Promises.
Compacts to have our way with the future.
Something will be because it has been
promised.
* * * * *
Promises. Can guarantee more with a
look that took an instant than a contract
that took a year.
* * * * *
“I love you,” the universal promise and the promise
of the universe. One of the easiest of contracts to make.
One of the most difficult to keep.
* * * * *
Promises we make to children.
Promises that when broken hurt so much.
Because little children believe so much.
* * * * *
Promises. Just enough are kept to keep them believed.
* * * * *
Every time we break a promise someone believes a
little less. Maybe this is why we think so little
of liars.
* * * * *
The promises of princes, pontiffs and poets, all
subject to the winds of life. When we promise and we
break our promise… our excuse is always the same.
What happened? Life happened.
* * * * *
Promises in conflict. Two people make promises
that only one can keep. Frazier: “I’ll win in the 11th.”
Ali: “He’ll fall in nine.” Promises in conflict guarantee
only one thing. Somebody has got to lose.
* * * * *
Promises we all want to believe:
Life ever after.
Promises we couldn’t believe:
New Coke was it!
* * * * *
Promises for which we may need someone else’s help:
“I’ll never do it again.”
* * * * *
Promises… unnecessary promises. Was there a moment
when you promised not to cry. Why?
* * * * *
Promises… like guesses. Overpromises. We take
the rosiest possible future and guarantee it. And so
the promise to… “double your sales… sir?” while
optimum to desire is ridiculous to promise.
* * * * *
A promise we never intended to keep wears another name.
Lie.
* * * * *
Promises, powerful promises. These are the promises
you make with your eyes. These are times when understanding
goes beyond words. This may be the reason Pilate looked
away from Jesus.
* * * * *
And then there are the Everests of promises, the
ones we make to ourselves. In these lies most
of our torment and happiness.
* * * * *
There may be only one valid promise… be fair.
* * * * *
The promises of business.
“It’ll be ready Friday.”
“I’ll call you back.”
Companies are made larger or smaller by the keeping
or the breaching of them.
The toy that broke.
The washer that won’t.
Implicit in the offer of goods is the offer of value.
A broken promise is the theft of trust.
* * * * *
Advertising. The playground of promises. If all
advertising were truthful, all advertising would be trusted.
If you want advertising that works, make a better
promise. Keep it.
* * * * *
Weitzman Advertising. A few good people who make
their living writing ads – and know what a promise is.
