Why Your Brand Will Fail Without This One Secret

The Purpose-Driven Lens: Crafting Films with Meaning

People don't want to work with or for brands they don’t connect with, that’s a simple truth. 64% of Millennials won’t take a job if their employer doesn’t have a strong CSR policy. 91% of millennial consumers would switch to buying products from a purpose-driven company. And 77% of them say that positive impact is a top priority when considering investment opportunities. Purpose-driven brand films play a crucial role in establishing this connection, so read on for a glimpse of our expertise on the topic.

Across the board, consumers, employees and investors want to see character and authenticity. They seek to connect with brands and organisations that reflect their values. If your marketing and communications fail to resonate on a human level, you'll struggle to connect with your network and customers. Having won multiple awards it's no wonder top brands such as Marriott, British Airways, FICO, and Penguin come to us for their authentic storytelling needs.

Understanding Purpose and Its Importance

Purpose drives and connects our actions, it's a North Star guiding us toward success. At Cloud9Media, we help brands and organisations discover and embrace their true purpose. For instance, in today's digital age, your website and social media are often the first points of contact. With a brand film that showcases your mission and values, you can establish a meaningful connection from the start. Our polished films capture attention, reveal your human side, and position your brand as the preferred choice.

Still searching for your purpose or trying to rediscover it? Look no further, because we see ourselves as a sort of brand-therapist. We listen intently, ask the right questions, and explore your core values to craft a narrative that resonates on a human level. We uncover the true purpose behind our subjects and translate it into compelling content that lets your personality shine through. And that’s what sets us apart from the rest. Watch this film we made for SINE Digital that showcases their company culture.

Watch the SINE Digital film here.

A Case Study for finding purpose: FICO

At Cloud9Media, we go beyond surface-level selling points of your business to uncover deeper objectives. For over 10 years, we've supported FICO, a global data analytics company helping businesses interact with their customers better. Their mission might not resonate with you on a human level, but the Hero film we produced for them reveals their shared values and deeper purpose. FICO’s technology doesn’t just aid businesses in decision-making; it empowers them, enhances their success, and instils a sense of limitless potential. By creating the right environment and asking their customers the right questions, we elicited heartfelt, unscripted responses and transformed them into a relatable story. This film unquestionably positions FICO as a brand committed to a purpose-driven mission that positively impacts its partners and their customers.

Watch the FICO Hero film here.

The Pitfall of Purpose-Hushing

In today's world, virtue can be a tricky concept. People can quickly identify when a brand is claiming the moral high ground. In sustainability communications, greenwashing is a term used to describe companies that misrepresent and exaggerate their environmental efforts. In addition Green-hushing avoids the topic altogether to evade criticism. This silence hinders progress, as open communication drives change. Therefore, At Cloud9Media, we believe so strongly in genuine storytelling. We urge organisations to avoid "purpose-hushing" and instead proudly embrace and communicate their values. We know it might be scary, but in the right hands (ours) it can yield undeniable results.

Just take a look at our Flying Start: The Ripple Effect film for British Airways. This was played 40 minutes before landing on all of British Airways’ mid- and long-haul flights. Flying Start has raised over £25 million to date from inflight and colleague donations - now that's a film with purpose.

Watch the British Airways film here.

The Journey to Purpose-Driven Films

So what’s our purpose at Cloud9Media, you ask? We have a two-fold answer for you. As a company, above all our primary mission is to find and showcase your brand’s higher purpose in a compelling and creative way, bringing you closer to your network and resonating with the right people. We want people to watch your brand film and feel three things; connection, confidence and excitement to partner with you.

But beyond that, we are deeply committed to humanitarian causes and we truly believe in the power of film to bridge divides, promote wider understanding, and ultimately, yep... that a old chestnut: make the world a better place. We create more than just brand films. Our work includes short documentaries and campaign films for global health companies, charities, and even local councils.

At our core, we are humanitarians committed to being part of the solution. We help people universally connect on an emotional level. It's our extra shot of espresso; it's what gets us up in the morning and fuels our passion for filmmaking. Check out our Justice4Windrush campaign film that, along with testimonial social clips garnered just under 1 million views on instagram alone.

Watch the Justice4Windrush film here. 

To Conclude

At Cloud9Media, we are experts in helping brands and organisations stand out from the rest, by putting their mission front and centre. We don’t just make films that are beautiful, we make films that have an impact, with crafted narratives that foster genuine connections and resonate deeply with audiences.

If you'd like to run an idea past us, give us a call.

We love a mission-led challenge from like-minded people.

Still need convincing? Here's the research:

• According to The Cone/Porter Novelli survey  66% of consumers would switch from a product they typically buy, to a new product from a Purpose-driven company. This figure goes up to 91% when Millennials are polled.
• The same study found that 78 % of consumers would tell others to buy from a Purpose-driven company. 68% are more willing to share content with their social networks. 73% of consumers are also willing to stand up for a Purpose-driven brand if it is spoken badly of.
• The Kantar Purpose 2020 study demonstrates that over a period of 12 years, the brands with high perceived positive impact have a brand value growth of 175%
• The Harvard EY Beacon Institute survey found that “companies with a strong sense of purpose are able to transform and innovate better.”
• The Cone Communications Millennial Employee Study found that 64% of Millennials won’t take a job if their employee doesn’t have a strong CSR policy, and 83% would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues (vs. 70% U.S. average).
• According to DeVere Group, a survey of Millennial investors around the world found that some 77% of them say that environmental, social and governance concerns are their top priority when considering investment opportunities.

Sourced from:

• The Power Of Purpose: The Business Case For Purpose (All The Data You Were Looking For Pt 1)
• The Power Of Purpose: The Business Case For Purpose (All The Data You Were Looking For Pt 2)

Article by Molly Drnec