We talk about elevator pitches, 30-second introductions, and taglines. Each have a purpose, and used in the wrong setting, they can all be awkward. You can’t use a 30 second intro on your business card, and you shouldn’t stand up and say “Just do it” at the Denny’s Tuesday morning networking meeting.
Taglines work well when they are under 6 words; “Think Different,” “Can you hear me now?,” or “Because you’re worth it” are some good examples. But it is not easy to write the entire culture of a company or product so succinctly. Most importantly, it is NOT supposed to be an expression of what your company does; instead, it should be a value proposition for the reader.
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What’s the purpose of a tagline?
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To succinctly and provocatively
- Convey the benefit your company or product offers: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands” exemplifies why M&Ms are more enjoyable than many other good tasting chocolates. “Think Different” represents the freedom Apple users feel when they are open to expand in their work and creativity. Or, in the case of “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” BMW tells drivers they are put in control of one of the greatest toys ever produced.
- Call out the audience: Lifetime knows that distinguishing itself as the TV channel that focuses on 50% of the population is far better than trying to be everything for everyone. Their “Television for women” states that well.
- Convey a company’s philosophy, as in Lexus’ “Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.”
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How do you come up with your tagline?
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- Take a piece of paper and fold it into four quadrants. Draw a square in the center of the page.
- The top left will be titled “What the client needs;” the top right, “what the client wants;” bottom left, “what uniqueness your product or service offers;” and the bottom right will be “what makes your company different.”
- Limit these descriptions to a couple of words each. Understand that you might have to limit these to one aspect of your company, product, service or client wants/needs, so try and be general in your descriptions. In the center quadrant, combine these words so they become a persuasive statement that communicates emotionally with your audience.
One of our favorite clients grows produce and grains to create private label culinary specialties on a global scale. Their clients are the major food chains. At our strategy meeting, the adjectives flowed… their clients are retail food buyers that need to put innovative foods on their shelves and have an edge on their competitors’. Last week we unveiled their new tagline which will be featured at the November show…. “Bringing Adventure to your Palate.” The message catered to the foodies, the corporate innovators and, ultimately, consumer’s curiosity. BAM!!