From purpose claims to action: a grounded framework of brand purpose activation pathways

Purpose: While prior research has focused on purpose articulation and its performance effects, limited attention has been paid to how brand purpose is implemented. This paper aims to identify and systematize the main pathways through which brand purpose is activated. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a grounded theory-informed comparative qualitative document analysis of 57 purpose-driven brands, drawing on company websites and supplementary company materials. The analysis is complemented by workshops with senior managers from three high-end lifestyle brands. Findings: The study develops a brand purpose activation framework that identifies five pathways through which brands enact purpose: product-based activation, business practices, direct support for beneficiaries, impact-per-purchase programs, and communication-based initiatives. Stronger forms of activation are observed when purpose is implemented in ways that allow each product sold to directly advance the stated purpose, rather than being implemented primarily through communication. Practical implications: The framework offers managers an overview of the main pathways through which brand purpose can be implemented and lived in everyday branding practice. Purpose activation is strongest when each product sold directly advances the stated purpose, thereby creating a credible link between business activity and societal or environmental impact. Originality/value: By shifting attention from what brands claim to how purpose is enacted in practice, the study addresses an important gap in the literature and introduces an analytical framework that distinguishes between substantive and primarily symbolic forms of purpose activation.