Purpose vs Price: What Singapore Buyers Really Want

The question keeps coming up in boardrooms across Singapore: Are consumers finally choosing cause over cost? After two decades in marketing across financial services, consulting, and healthcare, I can tell you the answer isn't what most brands expect.

It's Not Either-Or—It's Both

Singaporean buyers aren't choosing cause over cost. They're choosing cause with reasonable cost. Purpose operates as a tiebreaker, not the primary driver. When two products are comparable in price and quality, authentic purpose wins. But let's be honest—we're not paying 30% premiums for sustainability labels alone.

The sweet spot? Brands that demonstrate both value and values.

The Performative Panic

Despite growing consumer interest, many brands remain paralyzed by fear. They've watched others get roasted on social media for cause-washing. One inconsistency between what you say and what you do, and the backlash is swift.

But here's what's changed: silence is now also a choice being judged. The solution isn't avoiding causes—it's ensuring your operations back up your claims before you market them.

The SME Paradox

According to the Singapore Business Federation, 95% of local businesses engage in social sustainability initiatives. Yet many struggle to market these efforts effectively.

The disconnect? Storytelling. SMEs are doing the right things—sourcing sustainably, treating workers fairly, minimizing waste—but they don't know how to translate that into compelling narratives. They think "we recycle" is a story.

Consumers want to know why you care, how it impacts them, and what difference it makes. Purpose can't be an Earth Day post—it needs to be woven into your brand DNA.

The Gen Z Reality Check

Marketing to younger buyers requires one critical shift: stop treating them like they're naive. They have incredible ‘BS’ detectors.

They want receipts—show me evidence like your impact metrics and who you work with. Transparency builds trust more than polished campaigns. They're also on different platforms than you think, expecting interactive engagement, not static posts.

Why Global Narratives (Sometimes) Fall Flat Here

Western-style purpose marketing often misses the mark in Singapore. When brands import narratives about "fighting systemic inequality" or "breaking barriers," it feels disconnected from our reality.

Singaporeans care about community harmony, intergenerational support, and pragmatic environmental action we can see working. Our culture is collective, not individualistic. Purpose that connects to our shared progress, our community needs—that resonates.

What actually works:

• Food security and waste reduction

• Eldercare and intergenerational support

• Practical accessibility and inclusion

• Hyper-local community initiatives

We respond to tangible, proximate impact over grand global gestures.

The Authenticity Test

Three ways to spot genuine purpose marketing:

Consistency over time – Ongoing operations, not one-off campaigns Real sacrifice – Does it cost them margins, convenience, or comfort? Employee belief – Check Glassdoor. If internal teams aren't living it, consumers sense the theater

Authenticity isn't perfection—it's transparency and accountability.

The Margin Question

"How can SMEs on thin margins justify purpose-driven marketing spend?"

Stop thinking of it as separate spend. If you're sourcing locally, that's your story. Employee content costs nothing. Customer testimonials cost nothing.

The business case is simple: purpose builds loyalty. Loyal customers cost less to retain than constantly acquiring new ones through price competition. If you're only competing on cost, you're in a race to the bottom.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Do buyers follow through when cheaper options exist? Most won't—not yet. People say they care more than their wallets reflect.

But change is happening selectively. In emotionally-connected categories—food, fashion, personal care—younger buyers are following through. When the price premium is modest (10-15%), cause tips the scales. At 50% more? Very unlikely unless scarcity is a factor.

What's Coming

By 2030, you won't be able to credibly market to younger Singaporeans without demonstrable purpose. But price will still matter tremendously.

Purpose will become table stakes—necessary but not sufficient. Singapore will keep its pragmatic streak. We'll care about cause, but we'll expect value.

The brands that figure out how to deliver both will win.

From Brand Love to Brand Relevance: A New Paradigm in Brand Building

In the evolving landscape of brand marketing, we often hear about the pursuit of "brand love" – that magical connection where consumers don't just buy your product but fall in love with your brand. But what if we're asking the wrong question? What if the goal isn't to be loved, but to be genuinely understood and valued?

