Want millennials to love your brand? Give it a purpose

Millennials are often harshly judged by older generations. Their love of avocado toast, Instagram selfies and self-care culture are baffling to those who grew up even a decade beforehand. But the fact is millennials now hold much of the buying power. 

This is a fact that all agencies need to take note of, as it will affect how their brand and the brands of their clients perform in the market. If millennials have an issue with your brand, they will be vocal about it. 

You know that there are several digital marketing activities that you can perform to encourage millennials to like your brand, but there is one that you might be forgetting: do you have a purpose? Millennials are generally drawn to a brand with authenticity, not one that has simply chosen a cause to look good. So, do you want millennials to love your brand? Read on for how and why you need to give it a purpose.

But what is brand purpose?

Now that you know how important brand purpose is, you are probably wondering what it is, right? Your brand’s purpose is not your “About Us” page or even your mission statement. Your brand purpose is related to the way your company is trying to do better in the world. 

This does not have to be the entire world. It could be a certain portion of the population, such as a special interest group or a community. Your brand should focus on helping them and operate with this cause at the forefront of decisions. 

For example, Instagram is a brand that has shown it truly cares about people by removing inauthentic, stolen and hurtful content. Its purpose is to enable people to share their lives with one another, which is also the meaning of the new IGTV. And what does IGTV mean for this purpose? More safe and authentic ways to share your story.  Remember, a brand purpose should never be malicious or shallow. If your target audience is millennials, read on below for some advice. 

How can you build your brand purpose?

Take on corporate social responsibility

Many millennials now see corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an important aspect of any brand. This shows that the brand has a purpose and is not simply in the game for money and profit. And this is highly important to millennial consumers. 

It is important that you take social issues seriously and choose a cause that you genuinely care about. Avoid using CSR as a marketing ploy. Instead of using cause marketing (being against social ills) you should use purpose marketing which offers support to these issues. Many brands think about social ills, but, to give your brand purpose, come up with ideas to solve issues. Your purpose should be central to your business. Ask your content marketers to create a mission statement showing you take this cause seriously. 

Don’t just do good… do better

Many millennials believe not only in doing good for the world but also doing better. They might do better things for the world than previous generations or they might improve on what is already being done. 

Because millennials believe it is their personal responsibility and purpose to change the world for themselves and for generations to come, a brand that does the same will resonate with them. It is simple to give customers a positive vibe with a CSR page and some blog posts about what you have been doing, but you should not stop there. Try to do more for your cause. Get to the root of your brand purpose and show the millennial audience that you are more than just a name behind some charity drives. And with online marketing, you have the ability to do this in new and creative ways. 

Always be authentic

If there is one thing that millennial consumers disapprove of, it is inauthentic brands. One way to maintain your brand’s reputation in the eyes of Generation Y (yes, millennials are known by another name) is to be authentic in your actions. 

For example, take on a cause that you can realistically support with your CSR, such as supporting a local children’s home or animal shelter. And when you do post about how you have helped this cause, instead of opting for a flashy, professionally-edited video montage, allow your employees to post candid shots to social media. Gear your marketing campaign towards your cause, not towards your financial goals. Your brand purpose should be something realistic, relevant and achievable.  

Become purpose-driven

Not only will giving your brand a purpose bring in more millennial consumers, it will also benefit your employees. They will have a clearer idea of what your agency, company or business stands for and why you are doing what you do. This makes coming into work more rewarding and fulfilling. 

If you want to build your brand purpose, start by looking into CSR opportunities or choose a cause that is close to your heart. You should try to change the world for all the right reasons, and remember that authenticity is a major deciding factor for millennials. Soon you will find millennials putting down their avo toast and selfie-sticks and paying attention to your brand for all the right reasons.