This is a tad of a follow-up to an earlier blog – Engage, Engage, Engage that was all about what I learned in a social media workshop. My research/reading/thinking about that has led to even more research on building business SLOGANS (tag lines) and BRANDING that goes hand-in-hand with everything that we all do to promote our businesses and our customer’s businesses or events.
So, what is the big deal about creating a business slogan for your own company or one of your clients? The big deal is that a mind-blowing slogan is what we want and need that will burn into the conscious and subconscious thoughts of all potential consumers of our and our clients products. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
Having worked through helping both non-profit and for-profit business over the years build their descriptive slogans in 20 words or less (that is way more difficult than writing 200), I can attest to the massive energy, time and money that is involved in getting a slogan “just right”.
A SLOGAN has to be pretty dead-on if you are interested in creating an effective marketing tool that complements all other advertising/marketing tools utilized. It has to be short, concise and capture the audience within seconds. And maintain a balance between remaining fresh and applicable without causing major confusion. And, says Jasmine Tanasy, director of naming and writing at the New York office of Landor that has worked with Tide and Frito-Lay, “What will this (slogan/tag line) mean to others?’ The tagline is not for you. It’s a way to make a connection.” She also remarked NOT to include the words: innovation, global, insights, power. I so get that.
Here are a few paragraphs from an article that Henry Bernstein wrote about the subject that was published in Printwear Magazine, January. I hope it will help jump-start your creative thought process: “…..think of the brand recognition of “sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t,” or “got milk,” “bet you can’t eat just one” and, of course, “it’s Miller time.” The food and beverage industry has a way of getting it just right. Motivation is another perfect place for a good slogan, though, with calls to action that get our attention the way Nike did with their “Just Do It” campaign.
Imagine creating such a slogan with clients… and providing them with the apparel that helps their business gain traction. Besides corporations and sporting teams, there are groups, clubs, organizations and even exercise classes, as in this example. They all love to show their affiliation and are especially proud to wear it. In the case of this example, a trainer/instructor had a motivating slogan that was not only a great driving force, but a perfect marketing tool for her business.
The inspiration was “The burn… find it, feel it, own it!” The creator of this saying, Christine Hales, is a certified personal trainer and group instructor, whose body sculpting class I take at 5:30 a.m. At that hour and given the grueling exercises, class attendees need to hear something to get us through it. Trainers learn quickly to belt out something in order to push their subjects for one more or to hold it five seconds longer. That’s when I heard “Feel it! Own it!” And I got through it (even though I still cried). Her ringing phrase became mine. Kind of funny how that happens.
Taking the phrase and applying it to a visual wasn’t too difficult. We’re looking to illustrate the “burn” associated to weightlifting, something the clipart already embodied through the dumbbell and weightlifter. So the next step was simply to wrap the art with the slogan in a font that would evoke some emotion.” 
And here they are; those burned in our brains tag-lines of all time: Snap! Crackle! Pop!” (Kellogg’s Rice Frispies) “Finger lickin’ good.” (KFC) “Betcha can’t eat just one.” (Lay’s) “I’m lovin’ it.” (McDonald’s) “I love New York.” (New York) Where’s the beef?” (Wendy’s) “Breakfast of champions.” (Wheaties)
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