Everyone loves a good origin story. Here’s ours.
The year was 1984. The times were fast, the styles were radical, and our founders made a choice that changed everything.
The advertising business was notoriously risky. But that didn’t stop our founding partners from jumping into the fray with a singular, ambitious vision: to bring big-city thinking to the Intermountain West.
While working at fast-paced New York agencies, frequent ski trips to the Rockies made them long for the wide-open spaces of the West. They wanted to combine the high-level strategic rigor of Madison Avenue with the community-focused, trailblazing spirit of Utah.
They took the leap. And that was the start of what we proudly call our “staying power.”
The Anatomy of Staying Power
Surviving in the agency world for over four decades isn’t a matter of luck. It requires a rock-solid foundation. For us, that staying power is the direct result of an unwavering commitment to our mission, vision, and values.
When you strip away shifting trends and changing technologies, these core pillars are what keep us grounded:
Our mission: To move people.
Our vision: To create a meaningful, lasting connection between you and your audience.
Our core values:
We are problem solvers: We don’t just make things look good; we tackle complex organizational and societal challenges.
We believe in the power of a good idea: A truly great concept transcends mediums and eras.
We push boundaries: We leverage new technology and embrace emerging trends without losing sight of the core strategy.
We strive to understand human behavior: We dig deep into the psychology of why people act the way they do.
We’re proud of our work: And just as importantly, we make sure we have fun creating it.
Decades of Evolution
A lot has happened since 1984. Over the last 40+ years, we’ve added an ever-increasing number of strengths to our repertoire.
We didn’t just stay in one lane. We started out selling cars, tacos, and casino trips. Then we expanded our expertise across sectors that impact everyday life, including government, healthcare, and transportation.
At the same time, we evolved our agency disciplines. We mastered public involvement, pioneered research-driven behavior change campaigns, and adapted to the fast-paced world of social media. Yet, through all this expansion, our central focus has never wavered: we focus on what moves people.
From Analog to AI
We attribute our 40+ years of staying power to three things: our results, our people, and our incredible clients.
Throughout the years, we’ve been in the business of building bridges and breaking boundaries. We have navigated monumental shifts in the marketing landscape. We went from print and broadcast to the dawn of the internet, the rise of social media, and now, the era of Artificial Intelligence.
The times, the tools, and the technology have completely transformed along the way. But the human element? That remains exactly the same.
Technology changes. Human nature doesn’t. Because we’ve always focused on the psychology of connection, our results haven’t changed either. We are still moving people, just as we set out to do in 1984.
What’s Your Story?
What is the core value that has given you or your company staying power? Whether you’re a brand, an organization, or an individual professional, your origin story shapes how you navigate the future. Understanding where you came from gives you the “staying power to weather any industry disruption.
About the Author:
Penna Powers is a full-service marketing agency based in Salt Lake City. We partner with government agencies and purpose-driven organizations to create campaigns that shift perceptions, change behavior, and improve communities.
Ready to build campaigns with staying power? Let’s talk.
Take a deep dive into our history.