Pragmatism Beats Pathos: Why Purpose Must Deliver Now

Does anyone still remember purpose? Yesterday’s world-saver, today barely a word. Almost as if yesterday’s big theme had quietly vanished into oblivion. Yet the reason for a company’s existence — its very purpose — remains the reason it makes money in the first place. This simple truth was often overlooked during the great wave of purpose hype in recent years. Back then, brands competed with lofty promises to save the world — only for most of them to reveal themselves as little more than marketing charades. But now, in a world shaken by multiple crises, true purpose may yet find its momentum.
Will the real purpose please stand up? The question has never been more urgent. With wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, geopolitical tensions rising, and climate change showing real effects — while people in Germany face inflation, political polarization, and economic uncertainty — empty words are no longer enough.

The largely failed euphoria around “purpose” in the past has taught us one thing: people see through marketing buzzwords faster than most companies would like. Instead of lofty corporate manifestos, they now look for real solutions to their everyday challenges. The age of superficial purpose communication is over. That point was recently reinforced by Raja Rajamannar, CMO of Mastercard, at the DLD conference in Munich.
Many Germans are struggling with fears about the future and a declining trust in politics, society, and the economy. The middle class is shrinking while social inequality is growing. These real challenges give brands the opportunity to prove their true purpose — through concrete and verifiable action. And this is not just about pricing. Real value matters: a premium provider can live its purpose just as authentically as a discount-driven retailer, if it enriches customers’ lives through superior quality, excellent service, and meaningful innovation.
That’s why, today more than ever, companies and brands must deliver rather than preach. The energy supplier who calculates transparently and fairly, the mobility provider who creates affordable alternatives, or the grocer who offers regional products at fair prices — they all show what real purpose means. The purpose of such companies is not expressed in marketing slogans, as it so often was during the purpose hype of the past, but in daily actions. In times of multiple crises, relevance is born from solving problems — not from abstract rhetoric about saving the world.

Companies must therefore ask themselves: what concrete contribution are we making to solving today’s challenges? How do we make our value tangible in such complex times?
Authentic purpose becomes a holistic business principle that runs through every part of the organization — from the product offering to corporate culture, organizational setup, and communication. The path forward rests on four key principles:
Don’t promise the big picture — deliver in the small.
Talk less about global missions — offer more local solutions.
Treat purpose not as a marketing tool, but as a fundamental business principle.
Measure success by concrete customer value — not by purpose statements.

At a time when trust in business and society is being put to the test, we may be witnessing the renaissance of true purpose. After years of purpose-washing, one thing is clear: a company’s purpose must manifest itself in tangible value — not in lofty phrases.
The future belongs to brands that put pragmatism above pathos. Brands that don’t just dream of a better world, but actively work toward it. Brands that understand the best kind of purpose is the one that proves itself in people’s everyday lives. Because only those who truly listen to their customers in difficult times and offer concrete solutions will be successful in the long run.
It may sound less glamorous than the grand purpose campaigns of the past — but it’s exactly what brands and people need in these challenging times.