
The rules of the perfect 'slogan'!
“It gives you wiiiiing” is just one of many examples of a well-constructed claim, where the advertised product is closely linked to its tagline. There’s no denying it: Red Bull’s creatives have done a great job, creating a perfectly working slogan that is bound to stick in people’s minds (I dare you to read the sentence without the classic intonation!).
The main reason why it is necessary to write a winning slogan is certainly to combine in the customer’s mind the brand and the image we want to convey of that brand. Clearly, this derives from an initial, essential study of the product but, without the right words, all efforts may not be sufficient or their results may not be maximised. It is also easier to remember a brand if a slogan or jingle is associated with it, and this also leads to increased brand awareness.
But how do you build a winning payoff? Here are three rules, which seem simple but are not at all:
- It must be easy to remember;
- It must associate the product or company name with a message relevant to the customer;
- It must evoke an emotion.
Let us analyse them point by point…
- First of all, it must be short. Ideally, according to an old marketing rule, we should condense the message we want to convey into just three words. Numerous studies have shown that users tend to remember a three-word message more easily, just as they remember a three-point list more easily. In addition to the number of words, the musicality of the sentence also counts. A payoff that ‘sounds good‘ is at a great advantage, although unfortunately there are no precise rules for assessing this aspect.
- There are two aspects that your payoff must bring out: – Your competitive advantage: some companies focus more on quality, others on lower prices, and still others on differentiating aspects of their product. “It gives you wings”, for example, is a slogan that emphasises that Red Bull is an energy drink, not just any old fizzy drink.
– The customer’s problem being solved: every market exists as a response to a need. This aspect, again for the usual reason, is overlooked by many large companies, but for smaller companies it is a relevant point to consider. One example is L’Oreal’s ‘Because I’m worth it’, which emphasises the need to use quality products to reflect one’s value, also aesthetically. In the field of cosmetics, such a slogan is definitely apt (and it’s made up of three words!).
Combining these two aspects is very complicated, but this is the goal you need to set yourself if you want to reach the pinnacle of a fully successful marketing action. - Finally, a phrase that arouses emotion is a phrase that is easy to remember. By definition, a brand does not just represent a product or a company, but much more: it is a seal of quality, a production philosophy, an experience, sometimes even a status symbol. No one can look at an Apple device without thinking “modern and innovative”, a pack of Mulino Bianco biscuits without thinking “happy family” or a Rolex without thinking “exclusive and a symbol of wealth”. Every brand has a story, something to tell, and in this the company tagline plays a very important role.
To give some examples:
- “Just do it” (Nike) – Arouses the desire to get involved and not to give up;
- “Where there’s Barilla, there’s home” (Barilla) – Arouses memories of a quiet and familiar place, gives security;
- “Make America Great Again” (Trump) – Arouses regret for earlier and better times, as well as anger at successive administrations between then and now;
- “A diamond is forever” (DeBeers) – associates the idea of a love that will last forever with a symbol of that union.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these claims belong to large companies: it is also an integral part of the process to have a large budget to repeat a slogan to the point of exhaustion, even associating it with different spots.
In any case, a good claim is the essential key to your brand communication. And if you still have doubts, don’t hesitate to contact us: our creatives are at your disposal!