Episode 23: It’s not about Purpose - it’s about who you can help me become! Thomas Kolster, Author, Founder.

“The ultimate proof point is answering the question… who can you help people become?” In this episode we speak to the inspirational Thomas Kolster, author of The Hero Trap and Founder and Creative Director of Goodvertising. Thomas has been championing sustainability in the advertising and marketing industry for over a decade - he tells us that when he wrote his first book, Goodvertising, back in 2012, no one in ‘the industry’ was really interested in what he had to say - his main audience were those already embracing sustainability. However, jump a decade forward - and he spends his time consulting and sharing his wisdom with leading brands and agencies around the world. There’s so much to glean from this insightful conversation - Thomas explains how when it comes to purpose and the role brands play in people’s lives - they’ve lost their way. He tells us how most purpose statements are just too broad, that purpose is just not having the same effect - and how too much time is spent by brands and organisations naval gazing, rather than considering the real challenges people face and what really motivates and drives people to change. This leads us on to discuss what Thomas refers to as ‘transformative brands’ - those brands that really help people to change their behaviours, and rather than the brands positioning themselves as the ‘Hero’ - they instead are the facilitators, creating positive impact and behaviour change for their audiences. We boil down to the key point that realistically, it’s very challenging for organisations or brands to drive change - where change really lies is with each and every one of us. We are the heroes! Inspirational, smart, funny and educational - with loads of takeaways - you’ll enjoy this one. A real feast to tune into this holiday season. Find out more information about Thomas, his work and books via https://thomaskolster.com/ - and any comments, questions, ideas, suggestions related to the podcast, Get in touch. Due to the COVID19 situation, our podcasts are currently being recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.