MAKE ‘EM FEEL SOMETHING
You know what doesn’t make people cry? Your 60-slide deck on “empowering lives through innovation, sustainability, and connection.” That line could sell toothpaste, gym memberships or broadband, and it probably has. Brand purpose sounds great in a pitch. But in the real world? If it doesn’t make people feel something, laugh, tear up, punch the air - it might as well be written in invisible ink. Emotion wins hearts. Purpose wins… LinkedIn likes.
So here’s the inconvenient truth:
People don’t care what you believe in. They care how you make them feel.
And not in a lofty “purpose” way - we’re talking about the real, messy, gut-punch feelings that drive action.
Feelings first. Facts later. Always.
Science backs us up:
Dan Ariely (Predictably Irrational) showed we’re not logical agents - we’re emotional creatures who think we’re logical.
Antonio Damasio proved that people with brain damage to their emotion centres couldn’t make any decisions - not even lunch.
Gerald Zaltman at Harvard found that 95% of purchase decisions happen in the subconscious, emotional brain.
TL;DR?
If your brand isn’t triggering emotion, it isn’t triggering anything.
Purpose ≠ Impact
A beautifully crafted purpose might win you an internal town hall and a few award entries.
But it rarely gets clicks, carts, or loyalty.
Forget “building a better tomorrow through playful connections.”
That’s not purpose. That’s PowerPoint soup.
This is purpose people actually feel:
“Turning chaos into adventure. One tantrum-proof ride at a time.” - Trunki (yes, we wrote that)
That’s clarity. That’s cut-through. That’s emotional precision.
Brands that got emotional (and Won Big!)
Libresse / Bodyform – #WombStories
Messy. Honest. Human. They tackled everything from miscarriage to menopause and made millions of women feel seen.
The Result: Viral acclaim. Deep affinity. Loyalty money can’t buy.
Apple – Design that feels like control
Apple never bangs on about “purpose”. It just feels like freedom, status, and creative confidence.
The Result: People queue for rectangles. And then film themselves doing it.
Barbie – The Movie
Nostalgia? Sure. But also satire, self-awareness, and a whole lot of pink power. Mattel leaned in, laughed at itself – and won.
The Result: $1.4B box office, and a brand reborn.
PDSA – Save a Star
Not just another sad animal appeal. This was raw, real, and rooted in story. One abandoned dog. One emotional journey. And one powerful ask: help save the next Star.
Created by Mischievous Wolf, the campaign didn’t guilt-trip - it connected. Real storytelling. Real empathy. Real results.
The Result: +157% increase in income year-on-year, with a huge rise in regular givers and campaign engagement. Proof that tugging on heartstrings still opens wallets - when it’s done with care, not clichés.
What you can actually do with this
Let’s turn all that into action:
1. Find your core emotion
Not five. Not three. One.
The one feeling your audience is desperate to feel, and that you can deliver better than anyone.
Confidence?
Relief?
Belonging?
Escape?
Name it. Own it. Build around it.
2. Align everything to it
Tone of voice. Visuals. UX. Even your TikToks.
This is emotional congruence, when everything works together to reinforce the feeling. If it doesn’t, your audience smells the inconsistency. And scrolls on.
3. Tell stories, not statements
Don’t declare what you are.
Show what you solve.
Nike isn’t “about performance.” It’s about the inner war between quitting and carrying on.
4. Test for gut reaction
Does your copy make people feel something?
We always ask:
“Would I remember this tomorrow?”
“Would I send it to a mate?”
“Does it pass the goosebump test?”
Don’t know where to start? That’s where we come in.
At Mischievous Wolf, we don’t do wallpaper purpose. We do emotion with bite!
Sometimes it’s joy. Sometimes it’s chaos. Sometimes it’s a wink, a wince, or a full-body sigh of relief.
But it always moves people.
TL;DR?
Purpose says “Look at us.”
Emotion says “You get me.”
And if your brand wants to resonate harder than an 80s breakup ballad,
well… Let’s make ‘em feel something.
Got a challenge? Good. We really like those.