October is overflowing with meaning: 

Breast Cancer Awareness. Mental Health Awareness. Domestic Violence Awareness. Indigenous Peoples’ Day. ADHD Awareness. Pregnancy and Infant Loss. 

The calendar fills fast, and so do the feeds.

For brands, overlapping observances offer no shortage of ways to “show up.” But in the race to be responsibly present, it’s no wonder many campaigns lose the plot. Awareness fatigue is real, and it threatens to desensitize us to some of the awe-inspiring and emotional stories out there. 

That’s where intention becomes the dividing line.

Are we order-takers or are we myth-makers? One is perfunctory while the other is purposeful. Let’s explore what it means to show up with meaning, not just mechanics.

From Meaningful to Mechanical

We’ve all seen it: the sea of pink logos. The solemn Instagram carousel. The scheduled tweet. Somewhere along the way, awareness became a marketing reflex and lost its original intent: to illuminate, educate, and activate people through powerful stories.

It’s no wonder that 68% of consumers believe companies exploit social issues for profit (Edelman Trust Barometer). That’s not just backlash; it’s a signal. The people we’re talking to are talking back—and they’re telling us to do better.

The Rise of Purpose Washing

“Purpose washing” happens when brands borrow the language of values without embodying the practice. It’s the modern marketer’s trap, where intention is implied, but integrity is optional.

You can spot it in the gap between message and movement: the moment when empathy becomes aesthetic. And the cost isn’t just credibility. It’s trust.

Here’s how to avoid it:

1. Make values operational, not ornamental.
   If your stated values don’t show up in hiring, sourcing, or partnerships, audiences will feel the dissonance before they name it. Purpose must start within.
2. Choose action over association.
   It’s easy to post the ribbon or retweet the cause. It’s harder — and infinitely more impactful — to direct resources, airtime, and investment toward organizations doing the work.
3. Measure your follow-through.
   Ask the hard question: What changed because we showed up? If the answer is “not much,” revisit the campaign before you hit publish.
4. Center real stories, not optics.
   Authenticity isn’t just good ethics — it’s good strategy. Feature the people and partners with lived experience, and do so with credit and consent.
5. Commit beyond the calendar.
   Don’t let your care expire at midnight on October 31. Sustained engagement outperforms seasonal performance every time.

Case Study: Real Investment vs. Real Fast

Take Dove’s Real Beauty campaign: a multi-year initiative rooted in values, research, and emotional consistency. Their mission, “to make beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety,” is baked into every touchpoint — from product design to storytelling to long-term partnerships that advance self-esteem education for young women worldwide.

Compare that to the brands that roll out a one-day pink-washed post, then pivot back to product drops. One signals belief, and the other signals branding. Consumers know the difference, even if only on a subconscious level. They begin to associate cause-washing with marketing that gestures toward meaning instead of embodying it.

Counter-Example: Outdoor retailer Patagonia once skipped a designated “Earth Day” campaign altogether, instead releasing a year-round impact report and community challenge that generated higher loyalty scores than any seasonal push. Silence can sometimes speak louder than slogans.

The Path to Integrity: Four Filters

Here’s how we challenge our clients (and ourselves) to engage with these moments consciously without hijacking the narrative or dulling the message:

1. Values Alignment
   Does this campaign reflect your actual beliefs, not just your content calendar? If not, redirect your energy.
2. Resource What You Elevate
   If you’re going to amplify an issue, resource it. Partner with organizations. Share proceeds. Compensate creators with lived experience.
3. Center Real Voices
   This isn’t your story to lead. It might not even be yours to tell. Elevate the people who can speak from truth, not just research.
4. Report the Impact
   What happened after the post? Did dollars move? Did partnerships form? Did something shift? If not, was it awareness or performance?

In practice, these filters form an awareness gate, a four-point pre-launch check that can be used internally before campaigns go live.

Myth-Makers, Not Order-Takers

Marketers are more than message managers. We’re myth-makers, meaning-shapers, and culture stewards. When we reduce awareness to a hashtag, we diminish our role and our responsibility to the detriment of all.

But when we align message, medium, and meaning, we earn attention that lasts.

We don’t just “raise awareness.” We raise the bar by choosing purpose-driven marketing over performative box-checking.

How are you stewarding stories this October?