Taglines and Slogans: Not So Cliche

How many times have you heard “built by people like you, for people like you” or “we do this, so you don’t have to.” These taglines are worn out, over-played and have fallen into the cliche pile. They lack branding and uniqueness. However, when we hear “just do it” we automatically think Nike. It doesn’t matter if you’re telling someone to just do something, you’re subconsciously thinking Nike.

An advertising slogan, by definition, is usually a short tagline that tells potential customers the benefits they can expect when choosing your product or service. Taglines are a creative and strategic marketing tactic. Your company's tagline should be a reflection of your brand and provide a clear message about what your brand is about. You want it to set you apart from your competition and expand on your brand without repeating the same words or concepts.

It seems as though, recently, companies have been falling in the tired tagline trap: using the same beat-up phrases and self-praise. How does that make one different from the other? How does that make you stand out? The answer: It doesn’t. There’s a very thin line between the memorable and the mundane and it’s critical not to cross it. Crafting a tagline for your business is one of the most useful branding exercises a business owner can perform. Not only does it make you memorable to your audience, but it forces you to think about the value you provide to your customers and how to concisely and clearly express it. There are a lot of terrible taglines out there and we don’t want yours to fall into that trap.

How do you know when you’ve crossed the line from catchy to corny? You want to avoid the over-used, vague and cliche phrases and phrases saturated with self-praise, like “the most cutting-edge, efficient and amazing”. These phrases have become so over-used that they lack any meaning or substance, making them forgetful and commonplace. Don’t allow your company to get lost in the sea of forgotten when you can update your old or create a new tagline with the following tips.

Tips for Creating a Terrific Tagline:

• Be sure to be transparent in your writing. Make it sound like you’re having a conversation with your customers and show your company personality
• Go with the feels! Why should people care? How are you different? Why did you start this company?
• Always be straight forward and to the point
• When using phrases like “the best” or “number one,” use them to refer to your clients rather than your company. “We have the best customers” comes across way better than, “we are the best” because it shifts the focus onto your target, making them feel more important.
• Try to address what’s in it for your customers. What do they gain by choosing you over the competition?

Remember, this little catch phrase is something you want to use to represent your company to make yourself stand out. Market yourself or your product in a clever one-liner and you’ll be able to stick out in your customer's mind over the competition. Are you mulling over a couple taglines and can’t pick one? Bounce your ideas off the marketing team at JoomConnect today.