Proctor and Gamble’s new CEO, Bob McDonald, announced new strategy called purpose-inspired growth.  The plan is to focus on purpose, values, and principles; then the money will naturally follow.  I’m intrigued, but don’t want to discuss the merits of this strategy.  Instead, I want to discuss the execution of the strategy.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter of Harvard Business School had this to say on her blog about the rollout:

McDonald calls P&G’s purpose the most consistent factor in a 171-year history of growth. When he showed it on screen in South Boston, the room nodded reverentially. “We will provide branded products of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers, now and for generations to come. As a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creations, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper.”

Sounds good so far.  But try this: turn away from your screen and recite the statement in your own words.  I’ll go ahead and wait ….   So, how did you do?  Take a look at the statement again.  It’s a completely well-written statement that’s easy to understand, but entirely forgettable.

This is something I don’t understand – a corporation can create memorable commercials, but can’t create a memorable credo from the top.  Yes, everyone nodded reverentially, but probably walked out of the room forgetting the message.  It’s too bad that the statement wasn’t boiled down to some short and memorable phrase.  There’s truth in Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s methodology in their book Made to Stick.  A simple unexpected credible concrete emotional story will stick.  It’s too bad that Proctor and Gamble doesn’t have that here.