Have you ever wondered amidst the unending discussions on disruptive technologies and every myriad possibility being turned into a reality, where does the madness stop? And we don't just mean for you as an individual, but more for the brands.

Every brand when born has a purpose, that defines who does it set out to serve, what makes the brand relevant and how will the brand achieve what it has set out to achieve. This might as well have been dismissed by many as those sections of employee inductions that no one remembers! But you see, a brand cannot afford to lose its purpose today more than ever because technology is taking over every aspect of businesses.

For example, let us consider the brand, Google. The brand has ventured into every technological invention possible and thus when the US military approached them for partnering for a drone targeting programme, they grabbed it with both hands. But when the employees found out and insisted that working with arms goes entirely against the values Google stands for, Google rightfully opted out of Project Maven. Of course, that meant letting go of a lot of revenue but Google acted on conscience. Which, at some level or the other, we all must realize- the onus now lies with us. Yes, we live in a world with endless possibilities and there's nothing that technology can't achieve but does it really have to? Can any part of what you are creating with technology, be misused? It is better we answer the 'should(s)' rather than the 'can(s)'.

Having said that, it is not that brand purpose and profits are always mutually exclusive. Brands like Nike, The Body Shop, Dove etc. shall tell you stories different than these. We must realize where to stop, what to support and how much to allow these technologies in ours and our customers' lives.

Here are a few ways to achieve this-

Let the purpose not be a fallacy- Do not take a cause and try to intertwine it with your purpose just because you think the revenue shall benefit from it. Stand by what you believe in and stick to it.

Intend to Inspire- Find your own brand purpose and do not aspire to be like any other brand. This way you shall end up inspiring your employees and build commendable loyalty.

Be inclusive- Studies have shown that even though customer stickiness is touted to be a problem in this digital age, they do tend to be loyal to the brands that make them a part of their purpose.

Make palpable changes- Keeping the purpose at the heart of your organization, make changes to the policies that do not speak the same language. Let the change be at the core of your purpose.

You might want to dismiss this calling it an existential crisis of the changing era, but then you shall be undermining the potential it has of changing the very aspects of consumerism. Look at your brand purpose and the changes technology brings as the yin and yang- let them fit together for a greater cause and not just for profits!