For all Intents and Purposes

The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, a marketing research center in Australia, has published the results of a study that explores whether consumers are aware of a brand’s purpose, defined by the study as “giving consumers an altruistic reason to buy, and is credited with potentially delivering a range of business benefits — from increased sales and stronger loyalty to brand differentiation and premium pricing.” Using 14 brands “widely regarded within the marketing community as exemplars of purpose-led strategies” (shown in the image), the study conducted surveys in Australia, the U.S., and the UK. Among more nuanced findings, the verdict is that across the three countries, the total average brand purpose recognition was 18%.