What does a slogan mean for your company?
For some companies, a tagline or slogan represents the organization’s core values and mission. For others, it is so memorable that when customers hear it, they automatically know what company is being talked about. When creating a new slogan or attempting to optimize or improve a current one, you will want to ensure it is memorable and represents the company well.
Here are the seven principles to enhance your company slogans and ensure they capture the essence of your company:
Principle 1: Keep it simple, silly!
This may not seem like something new, but it is the oldest trick in the book and works best. Look at some of the most successful taglines, such as Nike’s “Just do it” and McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it!” These are simple, amazing, and also three words.
Therefore, the first and foremost principle to follow while crafting a tagline is that it must be simple, short (5 words or less), and avoid complicated terms to interpret or pronounce.
Principle 2: Make it customer-centric rather than product-centric
Your company or brand’s tagline needs to convey your unique selling point to your target customers. It is not just about the benefits of the product or service but also how the product will benefit the user.
While crafting a tagline, copywriters must embody the customers’ needs and think of the words that come to mind immediately upon using the product or service. Take Philips, for example. “Innovation & You” is a wonderful tagline because it tells the customer that the company focuses on innovating and promoting their interests.
Principle 3: Avoid clichés
One fundamental rule of thumb to follow is to reject the first five ideas you have. These are the most common ones, and anyone else could have had them. Thus, the first five taglines you think of can be considered clichés and should be avoided at all costs.
Beyond that, avoid very obvious puns and wordplay. Doing this is always in the best interest of the brand. Your tagline will show customers how creative and innovative you are. Make sure it stands out.
Principle 4: Avoid over-promising and under-delivering
The tagline is essentially one of the first triggers that a customer associates with the company. You already know to communicate value through your tagline but be careful while crafting it. You do not want to be in a situation where you over-promise value to your customers but are sloppy when delivering on those claims.
Take KFC, for example, “It’s finger-lickin’ good!” is not overselling since they are known for their excellent chicken. The association makes it a successful tagline.
Principle 5: Avoid the corporate sound
There are specific taglines that seem corporate and bland that they never fulfill their purpose – connecting with customers and creating a connection in their minds. Some slogans fail to position the firm in the right light. Instead, they are bland, dull, and reflective of the formal hierarchical structure of the company.
The key to a tagline that is catchy is that it should come from the heart – the copywriters must keep in mind that the tagline indicates what the company speaks about its value proposition.
Principle 6: Get to the point
Another fundamental principle to keep in mind is to avoid analogies and comparisons. When making references or comparisons in your slogan, be careful to avoid complicating the association that customers intend to make.
Instead, try to get directly to the point in as few words as possible. Doing this will lead customers to the brand-tagline association and help embed it in their minds.
Principle 7: Avoid being campaign driven
Last but not least, your tagline should not be campaign-driven. Your current campaigns do not define the positioning that your company will have in the long term. Therefore, the ideal tagline is timeless – that can go with every campaign you design and build a long-lasting association and positioning in customers’ minds.
If it is done right, a tagline can be a very memorable moment for customers. It can make them associate value with your brand and become loyal, long-term customers. Use the seven principles to create a slogan that differentiates your brand, offers a key benefit, and elicits an emotional response.
