Purpose under pressure: maintaining integrity in a sceptical market Exchange_Lock
Editorial

Purpose under pressure: maintaining integrity in a sceptical market

We're surrounded by messages that lack meaning - driven by metrics rather than a genuine reason to do good.

As trust gets harder to earn, authenticity becomes more important than ever. Yet, many companies struggle to balance profit-driven goals with a real commitment to purpose.

Unilever's recent decision to scale back its purpose-driven marketing highlights this tension. Once seen as a leader in promoting social and environmental responsibility, the consumer goods giant is now reassessing how it balances purpose and profit. For years, Unilever's initiatives were celebrated as models for aligning brand values with societal good. However, this shift in strategy highlights the delicate balancing act between maintaining meaningful brand purpose and ensuring that these efforts contribute to the bottom line.

The challenge is clear: can companies still champion purpose authentically when consumer trust is at an all-time low, and does it remain an effective strategy for building brand trust? Industry experts weigh in with their perspectives.

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Laura Bracher News analyst CIM
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