Why corporations will save the world with a little help from creative agencies Answer: in order to to save themselves from losing relevance and preference with consumers. WE ARE Pi co-founder Alex Bennett Grant and Strategy Director Jessica Perri present a vision for how corporations will save the world and themselves by adopting brand purpose that benefits the world as a differentiator in order to engage Millennial consumers. Bennett Grant and Perri address the topic with a proposition based on three pillars: Culture, Future, Good. Culture: How sustainable is brand communication that leverages popular culture and memes to borrow equity and become salient with consumers in a social era? Some brands realise this approach has its limits and are instead opting for leveraging brand purpose based on social and societal good. Is this a winning strategy for large corporate brands? Future: what are the new ways to organising a corporation and its brand to stay competitive as markets are flooded with newer, nimble competition founded with brand purpose and usefulness at their core? In an era of 21st century ’Benefit Corporations’, will the 20th century mass market corporate dinosaurs evolve by disrupting their own models, or die at the hands of dwindling relevance? Good: how can placing social and societal benefit be applied as a brand differentiator, not only for the younger corporations, but the big slow older brands too? How can creative agencies the world over help nurture and educate corporate clients to think differently about ways in which they can stay relevant, by reflecting their consumers millennial values and desire to purchase brand purpose with their products? This presentation is a call to arms for marketers and agencies to join the conversation in an effort to create a RACE FOR GOOD among corporate brands

1. Why Corporations Will
Save the World
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM INDIE
AGENCIES
WE ARE Pi

2. Saving the world

3. Is saving corporations

4. Is saving corporations
• Today Consumers buy into corporate
purpose, not just product.
• New competitors are more nimble, useful
and purpose driven.
• Campaigns leveraging culture without
purpose increasingly gets lost in the clutter.

5. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

6. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

7. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

8. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

9. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

10. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

11. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

12. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

13. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

14. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

15. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

16. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

17. Content that permeates culture
is the new measure of success

18. Some brands are realising that content with
social purpose is a stronger differentiator.

21. success?

23. Critics

24. Critics
• no permission
• too complex an issue
• no achievable goal

25. Critics
• no permission
• too complex an issue
• no achievable goal
Counterpoint

26. • BALLS
Critics
• no permission
• too complex an issue
• no achievable goal

27. "I’m not a black
person, but I am
deeply affected by
what’s going on,
and so will our
general society if
the American
promise, the
American dream,
the aspiration of
the country
is only available to
a select few,"
–– Howard Schultz
CEO Starbucks

29. ME

30. ME
lasting impression

31. ME

32. 89% of consumers
are likely to switch
brands to one
associated with a
cause, given
comparable price
and quality.

33. The result:
Starbucks became more humanised and like a
human, it also makes mistakes…
…on a path to deeper and lasting consumer
engagement.

34. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

35. Any organization built for success in the 20th
century is doomed for failure in the 21st
century.” – David Ross, Entrepreneur.

36. Most clients
“the corporations”

37. Disruption
Info enabled digital corporations are out manoeuvring
industry old guard with social purpose and inherent
usefulness.
Electric
Cars
Collaborative
consumption

38. Shifting from brand communications at the end of a value
chain, to brand actions inherent in the corporate DNA.
Actions
(not words)
2006 2014

39. We have been putting this theory to test for three years
with start-ups, NGOs and benefit corporations.
Practice makes perfect

40. We have been putting this theory to test for three years
with start-ups, NGOs and benefit corporations.
Practice makes perfect

41. With whom we can have a greater impact.
Taking it to the corporates

42. “If you want to
make a billion
dollars, help a
billion people”
“To educate leaders and apply
exponential technologies to build
corporations that also address
humanity’s grand challenges.”
Partnership
(for corporate change)

43. “If you want to
make a billion
dollars, help a
billion people”
“To educate leaders and apply
exponential technologies to build
corporations that also address
humanity’s grand challenges.”
Partnership
(for corporate change)

44. “If you want to
make a billion
dollars, help a
billion people”
“To educate leaders and apply
exponential technologies to build
corporations that also address
humanity’s grand challenges.”
Partnership
(for corporate change)

45. fPlay Fun
video

46. fPlay Fun
video

47. Future (ways of working)
• Organising around purpose and usefulness
• Brand acts “doing beats saying”
• Practice makes perfect: “Ready, Fire, Aim”
• Unconventional partnerships widen the pool of ideas

48. Future (ways of working)
• Organising around purpose and usefulness
• Brand acts “doing beats saying”
• Practice makes perfect: “Ready, Fire, Aim”
• Unconventional partnerships widen the pool of ideas

49. CULTURE. FUTURE. GOOD.

50. CULTURE.
FUTURE.GOOD.

51. ¾ consumers
• Asia-Pacific region
• Latin America
• the Middle East
• Africa
Pay more for products "from
companies that are committed
to positive social and
environmental impact," [
Nielsen]

52. We are entering a time where the
GOOD that brands do will be the only
true differentiator.

54. NOT A SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE

55. Any brand
• the funny one
• the emotional one
• the cute one

56. Any brand
• the funny one
• the emotional one
• the cute one
Can your brand be the useful one
serving the greater good?

