Brand Purpose: Perspectives and Purchase Behaviour of Generation Z: An Abstract

Abstract

In response to public concerns over issues such as global warming, slavery and human trafficking, mental health and gender inequality, the last decade has seen an increased focus on both company and consumer ethics. The concept of corporate social responsibility has permeated the values of global and national organisations and subsequently, for many successful companies, brand purpose has become the central focus for brand ideology, positioning and communications. Brand purpose is not only the cause that the business supports and seeks to improve, it is about the difference the brand aims to make in the world and the communication of that difference to the target audience. Brands who use the concept of brand purpose successfully connect that purpose to consumer values and human needs. The expectation is that this ethical societal focus will pervade the company, becoming the focus of corporate brand philosophy in terms of vision, mission and strategy, products, supply chain and communication, and also in terms of the ethical treatment of its internal and external stakeholders. These humanising characteristics provide a hook in which to assure consumers that the brand understands what it important to them. However, as the ethical consumption literature has established over the last few decades, consumers express preferences for brands that fit with their ethical and moral stance, a view that does not always follow into actual consumption choices. Utilising four company cases, this research aims to explore the issues of ethical consumption and the purchase behaviour of Generation Z. Through the medium of social media, Generation Z have become the most environmentally, socially and politically aware generation in history. It is to these consumers that many global companies are targeting their brand purpose message and communications. Critics of brand purpose propose that brands are responding to the ethical principles of young consumers as a marketing strategy. The companies themselves, however, would propose that they are risking brand reputation and potential sales in the support of such causes and that their brand purpose is based on their concern for global issues. Using interviews with this cohort, the brand purpose of four international brands is unpacked to understand how addressing social issues and taking a stance impacts on the consumer perceptions and purchase behaviour of Generation Z. The four brands selected have taken a social and/ or political stance: these include Nike, Adidas, Dove and Lynx. Initial findings provide evidence of genuine concern by the cohort and an appreciation of such campaigns.