Drowning in Guarantees, Starving for Promises
All effective marketing makes a unique promise. It’s time we started crafting ours.
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Most businesses in agriculture are stuck in a cycle: competing in crowded markets, shouting louder than the next guy, and hoping to be picked.
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Drowning in Guarantees, Starving for Promises
In his classic book Scientific Advertising, Claude Hopkins warns, “Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck.”
This principle cuts to the heart of what it means for us to do effective marketing: every message we deliver must carry a promise—a clear, meaningful invitation to our audience.
The problem is that too much of our marketing in modern agriculture rests on the warm milk toast of familiar guarantees. Safe, predictable, and utterly forgettable.
You’ve seen them:
“Make every acre count.”
“Protect your product’s potential.”
“Maximize your acres.”
“Built to last.”
“Optimize productivity.”
These aren’t promises. They’re placeholders—phrases designed to sound good while saying nothing at all. They’re safe, sure, but they’re also unremarkable. No farmer has ever read “Protect your product’s potential” and thought, “That’s the solution I’ve been waiting for!”
Because everyone else is saying it, too.
What we need are fewer guarantees and more bold, specific promises.
Statements that cast a compelling vision of what’s possible if your offering resonates with your audience.
Promises don’t just sell products; they inspire action. They create emotional connections. They invite your audience to see the world differently.
Here’s the difference:
A guarantee says: “We’ll help you maximize your productivity.” A promise says: “If this works for you, you’ll discover…”
The promise invites curiosity and engagement. It speaks to transformation. And when it’s done well, it’s unforgettable.
Consider some of the most iconic taglines in marketing:
“Think Small” – A promise about intelligence.
“Because I’m Worth It” – A promise about status.
“Real Beauty” (Dove) – A promise about authenticity.
“Don’t Go There, Live There” (Airbnb) – A promise about belonging.
“Think Different” (Apple) – A promise about individuality.
These aren’t just slogans. They’re unique promises, tied to a transformation the customer desires. Each one creates a connection that’s bigger than the product itself. It’s not about functionality; it’s about aspiration, belonging, and identity.
That’s the challenge for those of us in agricultural marketing today: to move beyond guarantees and embrace promises that matter.
What transformation are you inviting your audience into? How will their lives, their farms, or their businesses change because of what you’re offering?
Here’s the truth: All effective marketing makes a unique promise. It’s time we started crafting ours.
Make something different. Make people care. Make fans, not followers.