A tagline is to a logo what clothes are to a woman - they reveal more about her character and, in the same way, the tagline is a defining element of the brand.
It isn't easy to create great logos or taglines that are memorable, and even the best cannot make a business thrive that has little else going for it. On the other hand, dull brand names and uninspired taglines can be an obstacle for sound businesses.
Strong branding can make your company stand out in a crowded market, and differentiate it from its competitors. As in Real Estate, position is everything.
The tagline is a permanent part of your logo, while a slogan is linked to a specific product or campaign. Despite that key difference, most of the rules for designing good taglines also apply to slogans.
To be effective, taglines must follow these simple rules:
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The shorter they are, the better - no more than 6-8 words as a rule
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Simple, strong words of few syllables work best
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The tagline should engage the reader to fill in the blanks
The basics
A good tagline should meet these three objectives:
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Convey a unique or key attribute of your business to the market
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Convey a key differentiator or benefit to potential customers
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Remind your employees of the company's mission
The best taglines are catchy, clever, quirky or funny ones that resonate with people. Taglines like that help people remember a brand better than advertising campaigns that cost a small fortune.
While branding and advertising are different disciplines, the best ads should stand on the brand like circus gymnasts on the shoulders of the strongman. In the same way, a tagline can give the brand broader shoulders.
A good tagline reaches out to the commercial market; it doesn't wax lyrical about the technical brilliance of the company. It speaks the customer's language, not the engineer's. Don't focus on your achievement, focus on your potential customers.
Having no tagline is an opportunity missed
In marketing, opportunities are there to be taken advantage of, yet many companies don't seize this one. For example, most of the major banks don't bother with a tagline.
Yes, we know who they are, but we don't know what makes them different from each other. It's an opportunity missed.
Taglines that work
The rules don't look complicated but it's tough to get a tagline right. After all, we're trying to say so much in a few words, aren't we? Trying to say too much is a common trap, and it's only one of many.
The final test
Creating a great tagline can be hard work, which may explain why a lot of companies either have weak taglines or give up on them altogether. Once it is in place, a strong tagline adds a defining dimension to your brand that works two ways: it helps position your company in the market and it helps your employees focus on the vital element of your success.
A tagline that states the obvious doesn't do the job. Your chosen tagline must support your brand's positioning. It must articulate what's different about your company or express its personality or reflect a unique attribute of your brand. The tagline is a great place to convey a key differentiator or attribute that captures the interest of your audience.
Just because a tagline meets all the known criteria and took a lot of effort to generate doesn't mean it works. A tagline can be too funny or too clever, with the result that it calls attention to itself rather than the message it's designed to convey.
It's best to treat taglines as you would treat prototypes of new products - you test them and go back to the drawing board when they don't work. The creative process may need a second round to produce the winning tagline, or fresh stimulation or input, or a trip back to basic principles.
Taglines that fail
Getting your story straight
That's where it begins.
If everyone in your company and everyone of your customers knows the answers to these questions, please stop reading now. Knowing what your company stands for makes even the biggest decisions easier.
Stand and deliver
It's a good thing to aspire, but it's a mistake to pretend. Whatever you promote you must deliver on, and do so consistently. If you don't, you'll end up despised by your customers.
If there is a visible gap between promise and customer experience, the brand is in trouble no matter how good the tagline or the advertising campaigns. Keeping that gap closed and acting in a way that is consistent with what you stand for are the keys to building a strong brand.
Consistency means that your employees act in accordance with your stated principles. Consistency of your company's communications is just as important - they need to reflect what you stand for and say the same things in different forms and media. Consistency makes it possible for all of these factors to work together and build your brand in the marketplace.
Read the article 'The Dos And Don'ts Of Branding - A Minefield Of Names'
Read the article 'The Dos And Don'ts Of Branding - Logo Logic'
Read the article 'The Dos And Don'ts Of Branding - Art Versus Process'