How Catchy Is Your Slogan?

Just do it. I’m lovin’ it. Are you in good hands? The quicker picker-upper. It’s probably safe to assume that you immediately recognize those four slogans AND the company they belong to; Nike, McDonalds, All State, and Bounty respectively. Even if you didn’t instantly tie the slogan to a company you know you’ve heard them before, and can probably even think a jingle, commercial, or particularly striking ad those slogans have appeared in. That’s the power of a great slogan–it instantly reminds customers of your company and your brand promise, even if no one actively mentions your company. Buttons are known as walking billboards and can carry your message across the community. But how memorable is your slogan? Will it stick in the minds of your audience even after the button has walked on by?

Here are 4 things that make for a memorable slogan:

1. Keep it short and sweet.

The shorter the tagline the easier it is to remember. “Got milk?” is only two words but it’s arguably one of the biggest and most successful advertising campaigns ever put on. Say what you need to say in as few words as possible.

2. Focus on the long-haul.

You really want a tagline that is timeless. If you build your slogan on something that will show it’s age, like a popular meme, in a few years your tagline will feel outdated. A few years after that the inside joke will be dead and people might not be able to put two and two together. A timeless tagline can carry your brand for generations and still ring true.

3. What makes your brand special?

Your slogan has to encapsulate your entire brand in one sentence (sometimes not even a full sentence). So what are you really hanging your hat on? For instance, if you own a restaurant what makes you different than the other three dozen restaurants in town? Do you have “The Best Breakfast in Brooklyn”? Do you serve Italian cuisine “Like Nonna Made”? Your tagline/slogan has to create some kind of feeling in the person reading it and entice them to learn more.

4. Make sure it’s unique.

If your tagline is too similar to another company, especially a big brand, people are going to get the two mixed up. While many companies try to piggyback on the value of another brand you want to make sure your slogan stands out, not just fall in line with the rest of the pack! Before you commit to your final slogan do some serious digging and make sure no one else is using the same (or too similar) tagline for their company.