Marketing Reality Check:
Are You Really Saying What You Think You Are?
It’s been another busy year at Argentum! In addition to working with interesting clients, scrappy start-ups, and other great organizations, some personal news: My husband and I finally celebrated our wedding, after a 26-month COVID delay!
 
At Argentum we also celebrated a big milestone for two clients: Transitioning them each to a full-time marketing leader! As part of our unique business model, we happily help prepare our clients to move on from our Timeshare VP of Marketing® assistance. This year we were delighted to onboard the new CMO for Wynk THC & Seltzer™ and the new Director of Marketing for longtime client Amylu Foods.
 
In this issue we take a deeper dive into being strategically mindful about the words you use to define your company’s competitive advantage. Over and over again, we see clients with messaging that is unintentionally obscured by their internal lingo. The mini case studies in Backing Off Buzzwords are great examples of what can go wrong with your messaging and how to make sure it's crystal clear and working hard for you.

On the positioning side, we’ve got a short video that gives tips for how to make sure that your Reasons To Believe tie up your value proposition in a nice bow. And we’re so excited to share the rebranding of Nourishing Hope, Chicago’s largest food pantry.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Backing Off Buzzwords
Three Mini Case Studies
Most companies have a common lingo that has evolved to speed internal conversations, including those about the benefits of its products and services. In fact, in the early 90’s, every new brand management employee at Kraft Foods was issued a Kraft to English dictionary to help translate the company’s many inscrutable acronyms!
 
Thankfully, most companies Argentum works with are not as extreme. Ironically, in some ways this can sometimes makes it harder to ferret out the meaning of company jargon.
 
Read about how we helped three clients evolve to clearer, more customer-relevant language by unpacking words like Creativity, Service and Cycling.
Marketing Minute
Reasons to Believe - Not Just Blowing Smoke
In a positioning statement, the three Reasons to Believe (RTB) provide the evidence that "proves" the Point of Difference. They’re what stand between your message being a puff piece and authenticity.

However, as with so many other things in marketing, people are often tempted to throw the kitchen sink into their RTBs rather than remaining strategic and focused.

This 3-minute video shows you how to approach identifying the best RTBs to support your Point of Difference.
Case Study
Lakeview Pantry Rebrand
Every so often, we get to work on a passion project. As a longtime board member of Chicago’s largest food pantry, Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry), co-leading the rebranding efforts for Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry) definitely qualifies.

It was a challenge to create a new brand that encompassed everything the organization is today while leaving room for its longer-term evolution. And the new brand had to be something that clients, donors, volunteers and staff could all get behind.
 
Read More about the process, see the logo evolution and maybe even consider making a holiday donation!
Thank you!
We appreciate your continued referrals and are always excited to meet new businesses that might need our supplemental marketing strategy services.

To learn more about Argentum, visit our website, and feel free to share this newsletter with anyone who might find it useful!

Best,
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