 
The Paradigm Shift: From Love to Relevance

The truth is, your brand isn't about making customers love you. It's about understanding what they need from you and delivering it consistently. Success isn't measured by how many hearts your brand can capture, but by being top-of-mind when your customers have a need, want, or aspiration.

 This shift from pursuing brand love to building brand relevance isn't just semantic – it's strategic. Here's why it matters and how to make this transition effectively.

 
The Three Pillars of Brand Relevance

1. Define Your Value Proposition

Start with your "Why, What, and How." This isn't just about crafting a clever mission statement – it's about crystallizing the value you bring to your target customers. What problems are you solving? Why should they choose you? Your value proposition should answer these questions clearly and convincingly.

 2. Embrace Your Specific Audience

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is trying to be everything to everyone. Remember: You can't – and shouldn't – try to appeal to everyone. Your brand's strength isn't measured by universal appeal but by its resonance with those who matter most to your business. Are you building a brand that demands attention, or one that earns it through consistent value delivery?

 3. Foster Organic Brand Presence

Think about brands like Panadol, Pampers, or Coca-Cola. When people have a headache, need diapers, or want a cola, these brands come to mind automatically. Why? Because they've established themselves not just through advertising, but through consistent delivery of value. It's what customers say about you when you're not advertising that truly defines your brand.

 The Integration Imperative

When leaders ask me about improving brand perception and scores, they're often asking the wrong question. Instead, ask: "What broke down for our customers?" Because brand relevance requires holistic integration across:

- Sales interactions

- Customer service

- Employee behavior

- Leadership visibility

- Digital presence

 When any of these touchpoints fails, customer trust erodes. Why? Because you're no longer doing right by them. You're not giving them what they want or need. They feel betrayed.

 Building Sustainable Brand Value

1. Maintain Unwavering Consistency

- Across all channels

- Through time

- In messaging and delivery

 2. Align with Your Target Audience

- Speak their language

- Address their specific needs

- Show up where – and when – they need you

Think of it as a relationship where loyalty is as good as your ability to serve their needs.

 3. Demonstrate Value Continuously

Don't fall into the "too big to fail" mindset. Instead:

- Prove your worth through actions

- Deliver meaningful solutions

- Create tangible impact

Remember: It's a perpetual courtship.

 4. Recognize and Reward Loyalty

Too many companies focus on acquiring new customers at the expense of existing ones. Build sustainable value by:

- Rewarding continued engagement

- Building long-term relationships

- Creating organic advocate communities

 The Bottom Line

The question isn't whether your brand is loved – it's whether your brand is relevant. In today's market, relevance beats romance every time. Your brand's strength lies not in universal appeal but in its ability to consistently deliver value to those who matter most.

Are you building a brand that demands attention, or one that earns it through consistent value delivery? The answer to this question might just be the key to your brand's future success.

Mad About Marketing Consulting

Advisor for C-Suites to work with you and your teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.

Passion, Purpose, Potential or Profits - What Motivates You?

This came as an inspiration as I spent the last few weeks catching up with various folks be it from my previous companies or conferences and even the recent SMU Mentoring Event I had the honour of attending as a guest speaker.

It struck me that regardless of the stage of their career they are at, many people are still seemingly either searching for that ultimate professional end-goal or just going through the motions of what they are doing for work with a view of what they ultimately want to achieve for their personal end-goal.

It also occurred to me that many people are still unsure of what really motivates them to take on certain roles or join certain companies beyond say “being able to meet their pay expectations”, “being stable and unlikely to cut jobs”, “being well known in the industry, region or country”, “being able to fully utilize their skills and learn something new”, and recently, “having flexible or hybrid working arrangements”, just to name a few that I have heard.

During the course of my career, as I often made conscious decisions to join certain companies and leave others, I also struggle sometimes between what I really want versus what I could get at that point of time. Not everyone has the luxury of time and choice and during the earlier parts of my life, that was definitely the case. Time and choice plays a dependent role in whether you are able to take time to choose and if circumstances allow you to.

