Think Different – a bad use of grammar, and perhaps the most effective slogan of the 21st century. Apple, on the back of innovative products, exceptional marketing and this simple, two-word slogan, has become one of the most valuable companies in the world with legions of devoted customers. But what is it that separates a good slogan from a meaningless tagline? And can a memorable slogan really make that much of a difference to a business’s success?
Make it meaningful
The first thing to remember when developing your company tagline, and something which is regularly forgotten, is that your slogan should be relevant to what you actually do. Clever phrases and punchy words are useless unless they tell your customers and stakeholders something about who you are.
Consider your audience, your offering, your brand and your strategy. Most importantly, however, think about what sets you apart. Your slogan needs to tell your audience who you are in just a few words, so you need to look towards your unique strengths as an organisation. Our own slogan ‘insightful, creative, passionate’ is designed to communicate not necessarily what we do at BBS, but how we do it.
Make it memorable
“Just do it”, “I’m Lovin’ it”, “Eat Fresh” – really successful slogans are unforgettable. Simple, evocative phrases that capture a mood or evoke a memory will stay with people, and so will your brand. A 2014 study found these were some of the most recalled slogans by a group of 595 respondents.
However, while these slogans were highly memorable, the same study found that slogans which were more ‘creative’ and which emphasised the benefits of products, as well as slogans which rhymed, and which did not include brand names were more likeable. While memorability may be preferable to likeability, it still pays to consider these factors when developing a slogan.
A rose by any other name…
It’s important to remember is that a slogan is not a marketing silver bullet. In order to have a meaningful impact, it needs to be a part of a broader marketing strategy, and it needs to support a quality offering.
Business owners often spend too much time obsessing over brand details and fail to see these as ingredients of a broader strategy, leaving them with little to back up their great new tagline.
Nevertheless, developing your brand and slogan can be a great process for really dissecting what it is you offer to customers and stakeholders, what really sets your business apart – how you ‘Think Different’.
