You see them everywhere, those little taglines designed to bring a company’s purpose to life. Some have even been set to music (remember “plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is”?).
If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably been through the exercise of creating your own slogan. But have you ever stopped to think why some slogans stick with you, even after just one viewing?
The slogan’s job is to raise a question, touch a nerve, or identify a need. The slogan is not your only marketing tool, and therefore it does not need to be all things to everyone.
The slogan IS…
- memorable
- an enhancement to the overall brand
- focused on the customer benefit and/or key differentiator between you and the competition
The slogan IS NOT…
- a definition/explanation of the company name
- an explanation of the logo design
- a literal statement about how the company functions
Think about some memorable brand slogans and how they say a lot with very few words (and remember that all of these companies hired big ad agencies to create these slogans–all trademarked and used here for illustration purposes only):
- Nike: Just do it
- Kaiser Permanente: Thrive
- Avis: We try harder
- MasterCard: Priceless
- GE: Imagination at work
- Allstate: You’re in good hands
- ING: What’s your number?
- Weight Watchers: Watch yourself change
- Capital One: What’s in your wallet?
- Taco Bell: Think outside the bun
I particularly like that last one. There’s something clever about how it takes an overused business term and turns it on its head while slamming the competition. (Or maybe it’s just time for lunch.)
