January 2007

Creating a Tagline

Last month's enewsletter advised, "Your marketing communications should include what distinguishes you from your competitors. One appropriate place to begin is with a tagline or slogan — that clever but meaningful phrase that appears on your website, business card, stationery, and most every piece of print collateral."

A tagline is part of your business identity. Just as a consistently used logo creates and reinforces visual identity, a tagline is the corresponding verbal component. A tagline generates brand awareness and builds name recognition.

As proof of a tagline's effectiveness, you can probably identify the product or name associated with these well-known taglines (answers below):

1. "The ultimate driving machine."

2. "Have it your way."

3. "A diamond is forever."

4. "The good hands people."

5. "When you care enough to send the very best."

6. "Just do it."

Furthermore, some taglines are so memorable
that they are often remembered long after
they are no longer used. See if you remember these:

7. "Take a puff. It's springtime."

8. "The pause that refreshes."

9. "We really move our tail for you."

10. "We try harder."

Does this tagline
sound familiar?

Steps in creating a tagline

Taglines can take on almost any form, but must somehow uniquely relate to your business. Taglines can do a number of things: reflect what your business does; describe or suggest a feature, benefit, or result; include your target market; or distance you from the competition.

The first step in creating a tagline is to review and analyze your business from a strategic marketing perspective; that is, focus on the elements just mentioned. You do this because you want to identify what to communicate.

McDonald's came first, followed by Burger King. In the early days (and even today), McDonald's basic burger was the same: burger with catsup, mustard, pickles, and onions. To distance itself from the way McDonald's made burgers and illustrate how customers would benefit by eating a Burger King burger, Burger King offered choices: lettuce or no lettuce; onions or no onions; mustard or no mustard; etc. The Burger King tagline, "Have it your way," does two things: first, suggests a customer benefit (choice); and second, creates distance from McDonald's by pointing out the differences between the two burgers.

Hallmark's tagline does something similar. "When you care enough to send the very best," appeals to customer vanity. After all, who wants to be thought of as someone who doesn't care enough? Thus the benefit of sending a Hallmark card is that you are perceived as someone who cares enough. And by suggesting that Hallmark offers the "very best," they are distancing themselves from competitors by implying that their cards are of lesser quality.

The second step involves brainstorming — and lots of it. Here's where you (a small group is better) put on your thinking cap and toss around ideas. Think intuitively and blurt out ideas as they come to you. Write them on a white board (or chalk board) where they can be seen. Don't worry about a finished tagline just yet. Search for the essence of what you want your audience to think, or how you want to be remembered. Think in terms of benefits and results. Focus on what your business does. Try to evoke an emotional response. Simply let the ideas flow at this point.

Third, refine your ideas. Look for patterns and similarities, which could indicate that others are focusing on something similar. If similar words or phrases emerge, try substituting synonyms. Try to match the wording with the personality of your company. For instance, if you are a plumber and want to be clever, consider something like, "We get down and dirty." But if you prefer simple and direct, "Expert plumbing at a reasonable price" may work nicely.

Fourth, test your ideas. You and your tagline team may like what you've come up with, but try it on others. Ask existing customers. They already have an opinion about your business and can tell whether or not your new tagline reflects their perceptions. You might even want to do informal surveys to sample public opinion.

The final step is to commit and implement the tagline by applying it to your various marketing materials. The more people see the tagline, the better. You want them to connect the name with the tagline and with other branding and identity elements. Repetition is essential.

Consistently applied over time, your tagline will both guide and solidify perceptions, thus reinforcing your identity, image, and brand.

1. BMW; 2. Burger King; 3. DeBeers; 4. Allstate; 5. Hallmark; 6. Nike; 7. Salem cigarettes; 8. Coca-Cola, circa 1929; 9. Continental Airlines; 10. Avis Rent-a-Car

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