Don’t sleep on this trend

It’s getting personal. And arts organizations need to get on board—because mission alone won’t save you when the funding dries up.

According to Havas' 2024 Meaningful Brands report, we're now squarely in the “Me-conomy.” People still want brands to help the planet—but now expect them to improve their daily lives, too.

What does this mean for orchestras, opera companies, theaters, and ballet companies?

For today's arts patrons, purpose can’t just be performative. It has to be useful, tangibly:

74% believe that brands should be helping them improve their personal health and wellbeing. And 54% believe companies should focus less on selling products and MORE on supporting their customers.

When consumer expectations are this high, it’s no small thing to ignore these macro trends. Because 75% say they wouldn’t care if most brands disappeared tomorrow.

The brands that DO meet these expectations? They massively outperform in loyalty, advocacy, and pricing power.

Here's the takeaway for arts administrators, marketing directors, and development teams:

Brands that want to be meaningful need to show that they matter in TANGIBLE ways. Instead of simply relying on aspirational mission statements. If you want your organization to be connect meaningfully, you have to deliver on your value proposition in ways people can feel. Don’t just say you matter—prove your impact.

Because audiences aren't loyal for loyalty's sake anymore. In a world this chaotic, they want to know: "What's in it for me?"

Welcome to the age of radical relevance.