So, what defines a purposeful brand? According to a study by The Guardian US, an award-winning online publisher of American and International news, taking meaningful action on a genuine societal need and documenting actual impact are the behaviors consumers want to see from a brand.

Taking it a step further, the study found that purposeful brands focus on being impactful, helpful, trustworthy, effective, and authentic — the five pillars of a purpose program. Even the media platforms brands use to tell their purpose stories are important to consumers, most notably online and print publications. And the more purposeful an advertiser is perceived to be, the more likely consumers are to take an action, such as sharing a blog post about the brand, following the brand on social media channels, or buying the product or service being advertised.

In this episode of Beyond Profit, a podcast of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose, host Ken Beaulieu discusses the findings in more detail, as well as the importance of brand safety, with Joyce Parente, VP of marketing solutions at The Guardian US, and her colleague Alexis Swartz, executive director and head of purpose partnerships.