The report, called Navigating Brand Purpose in an Age of Uncertainty and featuring commentary from Co-op, focuses on how researchers can help businesses align brand purpose with their commercial strategies in an increasingly polarised and politicised world.

In the report’s call to action, it said that businesses should not shy away from purpose out of fear of getting it wrong, and instead invest in understanding audiences, stakeholders and the broader socio-political environment.

The conclusion comes as brands grapple with a muddy – and often divisive – picture of consumer sentiment towards purpose-driven campaigns, with marketers having faced criticism from different sides of the political spectrum in recent years in their efforts to weigh up social impact with commercial considerations.

The Delphi report said that brands should integrate ideas like materiality assessments, political insights and stakeholder engagement strategies into decision-making processes, therefore potentially transforming purpose into a guiding force for the company that “actively contributes to a more equitable and sustainable future”.

The potential rewards for authentically purpose-led brands remain significant, the report added, ranging from enhanced customer loyalty to stronger reputational equity.

To succeed, brands must reject simplistic, binary approaches to purpose and embrace the nuance of their role in today’s world, according to the report, and use ‘purpose’ as a flexible, well-informed strategy that aligns with the brand’s identity and the priorities of diverse stakeholder groups.

Research can also help brands by uncovering the deep insights necessary to navigate these complexities and respond to shifting dynamics with confidence.

As part of its recommendations, the report advises brands to embrace and acknowledge complexity, build credibility and use political science as part of insights analysis to stay relevant.

Colin Strong, global head of behavioural science at Ipsos and chair of MRS Delphi Group, will be diving further into the findings as he leads a panel based on the report at the MRS Annual Conference 2025: Shaping our Future on 11th March. 

Strong said: “It’s certainly a challenging time for brand purpose. When personal finances are under pressure, businesses assume that if cost is driving consumer choices, purpose needs to take a back seat. 

“But as this report shows, research provides businesses with the understanding they need to start unravelling the nuance here. And as well as providing actionable advice for brands, the report is a call to action for our sector – in an era defined by uncertainty, it’s vital we do not shy away from brand purpose out of fear of getting it wrong.”

Jane Frost, chief executive at MRS, said: “There’s plenty of research out there that points to the importance of purpose in engaging both customers and employees – especially younger talent. As researchers, it’s important to show those embarking on their careers that working in our sector can help businesses embed purpose into clients’ work.

“This couldn’t be a more timely report given the tenor of recent conversations in all our news feeds. Research can provide evidence to instil confidence in the leaders making decisions on the value of social purpose in branding, and on the best ways to implement it. Difficult questions really can be answered by research.”