It’s Friday 13th, so what better day to write about the scary subject of ‘brand purpose’.
OK, so unlike Mr Weigel, I believe brand purpose does have a real value.
That said, like Martin, I don’t believe purpose can be manufactured – or changed on a whim – and I certainly don’t believe it can do what governments can’t.
A while back I wrote a post about where purpose is going mad and used an umbrella shop as an example of when it all goes to shit.
Well, talking of shit, I recently was in Denmark.
When I was at the airport, I needed the loo – so in I went and then saw this …
Look at that …
No, not the loo, but the purpose.
Together We Change.
TOGETHER WE BLOODY CHANGE!?
Change what?
I think it has something to do with saving water but … what the fuck?
It’s a urinal.
A public urinal.
Why are they trying to sound like they’re making an Oscar speech.
Let’s not forget, this is a device that has been made to catch wee-wee [don’t say this blog isn’t kid friendly] … it’s an important device but not one worthy of a purpose like that.
And what’s the ‘Together’ part of that statement?
Are they organising men to have a filter placed in their penises [don’t say this blog doesn’t use correct biological terms] to ensure the water they emit is cleaned at source?
All this was going through my mind until I looked around the bathroom I was standing in and saw the state of the floor.
Piss. Everywhere.
EVERYWHERE.
Which immediately made me realise I’d been too harsh on the toilet company and their grandiose purpose because what I think they meant when they said ‘Together we change’ was …
“Hey men, stop pissing on the floor”
… though they would have more luck if they used the genius fly on the urinal trick, rather than another pointless purpose that people laugh at rather than are inspired by.
Purpose has a place in brands.
Purpose can be very powerful for brands.
But the moment you think it can be anything you want it to be and you act like it’s not for commercially beneficial reasons, then the only people you’re kidding is yourself.