Brand purpose is no longer a "nice to have" - it’s a business imperative. According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, 63% of global consumers buy or advocate for brands based on their beliefs and values. While brand purpose has been a long-standing conversation in B2C marketing, B2B companies are increasingly leveraging purpose to differentiate, engage, and drive loyalty among customers.
At Don't Panic, we’ve been at the forefront of purpose-driven B2B marketing, helping some of the world's most innovative companies craft meaningful and high-impact brand strategies. Our team understands that in today's landscape, businesses must go beyond just delivering products and services—they need to inspire, engage, and lead with purpose. By combining creative storytelling, thought leadership, and strategic insights, we help brands articulate their values, connect with their audiences, and build long-term brand equity.
In this article, we explore why brand purpose matters in the B2B landscape, highlight ten leading examples of B2B companies that are getting it right, and provide actionable steps for businesses looking to integrate purpose into their strategy.
Why Is Brand Purpose Important for B2B?
Brand purpose serves as the foundational mission statement that guides a company's strategies and decision-making processes. For B2B companies, a well-defined brand purpose can:
- Build Trust and Credibility: Decision-makers are more likely to engage with businesses that demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and social responsibility.
- Enhance Employee Engagement: A clear purpose fosters a sense of pride and belonging among employees, leading to increased motivation and productivity.
- Differentiate from Competitors: In markets saturated with similar products and services, a unique brand purpose can set a company apart, providing a competitive advantage.
- Drive Long-Term Growth: Purpose-driven brands often experience greater customer loyalty, leading to sustained business success.
- Resilience during crises – Companies with an authentic mission maintain trust and credibility in challenging times.
Studies have shown that companies with a strong brand purpose outperform their competitors. According to a report by Sage Marketing, businesses that integrate purpose into their core strategies witness higher market share gains and grow three times faster on average than their competitors.
B2B Brand Purpose Examples
Here are ten standout B2B companies that are successfully integrating purpose into their brand strategy:
1. Tenzo
Brand Purpose: Helping businesses operate more sustainably by reducing food waste.
Strategic Insight: Food waste is a massive global issue, and for the hospitality industry, it represents both an environmental and financial challenge. Enter Tenzo—a company that uses AI-driven insights to help restaurants optimise inventory, streamline supply chain management, and cut down on food waste.
How They Do It:
- Tenzo’s AI-powered dashboard provides real-time analytics, allowing businesses to predict demand more accurately and avoid over-ordering.
- The company shares success stories that highlight the tangible impact of its technology on reducing food waste and improving operational efficiency.
- Their brand identity reinforces their mission, using a clean, visual identity that aligns with their sustainability-focused messaging.
Example in Action: Tenzo worked with a UK-based restaurant chain, helping them reduce food waste by 25% in six months—translating to lower costs, improved sustainability credentials, and a stronger connection with eco-conscious customers.
2. Squeaky
Brand Purpose: Accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Strategic Insight: Many businesses struggle to source clean energy in a transparent and cost-effective way. Squeaky solves this by connecting companies directly to 100% renewable energy suppliers, bypassing traditional fossil-fuel-reliant utilities.
How They Do It:
- Their B2B marketing strategy focuses on educating businesses on the benefits of renewable energy adoption, using compelling thought leadership content.
- Their website and digital channels reinforce their mission, using clear, impact-driven messaging that highlights how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint.
Example in Action: Large corporations using Squeaky’s marketplace have reported a 20% reduction in energy costs while cutting emissions—a win-win for both business and the environment.
3. Matchable
Brand Purpose: Helping businesses engage employees through high-impact volunteering.
Strategic Insight: Employee engagement is a top priority for businesses today, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are a key driver of workplace satisfaction. Matchable connects companies with socially responsible volunteering projects that match employee skills with meaningful causes.
How They Do It:
- Matchable curates volunteering opportunities aligned with a company’s brand values and expertise, making corporate philanthropy more strategic.
