20

21
PURPOSE
FORECAST
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 1
ABOUT OBERLAND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Founded in May of 2014 by Executive Creative Director Bill Oberlander and President Drew Train, OBERLAND uses Alexandra Borelli
the technologies, tools, and cultural perspectives of Madison Avenue to create purpose-driven brands. The award- Arnau Bosc
winning agency is passionate about the power of creativity to change the world and empower a new generation of Bill Oberlander
conscious capitalists. That’s why it collaborates with like-minded leaders in the public, private and nonprofit sectors Cameron Scott
to build purpose-driven brands and a better, more prosperous future for all. The 25-person, full-service agency’s Davianne Harris
growing client roster includes Acessa Health, TytoCare, Strong Roots and Velcro. OBERLAND sees purpose as Drew Train
the new digital and uses its knowledge, expertise, and dogged determination to impact consumer behavior, boost Everett Pace
awareness, and drive profit. OBERLAND creates social value in its community and in the business of branding. This Gloria Lin
is why in 2018 the agency was re-incorporated as a Public Benefit Corporation and became a Certified B-Corp. In Grace Cha
2018, OBERLAND was awarded Ad Age’s Small Agency of the Year (11-75 people) honors, and Jennifer Comiteau
in April 2019 named as an Ad Age A-List Agency to Watch. Learn more at thisisoberland.com. Matthew Bock
Sarah Kasarsky
Ty Steinhauser

METHODOLOGY SAMPLE
Throughout 2020, OBERLAND conducted multiple market research studies powered by real-time insights platform For new OBERLAND research appearing in this report:
Suzy. OBERLAND leveraged findings from these studies, supplemented by new research, to develop this report. N=1,000 Mix of geographical areas in the United
OBERLAND existing research can be viewed here: States + Range of ethnicities
There Is No Normal, Only New Report
What Does Election Season Mean for Americans?
What’s Vital to the Future of Health?
Bringing New Meaning to Practice What You Preach

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 1

LETTER FROM OBERLAND
2020 was a year that no one could have predicted or expected. Beyond a global pandemic, we have experienced
historic unprecedented events, from the murders of countless Black Americans including George Floyd and
Breonna Taylor, to an economic recession and a divisive election. These events are undoubtedly positioned to
shape culture in years to come.
As a purpose-driven agency, we feel it is our duty at OBERLAND to not only recognize these monumental events, but
also provide recommendations on how brands must assess and adapt their role in society in light of these events.
This is critical to maintain (and win) the trust, loyalty and business of consumers this year and beyond.
This There is No Normal, Only New: The 2021 Purpose Forecast will examine four leading social forces that
erupted in 2020 and how they will shape what consumers expect from brands in the post-2020 era, as well as the
responsibility of brands to listen and respond accordingly:

01 02 03 04
Racial + Systematic Climate Action + Social Connection + Democracy +
Inequities Sustainability Mental Wellness Truth
Here’s to a better 2021.
The OBERLAND Team

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 2

01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
2021
INEQUITIES
PURPOSE FORECAST 3
01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
INEQUITIES

Despite centuries of oppression and

discrimination, 2020 will go down in
history as the year America reckoned
with race in an unparalleled way.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 4

01
Consider that after the murder of George Floyd, 76% of Americans said racial
RACIAL
discrimination is a big problem in the United States, a 25-point jump from
+ SYSTEMIC
2015 (NPR 2020).
INEQUITIES
Beyond the ensuing social movement and protests, the executive resignations made in response to the spotlight
call for action and brand response was unprecedented: on the inequities, and social media at the helm of holding
corporate statements denouncing racism and touting companies accountable for their words and actions.
BLACK LIVES MATTER, board appointments and

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 5

01 While violence and police brutality were at the center
RACIAL of conversations about race, they reignited wider
+ SYSTEMIC discussions about inequities facing Black Americans,
INEQUITIES other People of Color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women
and more. For the first time, many Americans
recognized the pervasive nature of systemic racism,
which led to a surge in support for the Black Lives
Matter movement and taking action for the first time
ever. A Pew Research study in 2016 found that 43% of
Americans supported Black Lives Matter, with only 18%
in strong support. Compare that to June 2020 when
67% of Americans supported BLM, including 38% who
strongly supported it. Beyond solely voicing support, a
July 2020 OBERLAND study found that 42% of people
invested time, money or energy in anti-racism efforts
for the first time ever. Additionally, 91% percent of
Americans also believe their collective actions and the
actions of brands following the murder of George Floyd
will lead to sustained change regarding racial injustice.
This contrasted with the initial BLM movement that
began in response to the killings of Trayvon Martin and
Michael Brown, which drove headlines but no
sustained action affirms how this will be different.

42%
of people are doing something
to combat systemic racism for
the first time.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 6

01
RACIAL Like any movement, the momentum
+ SYSTEMIC
INEQUITIES
drawn from the masses fades along with
the news coverage as people begin to
return to “business as usual.”
It only took three months for the surge in BLM support out for their prior silence or negative actions. Even Ben
to retract from 67% to 55% with the decline most & Jerry’s, who took several concrete actions and has
pronounced among White Americans (60% to 45%). been a long-time proponent of social justice, faced
While the protest coverage, boycotts, corporate criticism for labor practices that resurfaced.
promises and social media posts may have waned, the
If 2020 was about speaking up and no longer being
realities of a “post-racial society” suddenly reckoning
complicit with silence, 2021 will be about sustained
with its grave and complicated relationship with race
action. Brands that had previously steered away from
has been sewn into the fabric of American life.

