The Truth About Taglines

David Ogilvy once said, “If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out – either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the consumer, who will punish you by not buying your product a second time.” While this statement was made about advertising in general, the same can be said about taglines. If your priority is catchy rather than true, you’re setting your business up for an unpleasant ride.

Search the word “tagline” or “slogan” and you’ll find a wealth of articles and blogs on the subject. Everyone has an opinion about what it is or what it should be. But the basic rules of creating a single statement about your company haven’t changed. When you sit back to revel in the masterpiece that is your tagline, you should also be asking yourself these questions:

1. Is this statement true?
2. Is it relevant?
3. Is it unique?
4. Is it compelling?

If you hesitate or if the word “no” sneaks into your mind, chances are you need to do some more brand soul searching.

Consider your tagline an extension of your brand. It’s your essence. A small peek into who you are, why you’re different, and why anyone should care about your company. If it’s written just to be funny or to gain attention, you can bet that your audience (and everyone else) will see right through it. If they feel like your tagline has no merit other than being funny, they’ll think the same about your products and services. And if they feel your products and services have no merit, guess what—they’ll believe the same about your company.

To help you create a compelling and truthful tagline, start with your mission, vision and values. If everyone on your team is on board with these three brand elements, then you’re on the right track. Think about the single most important promise that you can make to your audience and start writing. If it feels overwhelming, you can even break out your ideas into the following categories:

Function-Driven Taglines: These are centered on what your product or service does. For example, we all know that Raid products “Kill bugs dead.” It’s not sexy but that’s the kind of promise this market needs to hear. Another functional tagline is from Subway. “Eat fresh,” is a promise that consumers look for. Let’s just hope that each franchisee lives by this mission.

Character-Driven Taglines: Ah yes, a tagline driven by your core values. These taglines allow brands to let their archetype shine through loud and clear. State Farm tells you that they’re “Like a good neighbor”. Lexus tells us that they’re in the “Pursuit of Perfection”. While both taglines have a very different feel, they paint a clear picture of the personality of each of these brands.

Category-Driven Taglines: In an effort to promote the fact that a company is a proven leader in a particular category, sometimes this type of tagline works. For example, Bose uses the line “Better sound through research”. Michelin tires tells us that they deliver “A better way forward”. These taglines promise something more than anyone else who makes the same product.

None of these categories is better or worse than the others; however the tagline a company ends up with needs to be realistic and proven by how your company is presented from the top, down. When it’s done well, your tagline should fit neatly as the closing statement of your elevator speech, and it should closely reflect the overall perception of your brand.