Purpose Incorporated: A primer for brands in APAC
A three-part series tackling the complexities and nuances of how brands can go beyond profit to do good and do better in the Asia-Pacific region.
About this series
A three-part series tackling the complexities and nuances of how brands can go beyond profit to do good and do better – for themselves and others – in the Asia-Pacific region.
It seeks to offer a curated collection of world class expertise, evidence and examples to help brands with strategies, actionable insights and practical steps they can implement today to begin the journey to reorient their business to truly contribute to people and planet through profitable solutions.
Chapter one: Mindsets and management
Purpose incorporated: A comparative review of the Asia Pacific region
This companion report is a part of WARC’s special series on sustainability, social impact, diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) issues in Asia Pacific.
This comparative review offers an overview of what the landscape looks like in the region. It aims to showcase the breadth of initiatives in APAC and the businesses, local and global, already constructing ecosystems, building circular economies and serving their communities.
Much purpose-talk but little purpose-action
Economics of Mutuality Solutions’ Alastair Colin-Jones and Yassine El Ouarzazi discuss what is it about the notion of purpose that makes it so different from sustainability or responsibility.
Embarking on a purpose journey is a whole-company endeavour involving strategy, finance, sustainability, HR and marketing. What is needed in a company-wide transformation is an orchestrator, someone that can see how the different teams can work together, what they bring and what they don’t.
Purpose reimagined: Winning the war on brand purpose in a post-pandemic world
Author Flaviano Faleiro
Company Accenture Interactive
Rehumanising leadership: To rebuild a world we broke
Authors Jenn Chin and Caroline Wang
Company Uncommon Kind
TBWA’s local talent development journey: Lessons and reflections
Authors Sean Donovan, Hui Tsin Yee and Jan Cho
Company TBWA
Moving brands and business to the right side of history: What agencies can do
Author Andy Wilson
Company BBDO
The new paradigm: From brand purpose to business purpose
Authors Jenn Chin and Caroline Wang
Company Uncommon Kind
The value of equality and inclusion: How P&G strives for social impact
Author Denman Chan
Company P&G Hong Kong
Chapter Two: Diversity and Inclusion
Skin deeper: How brands can get advertising representation right for growth in APAC
To grow a brand across Asia Pacific, Irene Joshy says it is imperative to establish consumer trust by demonstrating how the brand engages in DEI authentically.
As advertising actively shapes cultural discourse, the pandemic has thrown socio-economic inequalities into sharp focus. The proliferation of social media platforms has given consumers a bolder and louder voice to talk diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).
Putting purpose into practice
Economics of Mutuality Solutions’ Alastair Colin-Jones and Yassine El Ouarzazi introduce their practical five-step iterative process for organisations to embark on the purpose journey.
In light of purpose, success for marketers must be about driving behaviour change that helps to address the meaningful challenge of the business.
Putting the lived experience back in brand representation
Authors Jenn Chin and Caroline Wang
Company Uncommon Kind
Make it relevant: Diversity and inclusion in China ads
Authors Laurence Lim Dally and Nara Parhat
Company Cherry Blossoms Intercultural Branding
Brand responsibility: DEI representation in advertising
Author Penny Shell
Company OMD
Rehumanising leadership: To rebuild a world we broke (Part 2)
Author Jenn Chin and Caroline Wang
Company Uncommon Kind
The creative angle: Addressing diversity, equality and inclusion in APAC
Author Ken Chan
Company VMLY&R Melbourne
Chapter Three: The purpose in profit
How to put purpose into practice effectively
Economics of Mutuality Solutions’ Alastair Colin-Jones and Yassine El Ouarzazi examine three examples of businesses that have put purpose into practice effectively with their meaningful challenge purpose, ecosystem focus and holistic performance.