57. EMPOWERS
WOMEN

58. EMPOWERS
WOMEN
SAVED THE
LAST
RHINO

59. EMPOWERS
WOMEN
SAVED THE
LAST
RHINO
GREENED THE
SUPPLY CHAIN

60. • FROM: 5k CSR budget
• TO: 3M brand campaign budget

61. • brand purpose
• brand positioning
• activations, content, brand campaigns
PUT "GOOD" CENTRAL TO THE STORY
• FROM: 5k CSR budget >
• TO: 3M brand campaign budget

62. And it works
“Our brands that most engage with our sustainability
and social purpose plan are growing 10% faster than
those who aren’t.”
–––Keith Weed, Unilever

63. fPlay Fun
video

64. fPlay Fun
video

65. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers

66. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA

67. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA
CONSUMER:
• align with my
values
• cash, loyalty,
advocacy

68. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA
CONSUMER:
• align with my
values
• cash, loyalty,
advocacy
CORPORATION:
• Profit & reputation
• MORE GOOD

69. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA
CONSUMER:
• align with my
values
• cash, loyalty,
advocacy
CORPORATION:
• Profit & reputation
• MORE GOOD
COMPETITORS
• Play catch up
• Raise the bar GOOD

70. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA
CONSUMER:
• align with my
values
• cash, loyalty,
advocacy
CORPORATION:
• Profit & reputation
• MORE GOOD
CATEGORY:
• new norm
• New, boutique
brands
COMPETITORS
• Play catch up
• Raise the bar GOOD

71. BRAND:
• re-aligns purpose
• support organic farmers
YOUR CAMPAIGN:
• coolest new band,
partner
• CTA
CONSUMER:
• align with my
values
• cash, loyalty,
advocacy
CORPORATION:
• Profit & reputation
• MORE GOOD
CATEGORY:
• new norm
• New, boutique
brands
COMPETITORS
• Play catch up
• Raise the bar GOOD
RACE FOR GOOD

72. RACE FOR GOOD:
This is why Corporations will
save the world with a little help
from indie agencies.

73. CULTURE:
Problem: Parody in culture without purpose gets lost in the clutter
Solution: Tell stories that make a difference in culture, and don’t just recycle it
FUTURE
Problem: New competitors are more useful and purpose driven
Solution: Determine new ways of working with brands that create opportunities for
good
GOOD
Problem: Today’s consumers are buying corporate purpose, not just products
Solution: Creating good campaigns differentiates your brand while aligning with
consumer values
As Advertisers, we have the power to create a race for good
summary…

74. CULTURE:
Problem: Parody in culture without purpose gets lost in the clutter
Solution: Tell stories that make a difference in culture, and don’t just recycle it
FUTURE
Problem: New competitors are more useful and purpose driven
Solution: Determine new ways of working with brands that create opportunities for
good
GOOD
Problem: Today’s consumers are buying corporate purpose, not just products
Solution: Creating good campaigns differentiates your brand while aligning with
consumer values
As Advertisers, we have the power to create a race for good
summary…

75. CULTURE:
Problem: Parody in culture without purpose gets lost in the clutter
Solution: Tell stories that make a difference in culture, and don’t just recycle it
FUTURE
Problem: New competitors are more useful and purpose driven
Solution: Determine new ways of working with brands that create opportunities for
good
GOOD
Problem: Today’s consumers are buying corporate purpose, not just products
Solution: Creating good campaigns differentiates your brand while aligning with
consumer values
As Advertisers, we have the power to create a race for good
summary…

76. CULTURE:
Problem: Parody in culture without purpose gets lost in the clutter
Solution: Tell stories that make a difference in culture, and don’t just recycle it
FUTURE
Problem: New competitors are more useful and purpose driven
Solution: Determine new ways of working with brands that create opportunities for
good
GOOD
Problem: Today’s consumers are buying corporate purpose, not just products
Solution: Creating good campaigns differentiates your brand while aligning with
consumer values
As Advertisers, we have the power to create a race for good
summary…
The FUTURE of advertising is about making
a CULTURE around GOOD.

77. Thanks for being part of it
today