We had the pleasure of interviewing Jon Kirwan, Senior Brand Strategist at Vinted one of our esteemed members of the jury for the Festival of Cause Campaign Awards 2025. We asked about the importance of integrating cause into media campaigns, the biggest challenges brands face in doing so, and his insights for creating truly impactful work.
How important is it for media campaigns to include an element of purpose or cause?
Wanting to do a cause campaign shouldn’t be the starting point.
For charities and NGOs, campaigns are naturally tied to mission and impact. But for businesses, the first question should be: why do we exist and how are we making a positive difference through our products or services? It’s commitment first, communications second.
And let’s be clear: cause communication is not mandatory. A company that quietly creates quality products and provides good jobs has plenty to be proud of—often more than one overstating its social impact. Overclaiming both risks reputation damage and wastes resources.
What are the biggest challenges in implementing cause/purpose into media campaigns?
Authenticity.
At the recent Love Tomorrow Summit, Steven Bartlett was asked how to tell the difference between businesses that truly live their purpose versus those that just market it. His answer: look at what they’ve willingly sacrificed.
Standing behind a cause means giving something up—short-term profits, convenience, or easy choices. That’s why marketers and media planners should first ask whether the organisation has the credibility and commitment to carry the message.
For NGOs, where purpose is less in question, the challenge is different: how to use creativity to overcome limited budgets or reach. With so many causes competing for attention, it can be just as difficult for them to cut through as it is for profit-driven companies to build social responsibility into their work.
What organisations in the industry do you believe are walking the talk when it comes to cause?
I think there are so many ways to make a positive impact. If I look just at the fashion industry I can touch on three examples.
Patagonia – A classic example. They donate 1% of sales to grassroots climate activism and now give away profits after reinvestment. Their communications balance the tension between selling products and discouraging overconsumption, which drives loyalty and trust.
Bombas – Their buy-one-give-one model has led to over 140 million items of clothing donated to people experiencing homelessness. In a time when homelessness is rising even in wealthy countries, their simple, consistent execution shows the power of business to make a tangible difference.
Vinted – I joined Vinted in large part because of the mission of making second-hand first choice which totally inspires me to this day. By making circular fashion mainstream and convenient, Vinted has grown to compete with major online retailers across Europe. The mission is simple, but the impact of nurturing circularity in fashion is profound.
What more can media do to help make the world a better place?
We can consider the values and message brainprint of our marketing campaigns as much as the environmental footprint.
Marketing has immense power to shift perceptions and behaviours. With that power comes responsibility. For example Vinted’s growth has coincided with a reduction in the kind of second-hand stigma that would have been a factor more when I was growing up in the UK. Now it’s seen more as smart, concious and if anything cool.
Media can contribute to these moments of re-evaluation and behaviour change across industries—building better habits in society while also building successful businesses.
What purpose/cause campaigns have resonated with you over the last 12 months?
I was impressed by Pink Chip, created by Degiro and AKQA. It’s an index that lets people invest in women-led corporations. They showed that women consistently outperform male counterparts when leading companies, yet they remain underrepresented. Pink Chip not only draws attention to this bias but integrates it directly into Degiro’s product, aligning with their mission of smarter investing. It’s a sharp example of purpose, product, and message working together.