Reimagining the possibilities of a future grounded on purpose
Authors Prakash Kamdar and Carol Wee
Company dentsu Singapore
Banana republic: Farming and diversity in the Ecoganic world
Author Jenn Chin
Company Uncommon Kind
SimplyGood: Simply spreading sustainable living from home to world
Author Mukta Lad
Company WARC
The principles of purpose in APAC
Authors Rohan Lightfoot and Anita Munro
Company Mindshare APAC
More on WARC
Case studies
Hindustan Unilever Limited: The Shower
Brand Hindustan Unilever
Agency Ogilvy India
Country India
Lenzing: Enabling the fashion world to “Feel So Right” with Tencel™ brand strategic communication campaign
Brand Lenzing
Agency BCW
Country Global
Clear: Encouraging millennials to Come Back Stronger
Brand Clear
Agency MullenLowe Group Singapore
Country Global
Janssen Asia Pacific: Taking mental health out of the shadows – Launching the Asia Pacific integration index
Brand Janssen Asia Pacific
Agency Weber Shandwick
Country Asia Pacific
Hanwha Group: Solar Boat - Clean Up Mekong
Brand Hanwha Group
Agency Innocean Worldwide
Country Vietnam
Uber India: #JerseyKnowsNoGender
Brand Uber India
Agency Dentsu Webchutney
Country Global
Senco Gold and Diamonds: Jewellery beyond gender
Brand Senco Gold and Diamonds
Agency Adfactors PR
Country India
Rexona: Gerak Tak Terbatas (Unlimited Moves)
Brand Rexona
Agency RED COMMUNICATION
Country Asia Pacific
Eisai Korea: Who Sprinkled Salt on My Cake!
Brand Eisai Korea
Agency Weber Shandwick / McCann Healthcare
Country South Korea
Save the Children: 100 Words Pain_ting
Brand Save the Children
Agency Overman Seoul
Country South Korea
Mind Hong Kong: Breaking the HK Mental Health Taboo
Brand Mind Charity
Agency Sinclair
Country Hong Kong
Rinso: Let's Be Plastic Responsible
Brand Rinso
Agency MullenLowe Group Singapore
Country Indonesia
WWF: How WWF began to turn the tide on plastic
Brand WWF
Agency Grey Malaysia, Petaling Jaya
Country Global
Dove: Not Just One Brand of Real Beauty
Brand Dove
Agency PHD Hong Kong, Secret Tour Hong Kong
Country Hong Kong
Articles
Sustainability: Doomed if you do, doomed if you don’t. Packaging insights for a 3-way win: consumers, brand and planet
Authors Maitreyee Patki and Jayanth Narasimha
Company Brandscapes Worldwide
Purpose in Asia: What matters to consumers, and why it matters for brands
Authors Anne Rayner, Vanessa Gibbon and Becki Southern
Company Kantar / Hilton
Feminism and advertising: Responses to sexual ads featuring women: How the differential influence of Feminist perspectives can inform targeting strategies
Authors Hojoon Choi, Kyunga Yoo, Tom Reichert, and Temple Northup
Company University of Houston / KT (Korea Telecom) / University of South Carolina
Responsible business
At WARC diversity, equity and inclusion is core to us. We are committed to building an inclusive and tolerant culture for our colleagues, customers, partners and the industry; regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, age, religion or belief.
Read more about WARC's commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion
Partners and Associations
Uncommon Kind
Uncommon Kind is a global leadership consultancy that helps executive leaders who insist on a legacy defined by meaningful outcomes for business, people, and planet. Using a unique hybrid model of wrap around support (coaching x consulting x training), we enable leaders to architect strategies for holistic solutions that matter. To find out how to you and your business can benefit visit www.uncommonkind.co
Economics of Mutuality
The Economics of Mutuality is an independent public interest foundation with a strategic management consultancy arm. It advocates and applies a management innovation that empowers business to thrive by meeting the needs of the world. This platform operates globally from Maison de la Paix in Geneva with offices in Washington, D.C., Brussels, and Hong Kong. Find out more: https://eom.org/
