“Just Do It” 

“I’m lovin’ it.” 

“We bring good things to life.”

You hear these phrases and you just know to whom they belong before we even have to tell you. In case you didn’t, “Just Do It” is Nike’s tagline, “I’m lovin’ it” was coined by McDonald’s and “We bring good things to life.” is GE’s famous tagline. So why can we remember them in a split second?

Well, let’s start from the beginning. A tagline is a functional, simple way to quickly and clearly explain a product/service and capture what makes a business stand out from its competitors. It’s hard to overstate how important taglines are in intrinsically and extrinsically motivating people to believe in a brand. They must resonate and encapsulate a company’s ethos for employees and customers alike.

However, coming up with them is no small feat, believe us. It is very easy to fall into a trap of ‘don’ts’ and come up with a bumble of words that mean everything and nothing at the same time. These usually don’t hold up. The team at our Boulder branding agency  wears many hats. Today we’re giving you 7 tips on how to create the perfect tagline. 

1. Keep it Simple
   Taglines shouldn’t be more than 5-7 words. Short, sweet, and easy to remember. 
2. Avoid Marketing Lingo
   “For x, by y” or “We build from the ground up.” These are overused, trite phrases that remind us of why the word “synergy” is a marketing curse word now. Be yourself!
3. Tell a Story
   Figure out a way to express what makes you emotional about whatever it is that you do. That is your positioning statement. 
4. Explain What You Offer
   This is the part where your tagline should be functional: This shows how what your product does makes you different from the rest.
5. Communicate with Clarity
   Somewhat analogous to step 1, however, your tagline should also paint a clear picture of what you do. Don’t try to be cute. 
6. Describe Who you Are
   This should portray the thing about your product that makes customers’ lives better just by getting in contact with you.
7. Require a Double Take
   Have an edge! Play around with words but pay attention to how your tone, and syntax match the intentions of your brand. 

When you’re writing your tagline, the entire process should be scenario driven. You want to be able to clearly picture when and how and if your tagline will trigger immediate recognition of your brand. You want people to associate your brand with real world, specific scenarios and see how you relate. Taglines must be honest and strongly marketable to withstand the test of time by being unique, memorable, and straightforward. 

This is a delicate dance. If you’re stuck in a rut coming up with your own tagline or upgrading it, we get it. We’ve all been there. There’s a needle in that haystack though, and if you’re looking for a unique slant on brand innovation, don’t be shy…reach out to us!