65%
of Americans believe that brand
actions taken since George Floyd’s
murder will lead to sustained
change.
As Americans continue to grapple with these issues
amidst a global pandemic, financial crisis, and an
unprecedented election, brands have been placed in the
challenging position of what to say and how to say it
without getting “cancelled.” Consider Target, Amazon,
the NFL and countless other organizations whose BLM
responses were met with viral Tweets that called them
anything “political” before the resurgence of BLM were
largely able to get away with a commitment to do
better. But now that the consumer tide has shifted from
scrutinizing brands for their messages to holding
corporations accountable for their behavior and
composition, we can expect to see businesses stepping
up in ways they never did before.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 7

01 Instead of surface solutions, brands will need to
RACIAL go deep under their hood and make changes from
+ SYSTEMIC boardrooms to billboards. Despite a broader decline
INEQUITIES in support for Black Lives Matter, a December 2020
OBERLAND study found that 65% of Americans still
believe that brand actions taken in the past six months
since George Floyd’s murder will lead to sustained
change. Moreover, that same study yielded that 80%
believe companies need to be held accountable for
taking actions that will have significant and prolonged
impact for racial justice.
While the reality of being exposed as inauthentic poses
risk, taking a stand is now table stakes according to the
80% of people who want brands to respond to racism
through verbal and physical action (OBERLAND June
2020). Moreover, with 35% of young consumers no
longer buying from a company that has not spoken out
against racism (OBERLAND June 2020), the greatest
risk is staying silent. All actions are not created equally
and that’s been evident in brand responses over the
past six months. Considering action and impact on
a spectrum of high-to-low investment/impact as
opposed to broadly speaking is critical to determining
your brand’s approach.

80%
of Americans believe companies
need to be held accountable
for taking actions that will have
significant and prolonged impact
for racial justice.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 8

01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
Brands can make:
INEQUITIES

1. Large-Investment + Large-Impact
Proactively take action to break down systemic racial barriers

2. Medium-Investment + Medium-Impact
Walk away from racist policies or practices only after they’ve been
highlighted based on recent events

3. Small/No-Investment + Small/No-Impact
Make statements or donations without any deeper commitment to
change, or say nothing at all. Yes, we are combining brands that made
empty statements with the ones that did or said nothing at all because
a post and a donation that’s a fraction of a percent of your quarterly
earnings does significantly more for the brand’s perceptions than
dismantling systemic racism.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 9

01 1. Large-Investment + Large-Impact
RACIAL Are you readjusting your business model or offerings to back up your
+ SYSTEMIC commitment to Black Lives Matter? Have you been an ally before it
INEQUITIES was trendy to do so?

Netflix: The content platform added a Black Lives
Matter genre to its service to put a spotlight on the
work of Black creators and Black history. Additionally,
Netflix began placing 2% of its cash holdings into
financial institutions and organizations to “directly
support Black communities in the U.S.” Their initial
investment will include $25 million specifically to
invest in black financial institutions serving low-
income communities.
Airbnb: The vacation rental marketplace claims
to have removed 1.3M people from the platform for
declining to treat others without judgment or bias
since 2016. But in 2020, it announced Project
Lighthouse, a U.S. initiative designed to uncover,
measure, and overcome discrimination when
booking or hosting on Airbnb. Beyond policies and
user agreements, Airbnb implemented profile photo
protections and objective bookings to eliminate
renter discrimination.
DoorDash: The delivery service took a threefold
approach in the form of donations, internal shifts,
and platform changes. DoorDash donated $500,000
to Black Lives Matter, with another $500,000 set
aside for distribution to community nonprofits
supported by its internal Black Employee Resource
Group. Internally, the company committed to
start tying diversity goals to job performance and
promotions. Finally, DoorDash launched a “Black-
owned” tag on the DoorDash and Caviar platforms,
offering free delivery from those establishments as
well as zero commission fees for 30 days for new
Black-owned restaurants that sign up.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 10

01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
INEQUITIES
Washington Football Team: Among many other teams
and products with controversial or offensive names,
the football franchise finally agreed to change its
name from the ‘Washington Redskins’ after 87 years.
Despite decades of petitioning for a name change,
team owner Daniel Snyder did not agree to consider
a new name until a letter signed by 87 shareholders
and investors was sent to team and major league
sponsors urging them to drop their contracts unless
the name was changed.
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST
2. Medium-Investment + Medium-Impact
These are the players that have stepped up to right wrongs that have been
long overdue, largely due to societal pressures.
CBS: While the network announced it would require Walgreens and CVS: The retailers announced they
50% of casts of unscripted programs to be non-White would discontinue housing Black beauty products in
next season and promised to allocate at least 25% anti-theft cases in stores where other beauty products
of its unscripted development budgets to projects were not provided the same protections.
created by BIPOC (Black, indigenous or people of
color) producers, it was exposed in Color of Change’s
Race In The Writer’s Room as having a “Black
Problem.” While the network did well in hiring women
and other people of color writers, Black writers were
lacking in representation.
11
01 3. Low-Investment + Low-Impact
RACIAL These are players who have taken no action or empty action regarding
+ SYSTEMIC systemic change.
INEQUITIES

Walmart: In June 2020, the retail empire committed The NFL: The league failed to support Black Lives L’Oreal: In spite of voicing support for Black Lives
$100 million over five years to build a “center on racial Matter until 2020 and went so far as to blackball Colin Matter in June 2020, the beauty giant dropped Black
equity.” However, as the largest corporate employer Kaepernick from the league after he became the first trans model Munroe Bergdorf from a campaign after
of America’s Black workforce, the company has failed player to kneel during the National Anthem as a means she spoke out against racism in 2017.
on numerous fronts to demonstrate that Black lives to peacefully protest racial injustice and police brutality.
matter. Between poor pay and benefits, investment in
PACs and politicians that pull resources away from the
Black community, and most recently failing to protect
frontline worker safety during the pandemic, Walmart
has a lot more work to do.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 12

01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
INEQUITIES

DO’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 13
01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
How To Get It Right
INEQUITIES

DO integrate representation into the DNA of your brand.

