Building a brand purpose beyond a TV ad message

Screengrab from ad.

Brand purpose is the buzzword of marketing. However, very few businesses are able to articulate the reason for its being beyond commercial purpose, much less be able to live and deliver on their brand purpose.

In Sasko’s case, the organisation was very clear about its role – delivering quality baked goods that are affordable and accessible to all South Africans, day in and day out. That’s why they source wheat from around the world and mill their own flour for their bread. They continuously invest in their bakeries that are run regionally to ensure the freshest bread is delivered to their local communities. Baking and delivering bread consistently with care and passion is at the heart of their business.

What we did was help bring in the consumers’ perspective, in this case, mothers. What we found was that mothers show their care through the food they make for their children and family. They wake up early in the morning to pack lunches for their children. They take the time to cook a nourishing dinner for their families, even when they are tired after a long day of work. During celebrations, they take weeks to plan a festive meal so everyone can enjoy their time together.

Moms know that meals are much more than just about filling our tummies, it’s about sharing a moment together, telling a loved one that we care, it’s about passing down our traditions and celebrating our heritage and culture.

Through this, we found a common philosophy between Sasko and moms: Taste is not just about the recipe and ingredients; the secret is the care that one puts into making the meals.

What we also found was a brand that did not just care about the quality of their products. They also truly cared about making an impact on the communities they serve.

1. Through Sasko’s Siyasizana Project (We are helping each other), they have collected over 4 million bags to recycle and distributed R2m worth of essentials to daycares and 100,000 books to schools. During lockdown Sasko specially commissioned Sasko Sam storybooks were also uploaded online and videos of the reading were made available as free resources for parents.

2. To celebrate South African’s unique bread culture, Sasko supports street food vendors through their Mzansi Bread campaign. Providing recognition and marketing support to an integral part of our local food culture.

3. Each year for Mandela Day, Sasko’s local bakeries make sandwiches and deliver them to local schools and communities. This year, Sasko will be supporting Ladles of Love in their Sandwich Drive on Mandela Day which aims to challenge South Africans to make 100,000 sandwiches in one hour.

To Sasko, “Taste the care” is much more than just a tagline on their ads. It is the way they deliver quality products every day, and how they support their customers and communities.

Brand purpose cannot be defined just for marketing purpose. It should be defined to inspire employees and give reasons for them to want to work for the organisation. It should drive the philosophy of the organisation - how it runs, how it produces its products and how it delivers its products and services.

When that happens, marketing and advertising just amplifies the point of view and brings it to life in a way that the consumer feels connected to the brand.