Create a Slogan Worth Remembering

“Think different”

“Because you’re worth it”

“I’m lovin’ it”

“Save money. Live better.”

How many of those slogans did you recognize? Probably at least two. That begs the question: what is it about these slogans that make them so easy to remember? A cynical person could argue it’s the sheer number of times you’ve heard them. But the reality is, there is more to it than that: what we remember does not always come down to repetition. In fact, science shows us that the things we remember come down to attention, novelty, and emotion. Timing can also play a factor in certain situations. We’ve taken these factors into account and created five steps to take when building your slogan.

#1: Start with Your Mission Statement

Consider this question for a moment: what is one of the first things that happens during the planning process of a new business? Answer: the mission statement is created. A good mission statement explains why the company exists and its main purpose or goal. Slogans go hand in hand with that. Your slogan acts as an even more condensed version of your mission statement. It is an easy way for customers to identify your goal and purpose as a company. Let’s take a look at some of the slogans we mentioned previously:

Think different – Apple’s mission statement is “to bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons, and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.”

I’m lovin’ it – Mcdonald’s mission statement is “to make delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone.”

Because you’re worth it – L’Oreal’s mission statement is “offering all women and men worldwide the best of cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety.”

Save money. Live better. – Walmart’s mission statement is “helping people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores and through eCommerce.”

In these four cases, the slogan is perfectly tailored to the mission statement of the company. This is because when the mission statement was boiled down to its simplest form, the slogan is what was left. Your slogan should connect to the overall goal and mission statement of your business. Now, if you just leave your slogan as the remnants of the boiled-down mission statement, it may not have the catchy ring to it you’re seeking. That’s why there are a few more steps yet. 

#2: Inject Feeling

As a brand you want your slogan to be something with which customers connect, and which ideally sparks an emotional response in them. The goal doesn’t necessarily have to be to induce a specific emotion in consumers, but can also be an appeal to their values. Your mission statement can be a great starting point to determine those emotions and values as well. Apple – Think different In Apple’s mission statement, you can pull out the following emotions and values:
  • Innovation
  • Globalization 
  • Education 
  • Productivity 

McDonald’s – I’m lovin’ it McDonald’s mission statement is a bit simpler than Apple’s, but its goals and values are still clear. It wants people to feel good! It clearly values happiness and ease for its customers.  L’Oreal – Because you’re worth it L’Oreal’s values are stated even more clearly than in some of the other mission statements we saw:
  • Quality 
  • Efficacy 
  • Safety 
Less clearly stated, but pretty clearly implied, is the inherent worth of all people.  Walmart – Save money. Live better. Walmart knows what it’s customers value and calls that out in its mission statement:
  • Saving money (affordability) 
  • Living better (enjoying life) 
And lucky for them, simply choosing those two phrases from their mission statement made for a catchy slogan!  Of course, when crafting your own slogan, you don’t have to literally take out text from your mission statement as Walmart did. What matters is that your slogan should match your mission statement in terms of goal and purpose as well as matching the tone and personality of your brand. Once you have the components you need to make your slogan match your brand, you can start adding fun or interesting elements.

#3: Enhance

Part of a good slogan is making sure that you add something interesting that still aligns with your company values. You want to be unique and easily distinguished from your competitors. For some companies, this means adding humor, for others it might be adding puns or rhymes or using punctuation to add extra intrigue. Play around with these and other options until you’re happy with your choice. 

#4: But Don’t Fabricate

As a business, it is important to steal the attention of the audience, but not through little white lies or fabrications. Transparency with customers builds trust, so it is better to stay away from phrases like “the only”, “the best”, or “#1 at”. Such claims can become untrue overnight and they generally overpromise – making you look like you can’t fulfill your promises.

#5: Avoid Blogs

Trends can be an incredibly useful tool for in-the-moment marketing (think social media, sales promotions and billboards), but they aren’t effective in the long term. By definition trends are only “trendy” for only a short period of time. Using a trend in your slogan can make it obsolete or irrelevant quickly. A slogan should have longevity and be able to connect with customers over their lifetime. 

Your slogan is important because it gives your customers a quick introduction to your brand. They are also something you want to last for a long time, so it is crucial to consider your company’s mission and the values of your consumers when creating one. These five guidelines can help; however, if you are nervous about writing one on your own, we are happy to help!

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