- The platform highlights stories of employees who have made a positive impact, reinforcing a purpose-driven brand identity.
Example in Action: A global consultancy firm used Matchable to engage over 500 employees in skilled volunteering projects, leading to a 30% increase in employee satisfaction and improved talent retention.
4. Traace
Brand Purpose: Empowering businesses to track, measure, and reduce their carbon footprint.
Strategic Insight: As companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate sustainability, Traace provides data-driven solutions to measure environmental impact and implement supply chain optimisations.
How They Do It:
- Their technology company status enables them to offer a sophisticated platform that provides real-time insights into CO2 emissions.
- They use storytelling to highlight businesses that have successfully reduced their emissions, building brand credibility.
Example in Action: One multinational company achieved a 15% carbon reduction in just 12 months after implementing Traace’s recommendations, strengthening their brand strategy and ESG performance.
5. Duel
Brand Purpose: Helping B2B brands build community-driven marketing strategies.
Strategic Insight: The future of B2B branding lies in customer advocacy, not just paid advertising. Duel helps brands transition from traditional marketing materials to people-powered marketing, increasing long-term engagement.
How They Do It:
- Duel’s platform enables brands to create ambassador programs that turn customers into brand advocates.
- Their thought leadership positions them as pioneers in purpose-driven B2B marketing.
Example in Action: A global software firm using Duel reported a 3x increase in organic engagement, reducing dependency on paid marketing.
6. Patagonia Provisions
Alt Text: Patagonia Provisions' sustainable food production process.
Brand Purpose: Leading the shift to sustainable food production.
Strategic Insight: Patagonia Provisions isn't just about selling food; it's about transforming the food industry’s supply chain to mitigate environmental damage.
How They Do It:
- Investing in regenerative agriculture practices to create a truly sustainable supply chain.
- Advocating for policy change in sustainable farming through thought leadership and advocacy.
Example in Action: Patagonia Provisions has influenced industry-wide shifts in sustainable sourcing, inspiring B2B counterparts to follow suit.
7. Oatly
Brand Purpose: Driving the global shift towards plant-based diets.
Strategic Insight: Oatly uses bold marketing campaigns to challenge businesses to rethink their reliance on dairy, positioning themselves as a B2B leader in sustainability.
How They Do It:
- Their transparency in supply chain sustainability reporting builds credibility.
- They use humor and activism to engage B2B decision-makers.
Example in Action: Oatly’s partnerships with coffee chains and retailers have accelerated plant-based product adoption across multiple industries.
8. Salesforce
Brand Purpose: Driving social responsibility in tech through its 1-1-1 model.
Strategic Insight: Salesforce proves that a technology company can also be a socially responsible business.
How They Do It:
- Donating 1% of profits, equity, and time to charitable causes.
- Embedding sustainability into every aspect of their operations.
Example in Action: Their climate-focused initiatives have helped thousands of businesses transition to more sustainable models.
9. Microsoft
Brand Purpose: Creating a carbon-negative, water-positive future.
Strategic Insight: As a global leader, Microsoft is setting the standard for how B2B businesses can drive purpose-driven innovation.
How They Do It:
- Leveraging AI-driven climate solutions to help businesses optimise energy use.
- Pledging to be carbon negative by 2030.
Example in Action: Microsoft’s AI tools are helping businesses make data-backed sustainability decisions, reinforcing their thought leadership in purpose-driven B2B innovation.
10. YouTube x Don’t Panic London
Brand Purpose: Putting YouTube Back in the Hearts of B2B Decision-Makers
As one of the most influential technology companies in the world, YouTube has been an essential platform for B2B marketing, offering brands a powerful way to engage audiences through high-quality video content. However, over time, some B2B businesses had begun to take YouTube for granted or had distanced themselves due to reputational concerns. The challenge was clear: how could we reposition YouTube as an indispensable tool for advertisers and reaffirm its brand purpose in the advertising industry?