Rihanna’s fashion and beauty brands Fenty Beauty, Fenty and Savage x Fenty exhibit fair representation in beauty
by featuring non-traditional “beauty icons” like Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, the late disability activist Mama
Cox, and nonbinary stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race across campaigns (Medium).

On Blackout Tuesday, Rihanna shut down all three of her brands, urging followers and customers to take the day
to reflect, educate, and take action on racial injustice globally (The Independent).

DO highlight and center the Black experience.

Brands like Procter + Gamble and Beats By Dr. Dre used their platforms to contextualize the Black experience and
call out issues like cultural appropriation. Procter + Gamble’s “The Look” was the centerpiece of their multimillion-
dollar marketing push, earning marketing industry-wide conversation and applause over its intention and actions.
(Adweek) Beats By Dr. Dre took a different approach to speak directly to the Black community, hoping to inspire
Black youth and celebrate Black culture (Beats by Dr. Dre).

Both spots centered the Black experience, whether it was through telling the Black community’s stories, or
amplifying the work of a Black creative and production team to create the ads. Additionally, these spots were part
of greater initiatives at each company to drive the conversation around racial injustice, sharing stories that spoke
directly to Black viewers, educate non-Black viewers, drive brand affinity, and spur meaningful action.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 14

01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
INEQUITIES

DONT’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 15
01
RACIAL
+ SYSTEMIC
How To Avoid Getting It Wrong
INEQUITIES

DO NOT stay silent when it comes to racial injustice.

Minneapolis-based agency Periscope learned the same lesson the hard way: when your leadership doesn’t reflect
the perspectives of your employees, you risk losing talent. When parent company Quad interfered with the agency’s
ability to speak up on the BLM movement, the entire agency of 166 walked out. In response, the agency released
external statements and shared plans to work with Quad on their diversity and inclusion training for all levels of
leadership and management (Adweek). These stories highlight the importance of listening to your employees and
your customers, and ensuring your diversity statements come with intention and action.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 16

02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
SUSTAINABILITY
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 17
02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
SUSTAINABILITY

As the climate crisis becomes more

and more unignorable, people have
higher expectations for brands to act
in environmentally impactful ways.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 18

02 One-off gestures – like donating a portion of yearly profits to an
CLIMATE environmental organization, for example – have become table stakes, with
ACTION + people wanting the companies in their lives to measurably show how they
SUSTAINABILITY are invested in fighting climate change.
OBERLAND research has pointed to three ways that today’s brands should
successfully rise to this challenge.

1. Demonstrate Sacrifice
2. Expand Accessibility
3. Simply Be Human
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 19
02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
1. Demonstrate Sacrifice
SUSTAINABILITY
The cardinal rule of purpose is to act before you speak.
Brands need to show their commitment to a cause
before they talk about it. This is perhaps even more
true around the topic of sustainability for brands. We
have moved beyond reinventing messages towards
reinventing models – and that means making real
sacrifices that your customers can hear about, know
about, and believe in moving forward.
One example of this idea is the initiative that Allbirds
took in response to Amazon’s launch of a knock-off
version of its signature shoe, which was selling at less
than half the price with a liner that was not
sustainable.
But rather than try to fight back, Allbirds – which
has made sustainability a central tenet of its
product – did something that brands rarely do in
this hyper-competitive climate: they gave Amazon
the brand’s original, renewable formula for their EVA
midsole foam.
In an open-letter to Amazon on Medium, Allbirds’
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 20
co-founders explained the decision, writing, “we are
flattered at the similarities that your private-label shoe
shares with ours but hoped the commonalities would
include those environmentally-friendly materials as well.
As we’ve done with 100 other brands that who were
interested in implementing our renewable materials into
their products, including direct competitors, we want
to give you the components that would make this shoe
not just look like ours, but also match our approach to
sustainability...if you replaced the oil-based products in
your supply chain with this natural substitute, we could
jointly make a major dent in the fight against climate
change.” (RetailWire)
The gesture generated buzz and raised the profile of
Allbirds, credibly positioning the company as one that
puts the planet above profit. So put something on the
line – even if it means your short-term competitive
advantage – in the name of addressing the climate
crisis.
02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
2. Expand Accessibility
SUSTAINABILITY

