Ep 104 Brands with Heart: Philippa Durant on How Purpose Drives Performance

EPISODE OVERVIEW What does it actually take to turn purpose into a performance lever? Not a values statement. Not a CSR budget. A genuine, measurable driver of revenue, retention and growth. Philippa Durant is Country Manager for Expedia Australia and New Zealand, one of Australia's Top 50 CMOs, and a marketer with over two decades of experience building brands at Coca-Cola, Virgin and Expedia Group. For her Executive MBA capstone at the University of Sydney Business School, she conducted 40 in-depth interviews with CEOs, CMOs and purpose consultants across Australia. What she found reframes the entire conversation. Purpose, it turns out, isn't just something you feel. It's something you measure. And when it's embedded in strategy, people and customer experience simultaneously — not in one or two, but in all three — the performance impact is significant. WHAT WE COVER - Why love might just be good for business — and why the numbers matter more than the feeling - Philippa's career journey from Coca-Cola and Virgin to Expedia, and what drew her toward purpose-driven leadership - The Brands with Heart framework — and the four-segment matrix that shows where your organisation sits on the purpose journey - Why a purpose statement means nothing — and what actually brings you to the starting line - The three pillars that must be aligned for purpose to drive performance: strategy, people and customer - What Intrepid Travel does that most organisations don't — and why they want the whole industry to go on the journey with them - The surprising link between solid purpose integration and solid business process - How embedding purpose in product cost — not CSR cost — makes it impossible to strip out - The $211–243 billion cost of disengagement to the Australian economy — and what that means for the P&L - Why younger generations may be better equipped for this work than those of us who came to it later - Philippa's dream for the travel industry — and her next phase of research PHILIPPA'S BRANDS WITH HEART FRAMEWORK Based on 40 qualitative interviews with CEOs, CMOs and purpose consultants across Australia, Philippa's capstone research identifies three pillars that must work together for purpose to function as a genuine growth lever: - Strategy — purpose must be embedded in the organisation's strategic direction - People — purpose must be lived throughout the organisation, not siloed in HR or a single team - Customer — purpose must be woven into the customer journey and experience Her four-segment matrix maps where organisations typically sit: - Purpose as Positioning — purpose lives in marketing only - Performative Purpose — purpose sits outside the organisation as CSR, disconnected from strategy - Purpose in Pockets — purpose is driven by one or two exceptional leaders but hasn't been negotiated across the executive - Purpose Driving Performance — purpose is integrated across all three pillars and functions as a genuine growth lever RELATED EPISODES Episode 2 Geoff Manchester on Intrepid's Profit with Purpose Journey  Episode 69 An Intrepid Special: Cultural Immersion in Australia's Red Centre Part I and Part 2 Episode 99 Sara King, Intrepid Travel: Creating Positive Change Through the Joy of Travel Episode 42 Kelly Beater, Head of Felix Mobile on the Power of a BHAG GET INVOLVED IN PHILIPPA'S RESEARCH Philippa is now entering a new phase of research, focused specifically on the travel industry. She is looking for: - Participants for qualitative interviews (leaders in the travel industry) - Respondents for a broader quantitative survey (open to all organisations) - Examples and case studies of purpose-driven performance to feature in the research ABOUT PHILIPPA Philippa Durant is an award-winning marketing executive who combines world-class brand expertise with purpose-driven leadership to deliver exceptional business results while creating positive societal impact.  With over two decades of experience leading marketing teams at global powerhouses including Coca-Cola, Virgin and Expedia Group, Philippa has consistently delivered breakthrough campaigns and substantial revenue growth. Recently completing her Executive MBA at Sydney University Business School with capstone research on "How purpose drives organisational performance" Business," Philippa has developed the "Brands with Heart" framework based on in-depth Australian research that demonstrates how purpose-driven organisations not only achieve superior financial performance but also create meaningful value for society. As one of Australia's Top 50 CMOs and past Chair of APAC Diversity & Inclusion Council at Expedia Group, she has proven that when brands authentically embrace purpose—from championing diversity and inclusion to driving community recovery initiatives—they unlock both unprecedented business growth and lasting positive change, making her the ideal leader for organisations seeking to thrive commercially while making a genuine difference in the world.   CONNECT WITH PHILIPPA Philippa on LinkedIn WORK WITH CAROLYN Keynote Speaking: carolynbutlermadden.com Purpose-Led Business Consulting: thecauseeffect.com.au