Building a social impact brand can be far more challenging than building a consumer brand. And it’s not a lack of financial resources or branding expertise that makes it so: it is the the very role impact brands play in society. While a consumer brand persuades the target audience to make a purchase, a social impact brand demands more: empathy for others, personal or group behavior change, commitment to advocacy, or a financial commitment that is more substantial.
Whether you are building a corporate purpose brand, CSR initiative, public sector campaign, coalition, or a nonprofit organization, the brand challenge is multi-layered, human-centered, and requires a deeper understanding of the forces that drive brand creation. While most brands harness emotion to trigger an action, social impact brands unleash powerful emotions that are catalysts for change. It can be on behalf of an issue or cause that has impacted your own life—disease, natural disasters, or public health concerns. Or one that shines a light on a need of the must vulnerable—either close to home or on the other side of the world.
Social impact brands are in touch with the human experience and transcend design, logo, taglines—and often even organizational boundaries through the structure of campaigns, movements, and initiatives that are not tethered to one system. In some cases, partners are required to transcend their own identities for a common purpose and the greater good. Leaders and other influencers are part of this brand ecosystem. Alignment is critical so that brand purpose as well as individual purpose are consistent making brand building everyone’s job—even if it is not your direct responsibility.