Strategic Insight: From Advertisers to Advocates
To reconnect with this hard-nosed B2B audience—one that had seen every brand strategy and marketing material under the sun—we needed a campaign that would do more than just tell advertisers why YouTube was valuable. It had to show them. Our insight was simple yet powerful: YouTube isn’t just a platform for brands—it’s a source of inspiration, discovery, and innovation for the very people creating these campaigns. The key was to remind advertisers of YouTube’s unique place in their lives as individuals, not just as decision-makers in marketing departments.
How We Did It: A Purpose-Driven B2B Content Strategy
We created a content-led campaign inspired by the storytelling format of Desert Island Discs, a concept that resonated with our audience’s passion for creativity and culture. Our approach leveraged third-party testimonies, a proven method for boosting brand credibility, and transformed them into engaging narratives.
We invited leading figures across industries to share how YouTube had played a role in their professional and creative lives, whether through:
- Discovery – uncovering trends and insights that shaped their brand strategy.
- Development – using YouTube as a tool for learning and refining their craft.Innovation – gaining inspiration from content that pushed creative boundaries.Emotional Connection – reinforcing the platform’s role in their customer experience.
By featuring authentic voices from across the industry, we positioned YouTube as more than just an advertising platform, it became a trusted partner in creativity, innovation, and long-term brand growth.
The Results: A Shift in Brand Perception and Engagement
The impact of our B2B brand purpose campaign was undeniable:
- 37% Video Completion Rate – Proving strong engagement with the content.
- 7.2% Increase in Brand Sentiment – A clear shift in how advertisers perceived YouTube.
- 50% Average View Rate – Demonstrating the effectiveness of the purpose-driven storytelling approach.
Why It Worked: A Masterclass in B2B Brand Purpose
This campaign successfully repositioned YouTube by tapping into authentic experiences, leveraging emotional connection, and embracing the power of storytelling. By aligning the campaign with YouTube’s core purpose—inspiring and empowering creative professionals—we helped B2B businesses see the platform in a new light.
At Don't Panic, we believe that purpose-driven brands in the B2B space can achieve real impact when they focus on storytelling, audience insight, and meaningful engagement. The YouTube campaign is a prime example of how a well-executed B2B brand strategy can reignite passion, build long-term trust, and drive measurable results.
How to Become a B2B Purpose-Driven Brand
Transitioning into a purpose-driven brand involves several strategic steps. If you want to develop a meaningful and authentic brand purpose, you should be following these five steps:
- Define Your Purpose Clearly: Identify the core mission that aligns with your company's values and addresses a societal need. It should be more than profit; align it with a cause that resonates with your customers and employees.
- Integrate Purpose into Strategy & Culture: Ensure that your brand purpose is embedded in all aspects of your business operations and decision-making processes. Your mission statement should influence everything from hiring to leadership decisions. Not sure what the difference is between your mission and purpose? Read more on our post explaining the difference between mission and purpose.
- Engage Stakeholders: Communicate your purpose to employees, partners, and customers to foster a shared sense of commitment.
- Take Tangible Actions: Customers demand authenticity, so demonstrate your purpose through real initiatives.
- Measure Impact: Establish metrics to assess the effectiveness of purpose-driven initiatives, regularly track progress and make necessary adjustments.
- Communicate Transparently: Share your progress and challenges openly to build trust and credibility with your audience. Share your purpose across marketing materials, social media, and website content. Read our guide on how to craft clear brand messaging.
Activate Your B2B Brand Purpose
As brand purpose continues to drive decision-making in the B2B sector, businesses that successfully integrate it into their strategy will see increased loyalty, differentiation, and long-term success.
Looking for an agency to help you activate your B2B brand purpose? Get in touch with Don’t Panic London – we specialise in purpose-driven marketing strategies that create lasting impact.
Explore our creative advertising services or email us at newbusiness@dontpaniclondon.com.