I have always believed in doing the right thing for the client. That if I am developing work for the client that solves a problem, I am being the best creative partner. I have also believed that the good guy does always win. Maybe not in the sprint, but always over the long distance. That is why the principles of purpose-driven marketing resonate with me on such a deep professional and personal level.
Our agency has had the privilege to partner with Caliber Collision for almost a decade. Over the years, our marketing efforts have had an unwavering focus on the vital role their teammates play in fulfilling Caliber’s purpose, Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life®. It is no coincidence that Caliber is now the nation’s largest collision repair company. We’ve seen the power of purpose in shaping a brand across every touchpoint and with every stakeholder. It’s this first-hand experience that has crystalized Chris’ and my commitment to purpose-driven branding and marketing. We advocate for this approach with every client and every brand.
Our commitment to purpose-driven marketing has only been strengthened in the past few months. Crisis has a way of sharpening your focus, rewarding ingenuity and repaying persistence. Companies that embrace their core purpose to lead decisions and guide relationships with stakeholders will see greater rewards, lower employee attrition, more long-term investors and tighter connections with their communities.
At the beginning of this year, our friends at Pecan Lodge were preparing for a celebration. Ten years ago, Justin and Diane Fourton left their high-pressure careers in business consulting to spend more time focused on the things they love the most—their family, food and community. And for the past decade, Pecan Lodge has grown, won faithful customers and received endless accolades. They decided the best way to celebrate this achievement was to launch a non-profit foundation to share their success with their neighbors.
And then COVID came to Dallas and thousands of local restauranteurs faced business closures, terrified employees and questions about keeping their businesses alive. Justin and Diane faced this pivotal moment in their family business by looking inward, focusing on why this business was so important to them, and doing some soul-searching on why Pecan Lodge should survive this crisis. And it took them no time to realize, Pecan Lodge’s purpose is to serve.
Justin and Diane reached out to Chris and our team with their idea. Of course, we were eagerly on board because our purpose at Johnson & Sekin is to grow good. This was an opportunity to live out our purpose by serving that of our client’s. Chris made introductions to his niece’s charity organization who works to assist first responders. Within days Justin and Diane launched their non-profit, The Dinner Bell Foundation, to fulfill Pecan Lodge’s purpose during the COVID crisis. Their mission is twofold: to feed first responders on the front lines in Dallas and to provide supplemental bridge funding to independently owned local restaurants. The Dinner Bell Foundation is serving meals to healthcare workers, fire fighters and police officers. They are keeping their employees working and their vendor partners, competition and friends viable. In short, Dinner Bell is ensuring a vibrant, local restaurant community will be a part of Dallas’ recovery.
Our team created the logo, messaging, website and social media footprint to support the foundation. We leveraged our relationships in Dallas, as well as with our clients to secure the first significant corporate donors for the foundation. This included the online dating service, Match, who gave—and matched, of course—a generous donation. Our friends at Local Hive Honey surprised us with a monetary and honey donation as well. And while both donations were given selflessly, these organizations received an abundance of PR and goodwill. This is proof that serving your purpose and supporting other organizations in theirs results in the growth of good for all.
Learn how you or your company can help serve our community at dinnerbellfoundation.org
I believe purpose defines who we are as individuals. And I believe in the power of purpose to accelerate businesses. A clearly articulated purpose empowers your business to quickly and seamlessly adapt to disruptions and challenges. While no business is immune from struggle, purpose provides the framework to make decisions and recover quickly from mistakes, while maintaining a consistent brand voice with employees, customers, investors, vendor partners and the community. It is this purpose that enables results in greater value for all stakeholders.
Johnson & Sekin is committed to helping brands discover, articulate and amplify their purpose. Our team has worked with clients big and small across a wide spectrum of industries, and our greatest success stories emerge when we partner to elevate the brand’s purpose. Clients like Justin and Diane are the reason we face tomorrow with optimism and energy for the work we will do together as a team and as friends.
