Sit down, grab something to drink and let’s have an existentialist conversation. If you really read this, it’s gonna get deep. And then I might just share a little about the why of JP.
Taglines
I obviously work in the business of branding and we are often tasked with writing the positioning statements or the “taglines” for a company. A short, witty phrase that, in 6 words or less, tells the world what that company does.
The goal is to make your company different and memorable. Sometimes this tagline is designed to live right next to the logo. Other times we even sing it in a jingle.
The Why
But according to Simon Sinek, we might just be missing the point. Most companies do a good job of stating what they do and maybe even how they do it. For example, “We deliver piping hot pizza.” But why do it? What’s the real purpose for existence as a pizza company?
When I sat down to answer the question for myself, “Why does JP Marketing exist?” I realized it’s quite possibly the hardest question to answer. To create good work? Sure. To make money? Obviously. To help other companies reach their goals? That was my answer for many years, but it just felt boringly altruistic. I had to do a little soul searching to figure out why, now nearly 24 years later, I absolutely love what I do…
A Deeper Why
So at my core, I’m competitive. Everything is a contest and someone is going to win. Yes, I believe in win-wins, but still wins nonetheless. Winning means different things to different people and my goal at JP is to find out what winning means to our clients.
Once I can identify how a client defines success, then our agency’s success is a reflection of whether or not we got the win. So, in part, JP exists to create wins, for our clients and for our team members.
After further reflection, however, it’s not a win-at-all-costs mentality. People matter. As humans, one thing that differentiates us is our emotion and ability to connect with others. My relationships with people around me absolutely matter, so the work we do as JP centers on building long-term relationships grown out of communication and trust.
Put these two things together and the result is JP’s new tagline, “Creating Wins. Cultivating Relationships.” We could be selling pizza. Or cars. Or high speed internet. It just so happens that we work in this industry we call marketing and advertising so we help clients sell all sorts of things. At the end of the day, JP’s why is about outcomes, the people we work with along the way and enjoying every moment of it!
–Jane Olvera Quebe, President
