Purpose-Driven Brands Are Selling More. Here’s Why with Neil Callanan

About this episode

The episode discusses how purpose-driven brands are adapting to consumer expectations and the pitfalls of performative activism.

In an increasingly polarized environment, brands are facing growing pressure to define what they stand for culturally and how they position themselves on social, political, and environmental issues. At the same time, consumer behavior has changed significantly, along with expectations toward the brands people support. This was the central topic of a recent episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, hosted by Mario Carrasco, featuring Neil Callanan, founder of LooseGrip, an agency focused on purpose driven brands, advocacy, and cultural transformation. The Problem with Performative Activism According to Neil Callanan, the issue is not that brands participate in cultural or social conversations. The problem arises when they do so without a genuineconnection to their corporate identity. Today, many companies publish messages about diversity, inclusion, sustainability, or representation during moments such as Pride Month, Black History Month, or corporate responsibility campaigns. However, when these messages are not backed by real actions, consumers often perceive them as opportunistic branding efforts. If a company claims to support a specific community or cause, it must be able to…

People in this episode

Host: Mario Carrasco

Guest: Neil Callanan

Topics covered

• purpose-driven brands
• consumer behavior
• performative activism
• cultural identity
• social issues
• brand values

Keywords

• purpose-driven brands
• consumer expectations
• performative activism
• cultural transformation
• brand identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LooseGrip

More episodes of The New Mainstream Podcast

• Understanding the current moment in multicultural marketing with Ingrid Otero · April 14, 2026 · 37 min
• The Rise of Agentic AI: What It Means for Consumer Behavior and Trust with Michael Nevski · March 20, 2026 · 38 min
• The Future of American Soccer: Culture, Pathways, and the Rise of Black Fandom with Patrick Rose · February 25, 2026 · 29 min
• The NFL’s Bad Bunny Bet: Culture, Risk, and Why Brands Played It Safe with Michelle O’Grady · February 11, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Personal Branding in a Noisy World with Jim Blair · January 28, 2026 · 40 min
• Representation, Culture, and Power in the Marketing Ecosystem with Arnetta Whiteside · January 7, 2026 · 55 min