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5 “features” for an impressive tagline

5-features-for-an-impressive-tagline

A tagline or a slogan?

We’ve heard a lot of times that taglines and slogans are the same thing. In our opinion they are a lot different. We will start this article by explaining what is the difference between them, so you will understand what exactly are you looking for.

A slogan is a short phrase or statement that helps promoting interest in a brand or its products/services, whereas a tagline is typically a shorter phrase or a combination of words that reflects the tone, essence or the promise of the entire brand.

The slogan is usually more descriptive and direct. Very often it highlights a benefit, a functionality or a specific quality of a product. Slogans are more likely to change or disappear and may accompany only a single advertising campaign, whereas taglines are made to last longer…or forever.

We wanted to highlight the exact difference between a tagline and a slogan because it’s mandatory to understand that a tagline is created to be durable and distinctive over time. If you consider that now it’s ok to have a certain tagline and tomorrow you can easy change it, we should tell you that it’s wrong to do that. Your brand will have a damage and it will lose the customers’ confidence.

Now, it’s time to present you which are the most important 5 features of an impressive tagline. The kind of tagline that it’s able to last forever. At the end of the article you can read also a short case study about this subject:

  1. It’s not descriptive

We’ve started this article with the difference between taglines and slogans because we’ve met a lot of cases where the tagline was only a description of the brand’s competitive advantage. For example, in the case of a delivery service company, it’s wrong to think about a tagline like this: “Fastest delivery services in town”. We are sure that you have in mind some famous tagline examples. Now check if one of those is describing the products or the services of the company.

“Nike – Just do it”. Does “Just do it” have anything to do with shoes?

“McDonald’s – “I’m lovin’ it”. Something about hamburgers here?

“Avis – We try harder”. Nothing about rent a car services.

  1. Does not contain words from the brand’s name

Sometimes we see taglines that contain one of the brand’s name words. And yes…it’s wrong to do that. Because you have already presented the name of the company/brand/product. It’s not necessary to repeat it. Use these few words to empower the name and the brand’s promise.

  1. It’s short and terse

The best taglines are short. What does short mean? Three or four words at most. The brevity gives more lasting significance for the entire brand, in contrast to more descriptive slogans. Of course, it’s not an easy task. You have to be a master in achieving this brevity by crafting a short, logical, emotional phrase that is able to capture the brand’s aim and essence.

If you feel overwhelmed, anytime you may ask for our advice or help.

  1. The perfect tagline is an imaginative and metaphoric expression able to last…forever

As we have already said, a tagline does not have to be descriptive. A perfect tagline is a metaphor that encourages your customers to see things different or to have new expectations or hopes about a new brand. An impressive tagline unleashes the clients’ imagination and makes it work at the growth of your brand.

  1. Has the power to encourage the customers to make an action or a change in their minds

To explain better this last “feature”, we invite you to read more about the short story of the best tagline of the 20th century.

Did you know that a diamond is worth at least 50% less than you pay, in most cases ?

If that’s true, how did they become the symbol of wealth, power and romantic love stories in the world?

All has begun with a tagline which incorporated a brilliant marketing positioning and strategy. It was created and executed by the ad agency N.W. Ayer in the early 1900s for their client, De Beers.

4 words: “A Diamond is Forever”. In every single De Beers advertisement, this tagline has appeared since 1948. AdAge named it the best tagline of the century in 1999.

It perfectly captured the feeling De Beers was going for: that a diamond, like your love relationship has to be unique and eternal.

Before this brilliant strategy, people used to resell their diamonds (rings, bracelets etc.). De Beers has changed something in the mind of the typical diamond customer. And since then, the reselling of diamonds has decreased a lot.

Besides their own success, De Beers has stopped the disrupting of the market and has increased the value of the diamonds.

Non descriptive. Metaphorical. Short and terse. Does not contain the brand’s name. For sure, has changed an entire perspective. And we strongly believe that it will last forever. As a diamond does:)

Do you need this kind of tagline for your brand? We will be delighted to work on it! Drop us a line and let’s make it last forever! 

 

You can follow us on Linkedin and Instagram to see the most recent updates from our work and our wonderful business trips! 

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Marcela and Andra                                      Marcela and Andra

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