From Woke-Washing to Real Impact: What Purpose Looks Like in 2025
The age of performative purpose is over. Here’s what’s next.
If 2020 was the year of brand statements, 2025 is the year of follow-through. Consumers have grown weary of “we care” campaigns that disappear faster than an Instagram Story.
Real impact doesn’t come from a single campaign — it’s woven into the everyday. So what does authentic, purpose-led marketing actually look like now?
At Virtue Studios, we believe brands shouldn’t just say the right thing — they should do it. Let’s look at how the tide has turned.
The Rise and Fall of Performative Purpose
A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer found that 63% of consumers don’t trust brand social impact claims.
Why?
Because they’ve seen too many empty gestures. Rainbow logos in June. Hashtag activism. Sustainability stickers on fast fashion.
Woke-washing — the act of faking inclusivity or ethics for PR — is being called out. And rightly so. Consumers, especially Gen Z, can sniff out insincerity instantly.
What Real Purpose Looks Like
It’s not flashy. It’s consistent. Real purpose is internal before it’s external:
Culture: Your team should live the values you promote. Are you diverse? Inclusive? Transparent?
Product: Are your supply chains ethical? Are you improving lives?
Voice: Are you willing to speak out — and stand by it — when it matters?
Case Study: Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s doesn’t just talk about ending slavery in the cocoa industry. They prove it:
Transparent supply chains
Living wage for farmers
Annual impact reports (open-source and audit-friendly)
Result? Tony’s grew 16% YoY in 2023, while building one of the most trusted ethical brands in Europe.
The Virtue Studios Purpose Checklist:
Does your mission align with day-to-day actions?
Would your team agree with your external messaging?
Do your products or services tangibly improve lives?
Are you okay with losing some customers if you take a stand?
Are you willing to learn, evolve, and be held accountable?
Purpose without action is just PR. And people are tired of PR. At Virtue Studios, we help brands align their insides with their outsides — because the future belongs to the ones who show up, not just speak up.
