I confess: I have a love-hate relationship with taglines and slogans. But at least I have a good reason: Clients I’ve worked with in the past rarely ask a very important question before embarking on the creative journey to develop one. They rarely ask, “Do we really need a tagline?”
That’s right. It is not a forgone conclusion that you even need a tagline at all. Before you create one, ask why you feel you need one.
For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume that you’ve given it some thought. You and your marketing team (and hopefully an outside creative resource who can be objective) have decided that a slogan helps customers understand you in a crowded and information-rich world. Let’s say that you are looking to use the slogan to connect to your value proposition and bring passion and personality to your brand. Your hope is to breathe new life into the sales conversation and use the slogan as a creative jumping off point. Okay then, you have my attention.
As you begin the creative process, allow me to give you three criteria you can use to evaluate and consider which line might be the best for you.
1. Is the tagline simple and easy to remember?
The taglines that are forgettable are more connected to complex features than benefits. Keep it very clear and easy to understand. A tagline rarely stands alone in a vacuum. It’s not your only available touchpoint. You’ll have plenty of copy and messaging opportunities to provide context to your slogan. So don’t try to make it do everything.
2. Does the tagline present a story opportunity?
If the line can connect with an excellent product innovation, how you solved a customer service challenge, or the history of why the company has grown as it has, you are on the right track. If not, it is lifeless. You’d be better off with no slogan than a lifeless one.
3. Does the tagline have emotional context?
I don’t mean emotional cheerleading here. What I’m talking about is the passion that drives all that you do. Thinking back, I recall the emotion embodied in the Lexus line, “The relentless pursuit of perfection.” I envision the drive in the Lexus engineer group that says they are never going to stop making their products the best they can be. Never.
So, do you need a tagline? That’s a very good question.
If you have one, it may be getting in your own way if it fails any of the criteria above. So I’d suggest you need a new tagline – or none at all.
If you don’t have one, create something special that serves up your value proposition and creates story around your fine organization.
Keep it simple and capture the passion you have for why you do what you do. That passion will resonate within your staff as well. Capture the essence of who you are and a tagline will help build momentum for tomorrow.
-Mike
