Coca Cola: Inspire moments of optimism and happiness
Coca-Cola has marketed itself as the drink which accompanies every imaginable happy moment. Every social occasion, event and holiday – Coke has a presence.
Coca-Cola’s messages of optimism and happiness are ingrained into all their activity. The message is clear in all their marketing activities and has been for decades. The famous hilltop ad is perhaps one of the most memorable examples.
But it takes more than just marketing. It’s simple enough to tell the world that you inspire happiness. Brands have to walk the walk. Which is why Coca-Cola have strong links and partnerships with the music industry, restaurants, theme parks, cinemas – practically anywhere you can be sociable.
Dove: Helping women reconsider and redefine what beauty is
Dove has always positioned itself as more of a cosmetic than a soap. In-fact in some of its earlier communications it insists it’s not a soap. It cleans your skin and makes it really soft, Dove isn’t like a soap.
Because Dove products enhance natural beauty rather than cover it up, you can use it and not be judged. Anyone can use it, men, women or children – everyone who has skin. So, it seems a natural position for Dove to champion natural and diverse beauty.
In the past decade, Dove have released campaigns that communicate this purpose. In 2006, they released the Evolution video, which highlighted the level of editing that happens to models in the media. This was followed by the real beauty sketches which examined the disparity in how women see themselves and how they are seen by others, further cementing their proposition.
Furthermore, a survey by Dove revealed that only 2% of women would describe themselves as beautiful, giving Dove the ultimate goal of raising this figure all over the world.
Nike: to bring inspiration and innovation to every athletein the world
On the Nike website, their mission statement says:
Nike’s mission statement is “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. The legendary University of Oregon track and field coach, and Nike co-founder, Bill Bowerman said, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” Bowerman was a teacher who showed athletes the secrets to achievement. Nike invites you to experience all innovative and inspiring Nike products.
The famous “Just do it” tagline perfectly communicates this message of inspiration and encouragement.
Nike campaigns show a wide variation of sports in their campaigns with athletes from all over the globe and in the past decade have begun to show a variation of sporting abilities. The 2012 “Greatness” and the 2014 “Last” campaign show real people pushing themselves and ‘just doing it’. Showing it doesn’t matter where you’re from, or if you’ve never gone for a jog in your life, as long as you have the drive, Nike have the products to help you reach your fitness/sporting goal.
Disneyland: creating happiness for others
Tom Boyles – “Disney Parks and Resorts exist to make magical experiences come alive.”
Disneyland is a great example of how a purpose should be embedded into everything you do. The teams behind the parks go to great lengths to ensure every guest enjoys a magical experience.
This is so important to the parks’ success that there is a whole team of engineers called the “imagineers” who work to maximise guest’s enjoyment.
To ensure the admin and ‘behind the scene’ staff do not ruin the magical experience of the parks, an entire labyrinth of underground tunnels and pathways have been built so that staff can run the park seamlessly without being seen by guests and shattering the illusion.
Every minor detail is considered at the parks, including the smell. Resorts use a machine called a smellitizer to produce different scents around the park. Each area requires a unique scent to help transport guests to the different lands. By producing a unique scent, this also helps to cement an emotional memory in the mind of guests as smell is used by the brain to help us recall memories.
Disneyland continues to go above and beyond to ensure its guests have a magical time and continues to do this by listening to its guests and letting them influence the parks development.
The Body Shop: Enrich, not exploit
When Body Shop first started out it shined a light on a previously hidden issue and marked itself as the brand for animal lovers. People want to feel good about their purchases and be guilt free consumers, which is why it’s so easy to get behind The Body Shop who have the ultimate aim of being the world’s most ethical and truly sustainable global business.
Body Shop is a great example of how a brand that has a tough stance against something, teamed with a strong leader at the forefront can create loyal brand advocates. This combination communicates a crystal-clear purpose and attracts a loyal customer base who are truly behind the brand.
Their communications echo their ethos, with campaigns that cover many issues including sustainability, fair trade, animal welfare and conservation. The founder of The Body Shop, Anita Roddick, was a human rights activist and environmental campaigner and would often appear in ads and interviews for the brand, helping to reinforce its proposition and make their purpose believable.
These purposes elevate their brands because they are relatable to everyone. They focus on a feeling, evoke emotions that are universal and communicate these purposes clearly and effectively, making them believable and relevant.
