In this episode of Perspectives, we sit down with Afdhel Aziz, founder of Conspiracy of Love and co-author of Good Is the New Cool, whose career spans global brand leadership roles at companies like Procter & Gamble, Nokia, Heineken, and Absolut Vodka.

After decades working on some of the world’s most iconic brands, Afdhel experienced a series of personal turning points — from surviving the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami to becoming a father — that led him to question the role of meaning in his work. That journey ultimately reshaped his career, moving from traditional marketing into the world of purpose-driven strategy and storytelling.

In this conversation, Afdhel shares how the idea of “brand purpose” evolved from philanthropy and CSR into a driver of growth — and why that model is now entering a new phase. He explores the tension between purpose and performance, the risks of one-size-fits-all social positioning, and the need for brands to identify the specific impact they are uniquely positioned to create.

He also reflects on a critical gap in the industry: while many organizations have developed strong purpose strategies, their storytelling often fails to engage audiences. His work today focuses on closing that gap — bringing the craft of entertainment, film, and culture into impact storytelling to make it resonate at scale.

This conversation explores:

• How brand purpose evolved from CSR into a growth strategy

• Why purpose must be specific to a company’s DNA, not a generic stance

• The gap between impact strategy and compelling storytelling

• What brands can learn from entertainment to make purpose-driven work engaging

• Why the future of the space requires a more measured, authentic approach