutive years.

Recognized by DMA Asia as a marketing Ace, Ankoor is now also a LinkedIn Top Voice, advocate of social impact, driven by kaizen, Ankoor believes in the power of Energy and Energize

Ankoor is practicing his PCC (Level 2) coaching from the gold standard International Coaching Federation [ICF]. Ankoor is a people's person and has worked across functions in marketing and advertising with a pedigree of 24 years and ongoing exciting journey. Trained from Dale Carnegie in Mentoring to Develop Talent, Ankoor is a marketing practitioner, a coach, a knowledge manager, a team builder, a thought-leader, an avid writer with close to 100 published articles / interviews and is a Thought Leader, Ankoor wears the hat of a CMO as well. Ankoor's leisure pursuits are reading, effective listening and percussion.