From Words to Action: Brand Purpose and Storydoing

This paper conference examines the concept of brand purpose and its role in contemporary corporate narrative, particularly in relation to CSR, social marketing, storytelling, and storydoing. It argues that brand purpose should not be understood as a specific CSR action or a short-term social marketing tactic, but as the deeper reason why an organization exists. Unlike CSR initiatives, which are often structured around concrete objectives and temporary actions, brand purpose is embedded in the identity of the brand and shapes its long-term direction, meaning, and legitimacy. The chapter also explores the relationship between brand purpose and storytelling, suggesting that purpose becomes meaningful to stakeholders when it is communicated through a coherent and emotionally engaging narrative. However, it also stresses that storytelling alone is insufficient unless it is supported by real action, which leads to the concept of storydoing. To illustrate these ideas, the chapter analyzes the case of La Fageda, a Catalan social enterprise whose founding mission is the labor inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, severe mental health conditions, and social vulnerability. The case demonstrates how a credible corporate narrative can emerge from a real social purpose and how storytelling, when aligned with practice, can become a powerful strategic asset for brand building and stakeholder engagement. Keywords: Brand purposeStorytellingStorydoingCorporate narrativeCSR