“Wokewashing” is the term given to brand campaigns that seek to capitalize on the momentum of a topic of interest to people, without taking real action or having direct relevance to their value proposition.
A clear example of this is Burger King's #FeelYourWay c level executive list campaign in the US. While attempting to raise awareness of the issue of mental health to end its stigma, it received strong criticism due to its lack of connection to its product offering or brand universe. It's a clear example of how, even with the best intentions, consumers see through the transparency of the message.
Steps to find your purpose Where to start then?
Some questions you can ask your brand team to start the conversation:
What in my business can be improved to positively impact people's lives?
What tensions are there in my consumer's life that might be related to my business activity?
What movements or causes are related to my organization's values?
What resources do I have or will I need to carry it out and reach people?
How do I measure the impact I can have?