Siew Ting Foo: “Soul and Business Impact Don’t Have to Be at Odds”

Reinforcing the enduring tension between purpose and profit which all marketers face, System1's SVP Andrew Tindall argues in a recent Drum article that brand purpose, "the villain of marketing strategy," is misunderstood and requires a clearer definition. He redefines purpose as "a consistent, emotional, creative idea that's framed as a mission", essentially a campaign strategy that brings brand positioning to life and "isn't purpose until it costs you something."

Whilst I believe he is right to say that brand purpose will benefit from redefinition, his campaign-centric view underestimates the potential of purpose as a strategic growth lever. Where Andrew limits purpose to creative campaign execution, we must remember that purpose isn't just a marketing campaign tool, it's the fundamental driving force behind a brand's existence and leadership that creates emotional equity, directly translating into pricing power and sustainable growth, which I collectively define as a brand with soul.

Advertising legend Sir John Hegarty has consistently said, "Money has a voice, but it doesn't have a soul." It's an ongoing rallying cry for marketers to inject brands with meaning, passion, and purpose. Yet in today's fiercely competitive and ROI-obsessed world, marketers face a relentless challenge: how do you balance soulful, creative marketing, which younger audiences demand, with the hard numbers that boards demand?

And in a climate where the average CMO tenure is just three years, getting this balance right isn't just philosophical, it's existential.

The solution is simple: soul and business impact don't have to be at odds. When measured correctly, soul becomes a strategic asset that delivers pricing power, loyalty, and sustainable growth.

The Boardroom Reality

In boardrooms across the globe, the demand for short-term commercial results often overshadows long-term investment in creativity and brand purpose. Marketers are under increasing pressure from sales to show that brand-building translates directly into bottom-line growth. Hegarty himself recently challenged marketers to "take the difficult path" and push for work that stands for something deeper, while acknowledging today's reality: creativity must be tied to measurable outcomes.

The real magic happens when we use brand science to bridge this gap. The right measurement framework transforms the conversation from “Is purpose worth it?” to “How much is our purpose worth?” This shift changes everything.

The Measurement Imperative

For too long, purpose-driven marketing was dismissed as intangible. Today, the data tells a different story. Robust measurement is what separates genuine purpose from purpose-washing, and leading brands are proving that soul delivers measurable commercial returns. In my experience, here's how to quantify the value of purpose:

Price elasticity measures how far a company can raise prices before demand drops. Brands with strong emotional connections experience lower price elasticity, meaning consumers willingly pay more. When global sensation e.l.f. Cosmetics tied inclusivity to measurable growth, they achieved 700% stock growth over several years and 28% net sales increase in FY25.

Brand meaning lift tracks shifts in how consumers perceive a brand's meaningfulness and differentiation. During my time at Diageo, positioning Johnnie Walker China as a symbol of personal progress resulted in revenue growth of 16% year-over-year (double the category), with margins rising from 18% to 40% and market position climbing from #2 to #1.

Engagement Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty and advocacy. Higher NPS scores correlate with faster growth and stronger retention. When I repositioned HP’s OMEN gaming brand by positioning gaming as a force for good that brings people together, we saw the brand climb from #9 to #1 position in the important Korea market over 18 months.

The pattern is clear: purpose drives performance when backed by rigorous measurement. This is especially critical given generational shifts in consumer expectations.

The Gen Z Imperative

​The most recent gen z lab study from Edelman reveals a generation that has fundamentally shifted the brand-consumer relationship. 72% of gen z want brands to take a stand on issues, but only when it's done with action, not just words. Meanwhile, only 15% of gen z agree that brands meet their social responsibility expectations, despite 58% of brand leaders believing their companies do.

This disconnect makes measurement even more crucial. Gen z can spot disingenuity from a mile away, and they reward genuine purpose with loyalty and premium pricing. The brands that get this right, those that can measure and prove their authentic impact, will capture this generation's spending power.

Soul as Strategy

The key to success is tracking multiple metrics simultaneously. When price elasticity improves alongside brand meaning lift and NPS scores, you're seeing genuine purpose-driven impact, not statistical noise. This comprehensive approach proves that emotion isn't just a ‘feel-good’ metric, it's a direct pathway to business results.

When you connect a brand's emotional resonance with concrete metrics, you demonstrate that purpose is a strategic asset driving pricing power, loyalty, and long-term growth. Hegarty's words remind us that great marketing must have soul. But today's marketing reality demands that ‘soul’ be measurable.

With the right metrics framework, marketers can prove that purpose-driven marketing isn't a luxury; it's a powerful driver of business performance. So, the next time someone questions the ROI of brand purpose, point them to the data. Because if you can measure soul, you can sell it and sell it for more.