The beauty industry has caught on to the need for
reinvention in the midst of the climate crisis. Clean
Beauty, which is estimated to generate $22bn globally
in 2024, has grown explosively as more people realize
that the mascara, make-up, and skincare products that
they use often contain chemicals and plastics that are
harmful to the planet. Yet basic skin-care products from
popular clean beauty brands typically cost more than
$40, and treatment formulas can hit triple digits (Allure).
And in recent research conducted by OBERLAND, 62%
of women said they thought of sustainable personal
care products as either “out-of-reach” or “elitist.”
Suffice to say, one of the things people have felt about
sustainability is that it is reserved only for a small
subset of people who can afford it. From Tesla to
realizing that there’s demand for sustainability from
people of all different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Consider, for example, Unilever’s commitment to
making its plastic packaging fully reusable, recyclable
or compostable by 2025. This overarching initiative
encompasses many brands and products, including
the more accessible basics. The classic Dove Beauty
Bar for example will come in plastic-free packaging,
an initiative that is expected to eliminate 1,800 tons of
plastic waste annually. Unilever is keeping the price of
the product exactly the same despite the switch.
So consider that your sustainability customers are not
just the wealthy or well-to-do. Look at your “lower-tier”
items and ask yourself how they can be part of the

62%
of women said have viewed
sustainable personal care products
as either “out-of-reach” or “elitist.”
sustainable revolution. Actively go out of your way to
Glossier, “clean” has become intertwined with “costly.”
think about positioning less expensive products in more
sustainable ways.
The brands that are now winning in the space are

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 21

02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
3. Simply Be Human
SUSTAINABILITY

Organic. Non-GMO. Vegan. Cruelty-free. It only takes
a quick trip to the supermarket or drug store to realize
that we are awash in claims when it comes to brands
and sustainability. In fact, a whopping 73% of people
that we surveyed in proprietary research said that they
felt inundated or confused by these claims, not
knowing where to turn or which would ladder up to the
greatest positive environmental impact.
There’s the problem of overload, yes. But deeper
than that, the claims are replacing ideas. Whole
brand platforms are built around the label rather than
something human that people can aspire to, connect
with and admire. And in order to get people
to participate, we have to do better than that.
For its campaign aimed at getting New Yorkers to
engage with The Nature Conservancy – “The World
We Depend On Depends On Us” – OBERLAND
demonstrated what was at risk of being eliminated as
a result of climate change in a very real and personal
way. “The runway depends on us,” read one headline
from the initiative, nodding to New Yorkers’ passion for
fashion, whereas another read “weekend plans depend
on us” and showcased a surfer in action. OBERLAND
and TNC made the topic of environmentalism relatable
and inspiring, and as a result, they increased online
membership YOY by 94% and social media engagement
330% YOY. The success of the campaign was largely
driven by infusing humanity into the sustainability space.
Before you think about hammering home claims as it
pertains to your latest sustainability initiative, recognize

73% that it all starts from the heart. Connect it to peoples’

passions and show them how it matters.

of people have felt inundated or

confused by sustainability claims.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 22

02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
SUSTAINABILITY

DO’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 23
02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
How To Get It Right
SUSTAINABILITY

DO create sustainability and conservation efforts with the intention of

long-term impact.
Beauty and skincare brand Deciem shut its in-store locations on Black Friday not only to curb COVID-19
transmissions, but to make a statement on hyper consumerism. According to Deciem Co-Founder and CEO Nicole
Kilner, Black Friday is “something that’s not working for our planet because it’s just promoting hyper-consumerism
rather than people actually buying what they want.” (Glossy) Instead, Deciem gave a month-long discount so
consumers feel no rush to purchase items, and dedicated its landing page to talk about climate change, is
preparing to apply for B-Corp status, and is hiring a director of sustainability to ensure sustainability efforts are in
place year-round.

DO think big when it comes to sustainability and health campaigns.

Burger King raised awareness of its commitment to dropping all artificial preservatives in its food by photographing
their moldy burgers that were made without preservatives. Frankly, if you’re in advertising, you’ve probably heard
about this campaign and how it broke every rule in food advertising. But in the words of Burger King’s Global CMO
Fernando Machado, “dare to do something different” and you might exceed benchmarks for video view rates and
owned media--all while making a much-needed point about making food that’s better for your customers (Adweek).

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 24

02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
SUSTAINABILITY

DONT’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 25
02
CLIMATE
ACTION +
How To Avoid Getting It Wrong
SUSTAINABILITY

DO NOT be dishonest about your commitment to sustainability.

Brands like Everlane and Reformation were previously seen as ethically made clothing but were accused of
greenwashing and faced boycotts after their internal and production issues came to the surface. Notably, Everlane
has been rated “not good enough” in its sustainability practices by brand ratings platform Good on You, which
reviews fashion brand ethics and supply chain practices. This stems from Everlane’s lack of transparency regarding
greenhouse gas emissions, a corporate social responsibility report, or initiatives to guarantee living wages
and reduce water use (NY Times). This points to the need for brands to walk the walk and talk the talk. When
companies make a commitment toward social impact, they need to ensure that they are considering the welfare
of their employees, production processes, and workers at every level, while they are also making public statements.
Otherwise, it’s just lip service.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 26

03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 27
03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

We used to feel antisocial when we

spent one Friday night in or said no to
plans to curl up and watch TV. In 2020,
being antisocial is the norm, well beyond
our pre-COVID definition of the word.
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 28
03
SOCIAL Due to COVID, we’ve been restricted
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH
from the most basic, fundamental social
actions and everyday communications
we took for granted:
Workplace banter, a shared meal with friends, a hug or only deepened an already severe mental health crisis.
exchanging a few words with a stranger. COVID-induced According to OBERLAND’s initial There Is No Normal,
“anti-socialism” contradicts our very basic needs for Only New Report from May 2020, 83% of Americans
human interaction, as meaningful relationships and admitted to feeling stressed and overwhelmed since
human connection are proven to directly impact physical the arrival of COVID-19. In October 2020, nearly 40% of
and mental health outcomes. U.S. adults continued to report symptoms of anxiety
or depression, up from 11% in October 2019, bringing
Prior to the pandemic, when human interaction was
to light the rise in situational mental illness that can be
a regular component of our everyday lives, more than
attributed to the effects of the past year’s events.
three out of five Americans reported feeling lonely. It’s no

