As OffWhite begins our 39th year in business, we can clearly see the terrain that’s moved under our wings since that cold day in February 1985. While longevity is not, in itself, a singular benefit to our clients, longevity gives us a special context, much like a time exposure of the heavens. Here, we can see what stars move, what stars stay the same, and where we can look for our North Star when we need a reboot.
Changes in the marketing landscape over almost four decades have been so profound that they are integrated into our lives at home and work. The digital revolution, from the first Macs to smartphones, has turned us into hungry sharks in need of instant answers to questions about products, services, country music singers, and recipes. We are impatient to a fault, and we’re not about to change. Yet, change is what has driven the marketing industry to the hyper-responsive perch on which we find ourselves today, powered by Google and other search engines, and bloated with content both meaningless and insightful.
From our perch high atop almost 40 years of experience, anecdotes, and war stories, we can set the new aside for a moment and focus on what has not changed. The key constant over OffWhite Marketing’s time in business acts as our guide and gives us perspective on the true and accurate fundamentals of marketing and business in general.
This constant for us, our North Star, is our relationship with clients. Though we have always adapted, overcome, persevered, and kept up with the latest marketing trends, we have always put people first. In all our years in marketing, OffWhite has never recommended the same marketing strategy twice. Our marketing services are as unique as the clients we serve.
Pathways to the market which continue to evolve through social media and other digital platforms will come and go; the next best thing is around the corner. But relationships – they’re the key. Here’s why.
Nobody in business likes uncertainty, yet uncertainty is the wind that blows our sails and forces us to steer through competition, false starts, and best intentions. The blessing is that we truly don’t know what’s going to happen next, but we can predict projects and make decisions based on what we think we know. So, when it comes to finding a marketing firm that can hold hands with a business and truly deliver outcomes essential to their success, they ask around. They have little time for trial and error. That’s why our firm has lasted so long. Our relationships are our best references, and when we put prospective clients in touch with those we’ve worked with now and in the past, uncertainty begins to evaporate and the truth emerges.
We encourage prospective clients to seek out people and businesses we have served and to borrow from these experiences to predict successful outcomes when working with us. As the whirlwind of SEO, websites, AI, and digital marketing continues to spin with new and innovative ways to sell value, the need for accurate content remains in the center of our universe, knitted into the relationships we work so hard to build and protect. Our work reflects on those who hire us, our reputation is joined with theirs, our jobs are linked to theirs, and our futures are layered together.
What’s changed in the last 39 years? Everything. And nothing. And we can see the difference.
At OffWhite, relationships remain our North Star.
