Slogans are an integral part of your branding—not all of it, but a larger, more substantive portion than many ascribe to.
Strategy 1:
SLOGANS SHOULD BE CUSTOMER-CENTRIC.
Some products are purchased subconsciously in part because of a slogan—ala Nike “Just Do it.” They reflect life mantras for a loyal following such as the Harley-Davidson slogan, “Live to Ride, Ride to Live.” Or Apple’s “Think Different” which is dead on perfect. The Apple slogan captured how creative types actually live and work. And their product enabled them to do it. It was brilliant. Right or wrong. Truth or fiction, slogans like those echo the philosophies of targeted demographic groups. They are the words companies want others to say about their product or service.
Strategy 2:
YOUR SLOGAN IS WHAT YOU WANT OTHERS TO TELL A FRIEND ABOUT YOU IF ALL THEY HAVE IS 15 SECONDS.
When developing your slogan, ask yourselves this, “What praises and stanzas do we want our customers to sing about our product or service after the cash register rings? Sure it can reinforce the value of your product. But make them interesting. No. Make them memorable. Yes. Slogans crafted in the lyrical tongue of your customer, stay clear of regurgitated, business imbroglio and word clutter.
Strategy 3:
SLOGANS HELP YOUR TEAM. Slogans pull it all together.
Get your slogan right and you have a verbal flag—a rallying cry for your worldwide team.
Branding done correctly can help a small business team or a world-class corporation each march to the same drum beat. It’s how world-class operations look and smell the same—like a McDonald’s in Versailles or Istanbul feels like Houston. Crazy as it sounds, they all do. It’s how the big guns do it with consistently. They do it in part with slogans that fit their customer. They do it with memorable words, not mini-mission statements.
GOOD SLOGANS TAKE GUTS.
I wonder how many great slogan ideas never saw the light of a printed day and live in some round file in the corner. Think. Imagine. Find one a slogan you believe in and take the line all the way “to the mat”.
Here at Lamb Creek we call that Brand CojonesTM. Guts & Truth. That’s how you build a world-class brand.
Lamb Creek is a new day, digital ad agency based in Kerrville, Texas just north of San Antonio, due west of Austin.