Taglines are magical little bits of text that – if chosen correctly – can become instantly identifiable with the products they promote. They are the text equivalent of jingles. Taglines are technically advertising slogans; short phrases that are easily promoted and that draw attention to one or more aspects of a product. Throughout this article you will see some of the most iconic taglines used as examples. You probably already know the products they are associated with BECAUSE of the power of the tagline. But if you need it, the identifications are made at the bottom of the page.
Some of the most successful taglines use pop culture language and references, such as the recent, “I’m lovin’ it.” (1) You may be surprised to realize that “Just Do It” (2) is more than two decades old, and even more surprised to know that “It’s the real thing” (3) is more than a half century in use. While none of these taglines specifically mentions a product attribute, they do convey a message of being current, in style, and cool. What astonishes is that, even though aged beyond the pop culture that spawned them, these phrases still convey the same cache. When choosing a tagline based on pop culture, it helps to be able to apply massive advertising efforts so that the phrase catches on before the cool is lost.
Some taglines promote a company attribute or service rather than product. “Have it your way” (4) differentiates from the one-size-fits-all competition. That concept was so compelling in its day that the chief competition actually modified their service somewhat to match. And many companies that came to market since have touted the advantages of waiting a little longer to receive a personalize product. Likewise, “So easy a caveman can do it” (5) promises less red tape than its competition, and many similar companies have moved to streamline their processes so that the “caveman” has less punch. If you choose a tagline based on a business advantage, be prepared for your completion to make adjustment so as to let the air out your superior service.
There are taglines based on social consciousness, as with “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” (6) These phrases have the effect of making people stop and think. Even if you do not immediately recognize the organization, you will likely agree with the sentiment. While there is little to detract from the power of this type of tagline, it is also the hardest to promote and the trickiest to associate with a particular product.
And then there are the taglines that promote products specifically, either by name, such as “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin,” (7) or by attribute, “Finger linkin’ good.” (8) These types of taglines are probably the easiest to conceive and most readily related in advertising. And perhaps most popular, these types of taglines are easily parodied and worked into common lexicon.
- McDonald’s
- Nike
- Coca Cola
- Burger King
- GEICO
- United Negro College Fund
- Charmin
- Kentucky Fried Chicken
Tags: tagline