83% surprise then, that social distancing and isolation have

of Americans admitted to feeling

stressed and overwhelmed since
COVID-19 began.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 29

03 During this period of heightened loneliness and anxiety,
SOCIAL brands are experiencing increased pressure to support
CONNECTION + consumers’ mental wellness journeys. According to
MENTAL HEALTH a global study from October 2020, 80% of people say
that helping to maintain a positive state of mind is an
important brand attribute. Rare Beauty Co., a makeup
brand owned by Selena Gomez, is a great example
of a brand promoting mental wellness; the company
launched the Rare Impact Fund, a $100 million project
that aims to help reduce the stigma of mental health and
loneliness, and hosted a Mental Health Social Summit
mid-pandemic to generate dialogue on mental wellbeing.

++
+

80%
of people say that helping to
maintain a positive state of mind is
an important brand attribute.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 30

03 According to new OBERLAND research from December
SOCIAL 2020, 72% of Americans say they have felt a strong
CONNECTION + desire for more human interaction during the pandemic,
MENTAL HEALTH illuminating a continuing, pervasive sense of loneliness
that is certainly contributing to the rise in situational
mental illness.
As a result, there has been increased clamor from
consumers for products and channels that can foster
meaningful human interaction, amid social isolation.
Two types of brands have been able to effectively meet
this demand:

Brands Whose Products Inherently

1 Help Foster Meaningful, Digital
Connections

Brands That Have Leveraged Virtual

2 Channels To Foster Connection And
Socialization In Creative Ways, To Help
Consumers Counter Social Isolation

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 31

03
Brands Whose Products Inherently Help Foster
SOCIAL 1 Meaningful, Digital Connections
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

Gaming Brands Dating Apps

Gaming giants like Nintendo and Epic Games, have
seen a surge in gaming communities as a source of
digital socialization, especially among young Americans.
In fact, 57% of Americans aged 18-24 admitted to
downloading a game during COVID-19 just to play in a
multiplayer mode.
Increased loneliness led to more virtual dating, which
has generated record-breaking profits for MatchGroup,
which owns more than 60% of online dating channels.
MatchGroup-owned OKCupid reported a 700% increase
in virtual dates between March and May 2020 and
Bumble saw a 70% rise in video calls during this time.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 32

03
Brands Whose Products Inherently Help Foster
SOCIAL 1 Meaningful, Digital Connections
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

Telehealth / Virtual Care Companies

The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for brands
like TytoCare and Teladoc, as safe, socially distanced
healthcare became more attractive – and necessary –
than ever before. This has altered our relationships with
doctors and care professionals, as OBERLAND research
revealed that 71% of Americans have seen a doctor
via virtual-care solutions during the pandemic, and a
majority of Americans have relied on mental wellness
and virtual therapy apps to like Calm and BetterHelp
since COVID-19 began.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 33

03
Brands Whose Products Inherently Help Foster
SOCIAL 1 Meaningful, Digital Connections
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

Facebook and Instagram

Americans have been turning to Facebook Groups
and Instagram Pages to cultivate local conversation
and connection, without ever meeting their neighbors
in person. For example, more than 200,000 followers
have subscribed to updates from Justice for George
NYC since its May 2020 inception, an Instagram page
that organizes protests in NYC for racial justice and
facilitates conversation regarding police reform and
abolition. Crown Heights Share is a Facebook group
that grew from 20 members to 1.3K members over the
course of the pandemic, dedicated to open conversation
and service and item swapping between neighbors in the
Crown Heights area.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 34

03
Brands Whose Products Inherently Help Foster
SOCIAL 1 Meaningful, Digital Connections
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

Business Conferencing Apps (Zoom, Google Hangouts)

Business Conferencing Apps (Zoom, Google Hangouts):
Zoom and Google Hangouts were downloaded more
than 62 million times in March 2020, up 90% year-
over-year. These solutions have altered the essence of
“workplace” relationships by doubling as a window into
the personal lives of our professional network. We now
know what our colleagues’ homes look like, how many
pets they have, and even recognize the voices of their
children and partners. This blur between personal and
professional has inevitably altered how we communicate
and interact with coworkers and clients – though maybe
for the better. Interestingly, new OBERLAND research
reveals that 60% of Americans actually say they know
more about their colleagues now, working virtually, than
they did before COVID-19.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 35

03
Brands That Have Leveraged Virtual Channels To
SOCIAL 2 Foster Connection And Socialization In Creative Ways
CONNECTION +
To Help Consumers Counter Social Isolation
MENTAL HEALTH

Chipotle
The fast-casual chain launched Chipotle Together,
virtual hangout sessions or 3,000 people each day
for one week. Following the series, digital sales grew
216.3% year over year to $829.3 million, the highest
ever quarterly level, and represented 60.7% of sales.
Netflix
The streaming giant created a way for people to watch
TV and movies with friends, while socially isolating:
a revolutionary idea called Netflix Party. The browser
extension that allows up to 50 people to watch television
or movies on Netflix together. As of October, the service
is now called Teleparty, and it includes Hulu, HBO, and
Disney+. In Q3, average streaming paid memberships
rose 25%.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 36

03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
Looking Forward
Digital socialization has transformed from a compulsory, uncomfortable act to a societal norm that is likely to stick
MENTAL HEALTH with us in the long haul. Even as the pandemic subsides, many digital channels will remain a popular alternative to
in-person experiences. According to OBERLAND research:

54%
of Americans say they will still use Zoom for personal meetups as an
alternate to in-person gatherings.