Ultimately, as I moved into my 40s, I started thinking a lot more about this as I used my 20s as an exploratory stage of learn, learn and learn. 30s for me was a stage to harness my past learnings, expand on what I have garnered previously and apply that experience while still learning.

What hasn’t changed for me though is what really drives me professionally and to join certain companies, then stay on with them and later leave them. It has always been first and foremost - the ability to apply my Passion for 1) helping people to solve their problems and 2) the field of marketing and communications, the Purpose of the company that ties back to my personal values, which are 1) enabling people and other living beings to live quality lives, thrive and sustain and achieve my Potential based on the stage of my career with them. Profits, which you can say are monetary benefits I always believe will come as part of the reward if I am good at what I am doing for a purposeful company.

Thus sharing below what I interpret in terms of passion, purpose, potential and profits in terms of what motivates you ultimately in choosing your career journey:

• Passion - some people choose roles and companies that enable and empower them to fully utilize their passion in what they are skilled to do, maximizing their skillsets and love for their craft. This typically is rare it seems as most people are not sure if what they have been trained academically and later professionally to do is really what they are passionate about. This causes quarterlife or midlife crisis sometimes and they can change their career paths once they have uncovered that passion. This also sometimes mean that certain people will prioritize being able to continue to apply those skills beyond what the company’s ultimate purpose stands for, be it good or bad.

• Purpose - some people choose roles and companies that tie back to their personal values that translates to a purpose that they can identify and relate with. It doesn’t always have to be the holy grail status of being up there with Nobel peace prize types of purpose so long as it is something that speaks to them. It can be as simple as providing happiness to people or animals and supporting their personal values to live a happy life no matter what they do. For such folks, often they do get disillusioned after spending some time in their companies and realizing that their perceived purpose is not quite true to what they had signed up for. Thus people who highly value that will also choose to leave despite being still able to apply their passion or make profits.

• Potential - this can be considered as your aptitude, ambition and attitude. Some people know they have the potential to achieve certain career heights be it expansion of their portfolio, moving up the ranks or achieving certain career milestones and be recognized for it. Most of who could, would actually want to as well, especially if it is something they are passionate about. However, the opportunities to reach one’s potential in the companies they are with might not always be possible or available. It is sometimes a tricky one as it depends on a lot of factors beyond your actual potential, including availability of opportunities, availability and access to the right career mentors and supporters to help you achieve your potential. People who highly value being able to fulfil their potential would choose to leave certain companies once they have ran out of pathways to either move up or laterally, depending on their ambitions

• Profits - other people choose roles and companies that pay the best or enable them to fulfill their earning potential. Again, there’s nothing wrong with this as such folks might also see the ability to earn being a type of fulfilment and achievement for them even if they are not truly passionate about what they do. They will instead use what they have earned to support their personal passions outside of the companies. They might also place less emphasis on the values and intended purpose of the company. They are thus less impacted by the company’s values as long as it doesn’t directly impact their ability to continue to make money or fulfil their earning potential. For such folks, they will choose to leave if the company is showing signs of financial instability, unless it benefits them to hold on and wait for some sort of payout.

As I am closing the most recent chapter in my professional journey working for someone else by end April, I am glad that I have been able to fully maximize my time during this winding down period to reflect, learn, write, network, advise, travel, enjoy life and create something new and close to my heart. This new venture allows me to fully maximize both my passion, purpose and potential, staying true to my values. I am thankful that I am at the stage of my life where I do have time and choice.

For those who are still searching for their north star and exploring different paths, I hope you can do the following, come what may:

• explore as many pathways as possible especially if you have both time and choice

• don’t hesitate to create your own path(s) and journey(s)

• try to make the best of your journey even if the path turns out rocky

• if the path reaches a dead-end, you can always create your own or turn back and start on a new one
  

About the Author

Mad About Marketing Consulting

Ally for CMOs, Heads of Marketing and C-Suites to work with you and your marketing teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.