To Tagline or Not To Tagline?

By guest blogger, Wendy Bryant.

Taglines….we all recognize memorable ones:  Nike’s “Just Do it”,  or one of many Coca-Cola slogans, “It’s the Real Thing” or Avis’s “We try harder”.  Some brands are so embodied visually with both their logo and tagline that we recognize them immediately. Other  brands have taglines that supersede the logo and we know instantly who the brand is just by seeing the tagline. We don’t even need a logo, combination of colors or visual mark to let us know who is speaking or which company is behind the ad we just saw. There isn’t a hard and fast rule that you must have a tagline. A tagline can communicate your benefits and deepen awareness about your company and services.

What is a tagline and what should a tagline communicate?

A tagline simply further defines your company’s services or products.

A distinguishing tagline should communicate your brand promise, your company values and even what your clients remember about working with you. You want your tagline to linger in the mind of your prospect and make an impression.  It’s that mental footprint you want to make. Aligning your tagline with the meaning of your brand can extend value and be persuasive.  A tagline should have a distinctive tone, image and even a personality. A good tagline is descriptive enough to evoke an emotion, thought or even a sound depending on your company’s product . According to Eric Schwartz,  the Tagline guru, “Taglines communicate meaning on both levels while attempting to strengthen the brand aspirations of an organization, product, or service.”

The top most enduring tag lines were judged based on:

• Longevity: Have they endured the test of time?
• Equity: Have they become synonymous with a company or product?
• Portability & Memorability: Have they exercised an influence on our culture, media, and language?
• Originality: Have they broken new ground in the advertising industry?

Why have a tag line?

Taglines do differentiate your brand.  Remember, you want to remain in the mind of that future client. A great tagline can do that.  You also want to stand above the crowd and noise. A distinctive tagline not only further defines your services or product but also differentiates you from the competition. Once a tag line is embedded with a brand it can define the brand visually and become one with the logo or primary mark.

How do you develop a tagline?

Most companies engage a creative agency to help them through the process.  I did find a very comprehensive article by Bobette Kyle  called, “5 Steps for Developing a Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website.” This is a do-it-yourself approach. If you are starting out this might be a good way to at least think about how you want to communicate your message.

Before you engage with an agency think about this:

• Your message, what do you want to say to your existing clients and future clients?
• What value does your company offer clients?
• What are the benefits of your services?
• What do you do that differentiates your company from the competition?

Of course, I recommend having a tagline. I also strongly suggest hiring an agency to help you. There are so many gifted, talented people in the marketplace. There are agencies of all sizes, so pick one that fits your company. Mid-size and boutique agencies do produce amazing work and can be very nimble.

Think about your entire visual identity and message.  Remember recessions are the best time to refresh your image and message. Get a jump start on the competition!