50% 71%
of people say they will continue to of Americans say they are likely to
rely on conferencing apps like Zoom continue using telehealth once the
instead of in-person meetings. pandemic ends.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 37

03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
Looking Forward
This highlights an enormous opportunity for brands whose digital products or offerings can effectively enable
MENTAL HEALTH meaningful connections between individuals, even when in-person interaction is an option. This not only points
to potential for brands that can innately facilitate virtual communications (like brand group 1), but a challenge for
brands across industries and sectors to think out-of-the-box for ways to spark connection and comradery between
their consumers in an increasingly virtual world.
These trends also give way to a hopeful prediction for post-pandemic society: that continued digital socialization
as a supplement to in-person interaction can provide humans with unprecedented options for forming authentic
relationships and human connection helping to turn the tide on the loneliness epidemic, and in turn, the mental
health crisis.

30% >1/3
of individuals who attended of Americans say they will use
therapy in-person prior to COVID-19 neighborhood Facebook groups as
say they will now opt for virtual an alternative to attending a town
sessions post-pandemic. hall or local event.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 38

03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

DO’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 39
03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
How To Get It Right
MENTAL HEALTH

DO help consumers forge meaningful connections in the increasingly

virtual world.
Apps like Bumble and Hinge have added functionalities like video chat to encourage users to stay home, date
safely, and take their time to get to know people before taking a risk – health and heart-wise. According to a new
study from Singles in America, 53% of app daters say they are actually prioritizing their search for a relationship
more now than when they were dating in-person, and 59% report having more meaningful conversations while
video chatting compared to an in-person date.

DO prioritize your consumers’ wellbeing over profit.

Headspace is one such brand -- they made certain meditations free for all, provided resources for managing
workload during COVID-19, and made membership free for healthcare professionals, educators, and those who’d
lost their jobs. When New York City was the epicenter of the pandemic, Headspace created a NYC-specific landing
page with free meditations. Initiatives like this drove brand affinity while providing an easy way to support mental
health for the most vulnerable and spark community within the Headspace app and NYC.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 40

03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
MENTAL HEALTH

DONT’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 41
03
SOCIAL
CONNECTION +
How To Avoid Getting It Wrong
MENTAL HEALTH

DO NOT assume you know what everyone is going through when it comes
to mental health.
While it’s the year of the teleconferencing app, mental health professionals are highlighting the side effects of
being on video all day long. A Zoom workplace can notably create effects like fatigue, challenges with reading
body language, and workers generally feeling like their privacy is invaded (Stress.Org). These issues can
disproportionately affect Black and Brown workers, who are more likely than their white counterparts to be living
in non-traditional situations, and in certain cases, feel their privacy is being invaded (Harvard Business Review).
Conference software like Google Hangouts have introduced functions like Background Blurs to give workers more
privacy in their living spaces, but the conversation surrounding how brands and employers alike can make their
employees feel safer and more empowered at home is still a new frontier.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 42

04
DEMOCRACY
+
TRUTH
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 43
04 Our highly anticipated election in November saw huge
DEMOCRACY Get Out the Vote campaigns and widespread mail-in-
+ TRUTH voting that contributed to the record turnout across the
board. On the other hand, what was expected to be a
significantly more diverse electorate, turned out to be
much more similar to 2016 than we had thought, seeing
heavier participation from educated white voters. This
election was also significant because of the hysteria
created around the legitimacy of expanded mail-in
voting.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 43

04
DEMOCRACY
+ TRUTH

This isn’t the first time election results have been
Prior to the presidential
changed or doubted, but in a time where the scientific
election,
truths of a deadly global pandemic are being questioned
been considered a taboo subject for companies and
brands, but with each election cycle and the increasingly
intimate roles companies play in our lives, we are seeing

70% and thrown out, we must take these implications

of Amerians believed brands
should take action to support
voters.
seriously. The Russian Twitter bots of 2016 were a
harbinger of the types of misinformation campaigns we
would see become the backbone of political platforms
in 2020 and furthermore leading to a crisis of ethics
in the tech space. Democracy and politics have often
consumers and marketers alike soften to the idea that
it is the duty of a company to act. In fact, companies
can use marketing to unite those in both red and blue
states around purpose, and to drive home the reality that
anyone can take a stand with their wallet.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 45

