Arek Dvornechcuck
Branding Expert
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
A slogan is usually a short phrase that captures core values, personality, and positioning of a brand.
These few words might give you tons of trouble, because it’s not easy to come up with a good brand slogan.
That’s why I wrote this article – to showcase some good slogan examples for your inspiration.
By looking at some of the famous brands’ slogans and the story behind them, you’ll understand what elements make them successful.
Then, we’ll go through some tips to help you write a catchy slogan for your company.
Just as with using free logo makers—I wouldn't recommend using any free slogan makers as well, but if you wanna give it a try—be my guest!
PS. Check out my step-by-step tutorial on YouTube — How To Create A Brand Tagline / Slogan
People often use them as interchangeable synonyms but they don’t mean the same.
Larger companies will usually have one tagline e.g. Disney’s tagline is “The happiest place on earth”; and many slogans e.g. Disney’s slogans are “Where dreams come true”, “I’m going to Disneyland”, “Where the magic began” and more.
Taglines
Slogans
In this article let’s focus on slogans, or advertising taglines if you wish.
If you’re looking for a brand tagline, you should start with developing your brand strategy first.
PS. If you need more than just a slogan, also check out my Brand Story Framework
The Nike's "Just do it" slogan, was created 30 years ago by renown advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy and it's still one of the core components of Nike's brand.
Nike's famous slogan, “Just Do It,” was inspired by the last words of Gary Gilmore, a murderer on death row.
The campaign launched in 1988 was highly successful ever since, by featuring numerous notable athletes in order to attract customers and promote the image of Nike.
Nike created an image of success through the combination of professional athletes and motivational slogans emphasizing sportsmanship and health.
Colin Kaepernick is the new face of the company’s new “Just Do It” campaign.
According to the study conducted by researchers from Texas Tech University called “A study of the antecedents of slogan liking” the Nike “Just Do It” was the most recalled slogan of all.
What can we learn from Nike slogan?
When IBM announced a “Think” slogan, so Apple announced their new campaign in 1997 with its slogan “Think Different” created by advertising agency TBWA.
Craig Tanimoto, art director of TBWA said:
IBM’s campaign says “Think IBM” and Apple is very different from IBM, so “Think Different” was an interesting concept and the idea that these words can be attached to some of the world’s most different-thinking people.
The “Think different” campaign was perhaps the most successful advertising campaign of all time.
Apple went so audacious and perhaps preposterous by placing great minds and achievers next to the Apple logo: Albert Einstein, Muhammad Ali, Gandhi, Bob Dylan, and Amelia Earheart.
The “Think different” slogan was introduced in “The crazy ones” commercial which played a pivotal role in helping Apple achieve one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in business history.
When the “Think Different” campaign launched, Apple immediately felt the boost despite having no significant new products, and changed people’s perception of Apple products just being some “toys”.
Here are couple great things about the slogan:
If you associate with higher qualities (courage, imagination, creations), your ads will be far more evergreen.
People will attack you for your audacity, but at least you’re promoting great role models.
The tagline was so good that Apple found different ways to revive it throughout its marketing campaigns over the years.
Makeup is a controversial issue because women who wear makeup are criticized for being fake and not respecting their natural beauty.
Society criticizes them when they spend more money on high-quality makeup.
“Because I’m Worth It” was on message in 1973, and today we know that an astonishing 80% of women recognize and respond to this positive phrase and powerful sentiment.
L’Oreal found a simple way to convince women they are not doing anything wrong when buying and applying makeup.
Written in 1973 when a social revolution and a new spirit of feminism was in full swing, it seems clear that the phrase could only have been written by a woman.
In its essence, this is actually a feminist phrase.
Ilon Specht was a copywriter with McCann Erickson back in 1973. She was thought of as original, unconventional, creative and independent. Fortunately, she worked on the L’Oréal account!
No one has the right to criticize a woman for something she wants and loves to do.
This became a legendary phrase through a campaign that involved powerful women as brand ambassadors. Jane Fonda and Freida Pinto – enough said.
This slogan is so good that it managed to stick around since the 1950s. It just shows that when a slogan is really good, trends can do nothing against it.
The philosophy behind slogans hasn’t changed. Just make it simple and catchy, and you’ll be good for decades.
Why does “Finger Lickin’ Good” work?
Coca-Cola is fortunate to have had some of the greatest creative talent in advertising work on their marketing and “Open Happiness” (2009) campaigns featured some of the best slogans the company has ever produced.
During a time of economic downturn, Coca-Cola wanted America to “Open Happiness” with its new tagline.
When defining happiness, Coca-Cola believes the quest for true happiness is not a quest, but a choice.
Open Happiness was the longest used slogan in the history of the company.
Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company based on the Open Happiness theme also appeared in the United States as print ads in newspapers, in television commercials, in outdoor advertising, and in in-store advertising, source: Wikipedia.
What’s good about “Open Happiness” slogan?
This slogan doesn’t talk about how Coke taste, looks or smells – but it does leave an impression!
Want to see more Coca-Cola advertising slogans?
