I think it all starts at purpose driven marketing. What is the organization's role in the world? What does it believe in? From that everything else falls... The way the product or service is produced. The way innovation is offered to customers. The way the organization gives back to the world. All these things tie up together.
So, if your organization ran the world, what would it do? Go ahead, be selfish for a moment... What is your organization better at than everyone else? What's the purpose?
If you're Cisco you would probably want everyone to make better human connections because that idea "changes the way we live, work, play and learn". That's Cisco's purpose and it's a terrific one with really no limits. Could a telecom company say this? Probably, but they wouldn't be better at delivering on it than Cisco.
If you're Nike you would probably want everyone to realize that "if you have a body you are an athlete". That's another amazing purpose. Could another athletic company say this? Perhaps, but I doubt they would be better at it than Nike.
Thinking about purposes like these really falls inline with the following quote from Dell's most recent CMO, Erin Nelson, from the ANA convention earlier this month...
"Purpose isn't just good for the soul, it's actually really good for the bottom line. The purpose can become the filter that says 'do I or do I not invest the resources in getting this done, is it going to help me achieve the purpose for which my company exists every single day."
With 2011 right around the corner it's time for organizations across the world to have year end planning meetings with agencies. And when they do, let's talk about purpose driven marketing. And not just the giving back/responsible part of it but the whole, over-arching idea.
With many calling purpose driving marketing, "the future of advertising" now is the time.
