We don't make promises because you do

It is for a similar reason to why doctors don't' make promises; if we controlled every aspect of your business and knew everything about you, your client's experiences, and your reputation, then we may be prepared to make a promise of performance. The reality of marketing is that the effectiveness of what we do as marketers is limited by the promises you are ready to make and keep to our customers. 

Making promises, you can (and will keep)

Thomas Jefferson once said, "Advertisements... contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper." Most people believe that advertisements and inherently dishonest. In reality, advertising is possibly the most heavily regulated form of speech. Marketing agencies can only promote the promises made or endorsed by business owners. Our job is to take the promises made by our clients and present them in compelling ways to attract the attention of customers or clients. Both the art and science of marketing distil these promises down to messaging that resonates with a defined group of people. When we get it right, magic happens.

Promises that worked for generations

When I think of brand promises that have worked, it's hard to go past the one made by Avis rental cars in the '60s. At the time, Avis was the second most popular rental car brand in America, which meant they had to work harder to win your business. Legendary Mad Man Doyle Dane Bernbach didn't see Avis's market position as a way to make a promise to customers. His marketing messages focus on the fact that when you're second, you have to try harder, so you focus more on customer service, pricing, and convenience. You have a chance of winning your business by being better at everything than your competitor. He created campaigns on how Avis works hard to win your business and finished every ad with the line, "Avis. We try harder. That promise elevated the brand in consumers' minds to the point where Avis became the number one rental brand in the US and worldwide.

What promises are you making?

It may surprise you that the most successful campaign conducted by Target Australia did not contain products or pricing. It was a campaign on a quality guarantee. Promises matter. I had a similar experience with a client where I created a brand promise that catapulted their business overnight while lowering their business risk. Risk mitigation is part of the qualification process for customers buying a $20 T-shirt and a turnkey paper mill. Great marketers work with you to define what that brand promise is, then communicate it in ways that demonstrate to potential customers and clients why they can trust this promise.