Dunkin’ Donuts launched, in April 2006, the most significant repositioning effort in the company’s history by unveiling a brand new, multi-million dollar advertising campaign under the tagline “America Runs on Dunkin.”
The “America Runs on Dunkin'” is a fun and quirky celebration of life, showing Americans embracing their work.
The campaign revolves around Dunkin’ Donuts coffee keeping busy Americans fueled while they are on the go.
This slogan connect emotionally with the hard-working cross-section of Americans who keep this country running every day; from the construction worker, to the lawyer and so forth.
The slogan appears on all products form coffee cups to napkins.
Referring to Dunkin Donuts as just “Dunkin” is manifested in 2018 rebrand in which “Dunkin'” drops the “Donut” part of it’s name.
Dunkin’ Donuts has been on a first-name basis with its fans long before the introduction of its iconic tagline, “America Runs on Dunkin”.
Read more about this campaign of official Dunkin’ website.
In 2003, Justin Timberlake helped launch the new McDonald’s marketing campaign tied around the slogan “I’m Lovin’ It”.
The slogan has gone on to become by far the longest-running McDonald’s slogan in history and still stands strong today being a great example of a tagline that resonates with the brand’s target audience.
McDonald’s food might not be your healthiest choice, but being healthy isn’t the benefit McDonald’s is promising – it’s that you’ll love the taste of it.
”The phrase ‘I’m lovin’ it’ is becoming part of the language,” said Larry Light, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at McDonald’s, according to The New York Times.
How McDonald’s came up with the slogan?
McDonald’s held a competition between 14 international ad agencies, including the industry’s largest, but the winning firm is a small studio called Heye & Partner from Germany.
The idea was “ich liebe es,” which translates to “I love it.” of course accompanied by the “ba da ba ba ba I’m loving it”
McDonald’s debuted its campaign in Germany in recognition of the agency’s role and then rolled out english version in the US, UK and Australia.
McDonald’s continues to have the “I’m lovin’ it” slogan appear on most all of its product packaging; and has made no major announcement that the company will use any other slogan exclusively in place of this one any time in the near future according to Wikipedia.
When you go through my the top 7 brand slogans I listed above, you’ll notice few elements they have together.
They are all good in their unique ways, but there are mutual characteristics that helped me come up with tips that really work.
Slogans should never be longer than a sentence, anything longer will become jumbled and ultimately forgettable.
It’s best to stick to a brief, catchy line.
When you check the list above, you’ll notice that most slogans stick to that pattern.
Apple’s “Think different” was similar to IBM’s “Think,” but the slogan was created with one goal to mind: to set this brand apart from the main and all other competitors.
The main purpose of a good slogan is to make your brand memorable.
When people see it or hear it, they should think of your products and the company itself. It’s the effect that Nike’s “Just Do It” has.
If you have an advantage over your competitors, or if your product or service has a unique benefit, you need to use it e.g. like McDonald's did with the "I'm lovin' it" slogan - it's not the most healthy choice, but it's so tasty!
Isolate one key area of your business, and find a way to integrate it into the slogan.
Slogans are the first impressions for many potential consumers, so it absolutely needs to stress the company's worth. Another great examples is the KFC - "It's finger lickin' good" slogan.
Often times, winning slogans will explain a company's dedication to its customers or a higher purpose like Dunkin' Donut's did with the "America runs on Dunkin'" slogan.
If don't have a unique product, sell the public on trust and customer care.
Slogans devoted to customer service, especially ones that guarantee quality and satisfaction even if it's at the company's expense, play extremely well with the public.
Think about your target audience and the problems they face.A perfect examples is the L'Oréal - "Because you're worth it" slogan that connects with the products users (women) and make them feel good about themselves.
Connect with the target audience on an emotional level.
Make it about them (not you), think about what do they feel and how can you're product make them feel appreciated.
You have to always think positive and focus your slogan on something positive. Think about what do all people want? - They want to be happy!
Paint the bright side of life in a customer's mind.
Coca-Cola is not healthy and none of the sodas are, but they don't combat that fact. They rather focus on positive emotions, happiness, smiles, laugh and connect it to the brand.
If you and your team go through a brainstorming session and don’t come up with a good slogan, this is the first thing you should do: repeat it tomorrow.If you still can’t make it work, maybe it’s time to hire a branding consultant.
Branding experts are the least risky option.
The best part is that branding experts are a very affordable option if you run a startup or a small company.
Many brands don’t have a slogan.
But if you’re just launching your startup or a new marketing campaign slogan can only do you well, but it has to be great!
The brand design is important, but it's equally important to give the brand a voice.
Recently I created a slogan for my client, a startup company Carwao - "Have a WOW car-buying experience".
If you want to learn how to come up with your brand slogan (or tagline) like a pro — check out the Brand Tagline exercise.
Watch my tutorial on how to come up with dozens of slogan ideas.
In my new and practical guide to Brand Strategy I walk you through step-by-step brand tagline creation process.
Please note that I don't recommend using any free slogan makers, but if you wanna give it a try, be my guest.
Are you looking to hire for your slogan creation? — Start a project here.
Are you going to create a slogan for your company? — Leave a comment below.
