Ten years after the publication of On Purpose, Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith revisit the ideas that shaped the book and explore why purpose-led brands still outperform those that don’t.
In this first episode of Business Brew from Caffeine, Andy and Shaun reflect on the thinking behind On Purpose, how the concept of purpose has evolved over the past decade, and why many organisations have struggled to translate purpose into real business impact.
They discuss the core idea of purpose-driven experience – aligning brand strategy, customer experience and employee experience so that everything a business does genuinely “lives the brand.” Along the way they revisit the three key principles from the book: Stand Up, Stand Out and Stand Firm, and explain why the most successful organisations focus first on meeting meaningful customer needs.
Andy and Shaun also tackle what has gone wrong with purpose in recent years, including purpose-washing and the confusion between purpose and ESG or corporate virtue signalling.
Ten years on, they argue that purpose is not a slogan but a strategic filter – one that helps leaders clarify decisions, align culture and create distinctive experiences for customers and employees alike.
The question for leaders today is simple: is your organisation still truly on purpose?