For years, B2B brands were seen as secondary to consumer brands—a tool for marketing, not the boardroom. But that mindset is changing.
Brand is now recognized as a crucial lever for building business resilience. When aligned with purpose and culture, it becomes a powerful tool for guiding strategy, building trust, and mobilizing teams. Today, how you define and activate your brand can be the difference between success and failure. It’s what turns your purpose into a driver of long-term stability, growth, and relevance.
In fact, 74% of CEOs now agree that purpose can activate their brand—a 42% increase from last year. The question is: how can leaders make it work? How do you ensure your brand is not only the foundation of your business strategy, but also the engine driving engagement and resilience? Here’s how:
1. CLARIFY THE ROLES
The connection between business purpose (why you exist) and brand positioning (why to choose you) often gets overcomplicated. Let’s keep it simple: your purpose guides your business; your positioning guides your brand. They must work together to achieve the same outcomes. If they don’t, your message gets muddled, your audience loses clarity, and your brand loses impact.
To build a resilient brand, there needs to be clear alignment between purpose and positioning. Draw from your purpose to craft a story that aligns with your long-term vision.
Take maritime energy infrastructure leader, Höegh Evi, as an example. Their purpose is to “Accelerate countries to energy security and transition.” This directs their strategy, but it doesn’t differentiate them. So, their brand positions them as “The vital link to secure transition.” It clarifies their role in the value chain and reinforces their purpose, building consistency, clarity, and trust—both internally and externally.
of CEOs now agree that purpose can activate their brand
Let’s keep it simple: your purpose guides your business; your positioning guides your brand.
2. STORYTELLING OVER STATISTICS
A resilient brand isn’t just about perception; it’s about creating understanding. It makes your business strategy tangible for your audiences. Your brand’s job is to build that understanding. The fact that 74% of CEOs see purpose as a brand activator shows a shift—leaders know its potential, but they have to prove it.
The truth is, no one buys into vague promises or abstract visions. Leaders must communicate their strategy through brand storytelling that connects with customers and focuses on real value. Remember one simple rule: storytelling over statistics.
Forget the jargon and the grandiose statements; what matters is showing how your brand makes an impact for people, customers, and society. Share success stories, showcase tangible outcomes, and highlight real change—make it clear how your brand delivers on the business purpose and strategy in concrete ways.
3. ACT, DON’T JUST TALK
Talking about purpose is easy; acting on it is another game entirely. Resilient brands don’t just talk—they execute. This is especially crucial for complex businesses. Leaders need to know where to invest, what to keep, and what no longer fits.
Look at Unilever. Their purpose is “To make sustainable living commonplace.” To align their brand portfolio with this, they’ve made tough decisions—focusing on purpose-driven brands like Dove, Ben & Jerry’s, and Seventh Generation. They’ve streamlined and restructured, prioritizing sustainability and social impact.
Translating purpose into action means making bold moves: Do you consolidate brands under one purpose-led umbrella? Do you cut what no longer serves your vision? Put your resources where your future is. When your brand portfolio is aligned with your purpose, it builds credibility and sets a clear direction.
Remember, resilience isn’t about holding onto everything; it’s about investing in what truly drives value.
Talking about purpose is easy; acting on it is another game entirely. Resilient brands don’t just talk—they execute.
4. IT’S FOR ALL AUDIENCES—INCLUDING YOUR TEAM
A resilient, purpose-driven brand isn’t just an external asset; it’s a critical internal driver. Yet, purpose is still held up with senior leaders—only 43% of middle managers and 24% of front-line teams fully embrace it. That’s a problem, as these groups are closest to clients and critical to delivering on your brand. The key? Empowerment and connection.
To build resilience, your brand and purpose must be felt and connected at every level. Employees need ownership— they should see how their work aligns with and drives the brand’s message. Engagement must go beyond top-down communication; it’s about empowering teams to tell their own stories and embody the brand through interactive sessions that show how the brand connects to their daily roles. This alignment turns employees into advocates who build momentum, innovate, and adapt—ultimately making your purpose a reality.
The takeaways
A well-connected, resilient brand isn’t a luxury; it’s a strategic necessity. It’s the tool for driving your strategy, mobilizing your teams, and making your purpose tangible. When your brand is connected to a clear purpose and is actively embraced at every level—from senior leaders to front-line employees—it becomes a powerful driver of momentum and adaptability.
By aligning your positioning with your purpose, engaging your people in meaningful ways, and making well-informed portfolio decisions, you’ll build a brand that doesn’t just survive change but thrives on it. So, keep your brand focused, keep it purpose-led, and let it be the momentum that carries your business forward.
Read the full findings of our CEO Report: A pivotal moment for purpose here
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Will is Managing Partner, Brand, at Brandpie and is a master in creating clarity from complexity.
Will brings his passion and expertise to the intricate challenges and diverse needs of the energy sector. He works closely with executive teams across the landscape to clarify their business purpose, articulate their forward strategy, and focus their brand and communications.
In 2023, Will was awarded Brand Strategist of the Year at the Transform Awards. Connect with him here.
