BatesMeron is Turning 20!
Six Things That Have Powered Us Through Two Decades

1. Say It & Slay It

In marketing, as in life, what you say matters—but what you do matters even more. Promises are easy to make but hard to keep, and in this business, your reputation hinges on whether you deliver. We’ve always believed that if we commit to something, we follow through; whether it’s nailing a deadline, delivering a big idea or making sure our presentations don’t get saved over by John’s kid’s homework (ouch). It doesn’t matter how late the hour, how tired we are or who has a sick aunt; that’s what the team is for. We consistently step in to help the rest of the group deliver on that promise. The result? Clients who know they can count on us—not just for great work but for the trust we build along the way.

BTW, this can be as much about what you DON’T say as what you DO. I shudder to think of the money that’s passed us by because we refused to guarantee ROI (you can’t) or promise a certain outcome. We can’t. Business can’t. We can only promise that we’ll be there, do the work, make sure it’s excellent and set you up for success. And I’d rather have that hard conversation than run the other direction when I see a former client in the grocery store. No paycheck is worth that drama.

2. Tough Love Makes Better Brands

One of the hardest parts of this job is telling someone their beloved logo or tagline isn’t working. Or that the idea their husband scrawled on a napkin after three cocktails is honestly bad. But I can confirm that honesty—when paired with empathy—doesn’t just build better brands; it builds better relationships. Our job isn’t to agree for the sake of ease; it’s to challenge ideas thoughtfully and push for solutions that will truly serve our clients’ goals. When a client calls with changes that seem ‘out there,’ we’ll do it their way because we should never be arrogant enough to assume we’re all-knowing. And if it looks/is terrible, we must tell them so. Tough conversations are NEVER comfortable, but they’ve consistently led us to our best work.

This lesson was earned. We set off from day one with the value of candor, but holy hot wings, we never expected how often and to what degree that value would be tested. We’ve been asked to do things that would make you shoot your drink through your nose. And if we ever have a drink, I’ll tell you some of those stories. However, we’ve also been humbled by the amazing ideas our clients, our interns or even our vendors bring to the table. Candor is honest communication. Honest communication starts with listening. When you truly listen, you might realize there’s a reason behind what seems like a crazy idea. Maybe it’s not so out there after all—maybe you’re just not seeing the full picture. Some of our best work has sprung from religiously refusing to talk over someone else’s idea, from being weird and open-minded and willing to try what’s being asked of us. After all, it’s a SERVICE business, right? Note: Next time you’re at our office, just ask to see the cartoon Esmeralda was asked to draw. I will never take it down. It gives me so much dark, wicked joy.

3. Stay in Your Lane & Enjoy the Ride

It’s tempting to fill every gap the client needs. I get it. But can you honestly say you’re the best option for all their needs? From being paid to be a client’s therapist (true story, and I tried) to building a robot (didn’t even try), we’ve been offered good money to perform tasks we never promoted. In some cases, though they were nonexistent in the Scope of Work, our clients assumed we’d take on these duties. And sometimes we tried. And it was ALWAYS a mistake.

We’re specialists in branding, marketing and design … and we’re extremely proud of that. We’ve won really cool awards for that, which I’m supposed to say doesn’t matter—but honestly, it feels good. (I said what I said). But for everything else, things outside our specialty, we rely on smart, talented partners who complement what we do. Together, we build stronger, smarter solutions than could ever be delivered by just one partner.

Here’s the thing about staying in your lane: BE PROUD OF IT. There’s often a sense of shame in telling a client, “We can create simple, beautiful websites, but please don’t come near us with your 10,000 SKU e-commerce beast.” like it’s something to be embarrassed about. I’ve felt that too. But you need to kick that feeling to the curb and embrace what you LOVE to do … because that love shows in the work you produce. And in your level of happiness with your life.

4. Find What Fuels You & Keep the Tank Full

I’ve always believed that passion is the engine behind great work. At BatesMeron, we don’t just show up; we show up excited, curious and ready to dig into the next challenge. Whether it’s brainstorming a campaign or tackling a tricky brand puzzle, there’s joy in the process—and that joy is what keeps us going, even on the days when the solutions seem unreachable. We step away, we get some fresh air, get some love from one of the office pups and return to the table refreshed and ready to pitch insanely creative ideas.

Or we go home. We get some rest. We tackle it tomorrow. The beauty of hiring passionate creatives and strategists is that if you give us the space to refuel, we can’t help but care deeply. And that translates into boundless and refillable creative wells. The beauty of having amazing Project Managers (you know who you are), is having the time to make sure those resources are cared for so they can keep being drawn from.

5. Treat Everyone Like Your Favorite Client

In the creative world, it’s easy to focus all your attention on the people paying the bills. But one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that every relationship matters—whether it’s with a client, a vendor or the delivery person bringing lunch to the office. The way you treat people, no matter their role, sets the tone for your work and your reputation. And when you treat vendors like partners instead of whipping posts, you create an ecosystem of trust and collaboration that makes everything more positive.

That’s a pretty way of saying: those vendors, messengers and interns will pay you back in kind—because life is cyclical. You WILL mess up an enormous print job and that vendor will happily save your ass because you treated them well and paid your bills on time. Your intern will very possibly end up as a VP of Marketing at a dream brand you’d love to work with. How did you treat that intern? Call it karma, call it what you like, it is real. Most days, it is literally zero percent harder to be pleasant and respectful. And on the days it does become a challenge, think of it as exercise for your nervous system (lol). It’s worth it.

6. Creativity with a Purpose Always Wins

I love a bold, beautiful idea as much as the next Creative Director, but I’ve learned that clever and beautiful for the sake of oohs and ahhs isn’t enough. Every decision we make, every design we craft, mandatorily serves a purpose: To tell a story, to solve a problem, to help a brand connect with its audience. It’s not about choosing between artistry and strategy; it’s about weaving the two together to create work that resonates and delivers.

How do we maintain that focus? By having a team that isn’t afraid to speak up! Seriously, if you can create a safe place for people to help those who are in the weeds, deep inside a project, you’ve got something really wonderful. That person, that wonderful, strategic soul who read the brief but hasn’t been head-down in the project for weeks, has something you don’t currently possess—a fresh perspective.

BatesMeron pushes hard to make sure everyone feels safe saying, “Hey … can I just ask a question?” “Has this gotten away from us?” “Is this serving the strategic goal anymore?” Those people are THANKED for helping pull us away from looking at the details so close we can’t see the big picture. It’s happened a hundred times and it will happen a hundred more. But ask yourself, would you rather hear that from a Jr. Copywriter or from your client?