The thing about taglines is, they seem so simple, so easy.
Think different. The uncola. They’re gr-r-r-eat!
Great taglines, for me, are like Olympic athletes – they make it look so incredibly effortless, it makes you think, just for a moment, ‘I can do that!’
But creating a really great tagline is rarely easy. Or simple.
Creating a really great tagline – & getting agreement from all interested parties to adopt it – is a rare feat, indeed.
So, the tagline, defined: A succinct phrase, situated under or alongside your logo, that communicates a single but powerful brand message designed to resonate strongly with an intended audience. It is the distilled essence of your brand message – conceived strategically, expressed artfully & delivered persuasively.
Easy-peasy, right? Yeah, right.
This is why God made professional writers, folks.
Aaaaanyway … Tapping into my extensive adventures in tagline-writing, here are six qualities of a great tagline – you want your tagline to display as many of them as possible; fewer than four, & I recommend returning to the scribbling board.
1. A great tagline is clear. Specific & simple, not vague or overly complex.
2. A great tagline is pithy, meaning brief, punch-y and meaningful. Succinct, relevant & put some *pop* into it, will you?
3. A great tagline is often clever. Unconventional, provocative or humorous, but not too cutesy.
4. A great tagline references benefits or differentiators. Make sure it’s believable, and don’t try to squeeze too much into it.
5. A great tagline is memorable. Tastes great, less _____. Melts in your mouth not in your _____. Takes a licking & keeps on _____. You remembered how to fill in those blanks, didn’t you?
6. A great tagline tells a story. What’s your story? What gets you emotional when you think about what you do? Your logo & tagline should communicate that feeling – not act as just a descriptor.
Whew! That’s quite a list to fit into just six words or so. So don’t try this at home. Hire a professional [e.g., Pro Writa!], & when she hits the bullseye, you just might find yourselves exclaiming in tandem, “Tag – you’re it!”
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Most influential tagline by decade, 1940s-2000s*
1948: DeBeers – A diamond is forever.
1956: Allstate – You’re in good hands [with Allstate].
1962: Avis – We try harder.
1975: American Express – Don’t leave home without it.
1988: Nike – Just do it.
1993: California Milk Processor Board – Got milk?
2002: Las Vegas – What happens here stays here.
*All still being used today. Now that’s great taglining!
