What’s In A Nam…Or A Slogan?

“Remember. Only you can prevent forest fires.”

“Semper fi!”

Sound familiar?  You likely have to have been at least a boomer to remember Smoky the Bear warning us about the danger of forest fires or the motto of the U.S. Marines unless you’re a trivia slogan junkie.

Do slogans still have a place in our rapidly moving and changing the world? They certainly do. Today, there are slogans that are still popular and in use. Which do you recall and what memories and feelings do they evoke? Some slogans are also used to rebrand a product.

When properly crafted, an effective slogan brings a product or service to a customer’s top of mind which is the primary goal of marketers. A good slogan not only reminds a customer about a product or service in a positive way when they’re in the market for it, but it also produces a positive or happy memory.

But before jumping on the slogan bandwagon, make sure it’s part of your overall marketing plan. Why do you need one and what image are you trying to achieve in the customers’ minds?  Not only must a company have a good and winning slogan, but it must also appear in that media that the company’s market reads, see, and hears. Be sure that that is researched as well.

What goes into a good slogan?  It’s usually better that it be shorter than longer. It should also evoke emotion in the reader or listener. Another goal is to create an image in the customer’s mind when they hear or see the slogan. A broad statement is too general and not memorable. Keep it short, memorable, predictable, and relevant to your product or service an easy to remember. What are your favorites?

It’s always advisable that a slogan be timeless. You don’t want to change it a year later because your product line has drastically evolved into something different. And when possible, insert some humor.

Some slogans have even been known to reinforce the relationship between client and brand by relating to an everyday situation. Here again, touching the emotion is key to a successful slogan.

Stop, Look And Listen

So now you know what it takes to create an effective slogan. But before you run off and craft a slogan, take these two steps to ensure a successful slogan program. Draft not one, but three slogans. Have fun and play around with them. Try them out on co-workers and family. One might even be longer than the others.

Then invest in a focus group made up of 10-15 people who are either customers or who fit the profile of your customers. Reveal each slogan and find out which one they love. Have them rank each. Record their responses and reactions and reward them. The reaction will be invaluable and support the final choice you make.

“Can you hear me now?”