04
DEMOCRACY In 2021, we believe these expectations
+ TRUTH will fall to companies and brands in
three ways:

1
Distilling Voices and
2
A New Standard For Democracy
3
The Issue of Privacy
Delivering Truth

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 46

04
DEMOCRACY 1. Distilling Voices and Delivering Truth
+ TRUTH

“We can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far // Put the blame on VCR.” In 1980 the
Buggles – savvy trend forecasters that they were – sang “Video Killed the
Radio Star.” Today, and really for the last decade, we have been watching the
death of print and televised news with social and mobile taking its place.
Major news outlets shifting to mobile apps and websites is not particularly alarming. In fact, this movement is
actually quite an astute pivot to provide the same product on the channels where consumers are more active and
feel more comfortable. What is worrisome, however, is the 18% of Americans who depend on social media to get
their news.
Social media is inherently based on the sharing of opinions, and while they are monitored for sensitive and hateful
content, misinformation has always been a touchy subject. Tech giants like Facebook sidestep any of the guarantees
that traditional publishers offer, instead championing “freedom of speech” and allowing just about anything to be
published on their platforms. Furthermore, their vague policies on how they target users and the obscurity of the
algorithms they run on begin to reveal a connection between potentially dangerous behavior and profit motive. The
Nearly
question of whether a company profiting off of its advertising sales should have to monitor the quality of the content

1/5
of Amerians depend solely on
social media to get their news.
on its platform will be a huge determinant for the future of Facebook and other data-driven, ad-sales dependent, tech
companies. In the meantime, how employees, stakeholders and customers respond will dictate the story. And, as
platforms like Facebook and Twitter have inevitably banned the former president, who knows how (or if) novel speech
and privacy policies will reshape virtual opinion sharing and conversation.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 47

04
DEMOCRACY 1. Distilling Voices and Delivering Truth
+ TRUTH

While Facebook has had some minor attempts to clean up misinformation

(none to any widespread satisfaction), Twitter released an update in May
that they would begin flagging tweets with potentially harmful or misleading
information regarding COVID-19.
They continued to build on the warnings to tackle other categories of unverified claims and rumors, showing their
intention to take on the wildfire of misinformation that has been spreading on their platform. This reached a headlining
crescendo during the week after the election when a flag that read “potentially misleading claims about an election”
popped up next to the five of the former president’s tweets. With a lack of trust for institutions and a greater need for
reliable information, we believe that in 2021 and beyond consumers will be expecting the brands they love to provide a
beacon of light directing them towards the truth.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 48

04
DEMOCRACY 2. A New Standard for Democracy
+ TRUTH

Many factors contributed to the record turnout seen in the 2020 election, but
moving forward, there will be an expectation that this momentum continues.
Helping to clarify the truth, foundational as it is to a functioning democracy, is not the only standard consumers
are likely to hold businesses to. In research leading up to the election, an OBERLAND study revealed that 70% of
voters surveyed believed brands should take action to support voters. Highly public and well funded advertising
campaigns to Get Out the Vote, which facilitates access to the polls and voter registration tools, were just a few
of the actions we saw brands take in 2020. Distilling the truth can often be seen as a politically partisan act, but
supporting voters is seen as bipartisan and thus all brands, 501(c)(3) inclusive, can partake. These actions, much
like those surrounding racism, sustainability and mental health, are often in the brand’s best interest, with
consumers making more and more purchasing decisions based on the ethics of a company.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 49

04
DEMOCRACY 2. A New Standard for Democracy
+ TRUTH

With the words “Cambridge Analytica” loudly reverberating through the

recent consciousness of most Americans, and deafeningly for Facebook,
the largest social media company in the world launched a multi-faceted
campaign aimed at supporting voters.
They set up new protections on their platforms to limit advertising in the closing stages of the race, provided
informational tools with intuitive UI’s that led to 4.4 million new registered voters and spent big money on national TV
ads with a “Register and Vote” CTA.
This type of action became the norm in 2020, as brands began to wake up to this purposeful opportunity that
would resonate with most of their customer base. Levi’s created a similar voter information portal on their website,
committed to donating $2.6 million to organizations aimed at supporting eligible voters and topped it off with a

35%
of young consumers have stopped
shopping from brands that failed to
speak out against racism.
The bar may be even lower in a divided country for
those who don’t support democracy.
clothing line to expand the “Go Vote” marketing into their apparel. Lyft and Lime (among others) provided free rides
to the polls during election day, and Dos Toros Taqueria offered poll workers free burritos. As is the case with other
forms of corporate activism, the returns on these concrete actions are incalculable, especially in an environment
where Gen-Z and Millennials tend to be a good barometer for a brand’s failure or success. OBERLAND research
showed that 35% of young consumers have stopped shopping from brands that failed to speak out against racism,
the bar may be even lower in a divided country for those who don’t support democracy.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 50

04
DEMOCRACY 3. The Issue of Privacy
+ TRUTH

Without letting Facebook take up all the airtime, we must return to 2016 and Cambridge Analytica to understand
how digital privacy has moved beyond worries about hackers and identity theft into the everyday considerations of
consumers. In a practice that advertisers had been doing legally, but somewhat in the shadows, for years, Trump’s
campaign harvested millions of voter’s personal data on Facebook to aid them in the election. The ensuing scandal
brought into question election law and many other ethical grey areas, but it also made plain for many Americans
that it wasn’t just shady characters that wanted access to our data, but also the world’s biggest companies and
power actors.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 50

04 In late 2020 California passed Prop 24, and began to lay out its strictest
DEMOCRACY legislation regarding data privacy to date.
+ TRUTH
Legal precedents will undoubtedly be set across the Education surrounding our digital footprint and how
country in keeping with Silicon Valley’s home state, but companies use our information is few and far between,
what’s more interesting is how consumers already feel but studies have shown that building trust with users
about their data. is key to a symbiotic relationship with data. If you can
clearly demonstrate how data is being used and what
In a survey conducted by Transcend, a digital privacy
services can be provided with that data, customers
solution, they found that in 2020, 93% of Americans
are much more likely to willingly give it up. Security is
would switch to a company that prioritizes data
obviously an important part of the picture, but building
privacy if given the option. However, the January 6th
trust through transparency, and providing users
attack on the Capitol is changing the way we all think
control over what is being used and shared are the real
about data privacy. The lack of privacy has allowed the
opportunities that we see for brands and companies in
FBI to comb through social media and online profiles
the data privacy revolution.
of insurrectionists, ultimately identifying these
individuals for social good. The nexus of technology, consumer markets and
politics is becoming more complex everyday, but one
Moving forward, prioritizing data privacy could mean
trend we can promise is that Americans will continue
any number of things for brands: securing it against
to demand that companies and brands exercise and
hacks, not collecting data themselves or providing
innovate socially responsible practices. The winners
easy access to change or delete any stored data.

93%
of Americans would switch to
a company that prioritizes data
privacy if given the option.
and losers will be decided by who can meet their
As technological sophistication increases and the
growing expectations to create a more transparent,
application of AI and machine learning to our personal
democratic and equitable society.
data becomes commonplace, there is a distinct
opportunity for brands that are willing to be transparent
with their practices.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 52

04
DEMOCRACY
+ TRUTH

DO’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 53
04
DEMOCRACY
+ TRUTH
How To Get It Right
DO meet your audience where they are to influence social action.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Stacey Abrams and her organization, Fair Fight, as well as numerous partner
organizations, worked on-the-ground in Georgia to register over 800,000 voters in the state. As a result, Abrams
and her volunteers have been widely credited with helping Biden win the vote in Georgia. Abrams herself has
been largely celebrated as a hero for democracy, to the point where in certain parts of Georgia, her name is used
synonymously with ‘getting things done’ (BBC). Additionally, US Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and
Ilhan Omar met young Americans and Gamers on their turf at Twitch to speak to the importance of democracy and
voting. They hosted one of the biggest Twitch streams ever, with up to 435,000 viewers. It’s important to note that
for AOC and Omar, it helped that each had built a positive reputation among young voters, so building an organic
activation like this was a matter of tweeting to garner interest.

DO prioritize safety when inspiring social action.

Signal and Telegram are free and open source messaging apps that allow users to send messages without
concern that third parties can intercept and receive those messages. At the height of protests when activists and
organizers were concerned about protecting protesters’ safety, these apps were often used and downloaded. In
fact, Signal saw daily US downloads triple in the first week of June, at the height of the protests (Quartz). With the
rising popularity of questions about Facebook’s commitment to data privacy, Signal and Telegram have become
viable alternatives to communicating about organized action as more and more users look for options to keep their
communications secure. While often used safely and responsibly, it is also important to note the misuse use of
these platforms by radical groups to coordinate acts of hatred and racism.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 54

04
DEMOCRACY
+ TRUTH

DONT’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 54
5
04
DEMOCRACY
+ TRUTH
How To Avoid Getting It Wrong
DO NOT blur the line between truth and misinformation.
Nonpartisan anti-corruption organization, Represent.US urged voters to fix political corruption through deepfake
ads featuring Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un. These ads were designed to shock viewers and capture voter
attention so they would stay educated around voter rights, misinformation and fighting to get every vote counted
in the presidential election. However, the ads provided so much shock value that they confused viewers unsure
if they were “real” or a tech-generated message. Due to this confusion, they were pulled by MSNBC, Fox News,
and CNN. Nonetheless, the campaign went viral organically and was shared by high-profile celebrities like Amy
Schumer (The Drum).

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 55

6
20
21 TAKEAWAYS
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 57
2021 As we welcome 2021, it’s vital to recognize how vastly different our world is
TAKEAWAYS now, compared to one year ago. While 2020 was full of struggle, sickness
and anger, there is a silver lining. The past year fostered an important sense
of responsibility among Americans to take action if they want a better future.
This included protesting racial inequity, fighting for The main takeaway for brands is this: What Brands Do
climate action, maintaining social distances and having Matters. Regardless of sector, consumers are watching
a voice in politics. For brands to stay relevant, maintain how you speak and act, how you show up for causes
a loyal following and earn the business of consumers, you believe in, if you’re willing to take risks in the name
our research indicates they must play an active role in of humanity (not profit), and if you take a stand for what
helping consumers fight for this better future in 2021. is morally right. If you approach 2021 with purposeful
They must stay in sync with consumers to fulfill their intent, consumers will follow.
culturally driven needs, partner with them to fight for
lasting change and use their platforms - no matter how
big or small - to ignite it.

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 57

2021
TAKEAWAYS

DO’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 59
2021
TAKEAWAYS

DO integrate DO highlight and center DO create sustainability DO think big when it

representation into the Black experience and conservation efforts comes to sustainability
the DNA of your brand with the intention of long- and health campaigns
term impact

DO prioritize your DO meet your audience DO help consumers forge DO prioritize safety when
consumers’ wellbeing where they are meaningful connections inspiring social action
over profit in the increasingly virtual
world

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 60

2021
TAKEAWAYS

DONT’s
2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 60
1
2021
TAKEAWAYS

DO NOT stay silent DO NOT be dishonest DO NOT assume you know DO NOT blur the
when it comes to racial about your commitment what everyone is going line between truth
injustice to sustainability through when it comes to and misinformation
mental health

2021 PURPOSE FORECAST 61

2
THANK
YOU