Catchy, memorable, funny or sometimes downright irritating – a great advertising slogan is never anything less than clever.
They’re found everywhere – from packaging to promotional products, on radio ads and TV. Love them or loathe them, you can guarantee there will be teams of people and countless hours of brainstorming behind the most successful ones. It’s certainly worth the effort – there’s a national consciousness to infiltrate, with increased market share when it’s successful!
What is an advertising slogan?
A slogan is a short and (hopefully) memorable phrase used in advertising to really enhance a particular campaign and brand. It may be serve one or several purposes:
- It may draw attention to an aspect of a product.
- It may issue an instruction, as in Nike’s famous ‘Just Do It’.
- It may impart a ‘feel-good’ factor.
- Perhaps it is funny or even controversial.
Whether a slogan incorporates any of the above or countless other attributes, ultimately it’s about building you brand by making it instantly recognisable.
The best ones will have you laughing, singing along, humming, debating and even reciting them!
Famous advertising slogans.
Which famous brands do these slogans belong to?
- A Bit Of An Animal
- I’m Lovin’ It (are you humming the jingle?!)
- Because You’re Worth It
- Every Little Helps
- Think Different
- Vorsprung Durch Technik
How did you do?
1) Peperami
Using a wild and badly-behaved cartoon meat stick, the slogan ‘A bit of an animal’ is both hilarious and informative. Following the success of this campaign, the German sausage snack Peperami (originally owned by Unilever) went on to fill lunchboxes worldwide and the company was sold for an undisclosed sum to an American manufacturer in 2014.
2) McDonalds (includes jingle)
The ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ campaign was launched 13 years ago (2003), but still resonates. A strong slogan, with a catchy jingle just before the words, it’s designed to resonate with their target audience. Despite introducing healthier choices, McDonalds aren’t promising health food, simply tasty food and convenience. Perfect for their brand.
3) L’Oreal
‘You’re Worth It,’ is astonishingly 45 years old (1971)! Initially, it was used to justify a premium price point based on ‘revolutionary’ quality. It has since evolved, to embody a woman’s value through self-worth in addition to physical beauty. After all, who doesn’t want to feel as if they’re ‘worth it’? This message worked so powerfully, that L’Oreal was able to push the brand to another level, creating an entire concept about the properties of its hair colouring products. L’Oreal even made the bold move of using the famous footballer David Ginola in a high profile campaign!
4) Tesco
Tesco’s slogan predominantly refers to price and service, but works on many levels including overall value, quality and even environmental policies. It’s a family store, with mid-market customers and they are targeting both the budget and time conscious. The adverts emphasises shoppers in typical circumstances, being shown the benefits of shopping at Tesco. Special offers, buy one get one free, or perhaps help with free delivery. Look at our lovely fresh produce – every little helps. It’s been dubbed ‘the most ingeniously modest slogan ever written’.
5) Apple
An iconic brand that started as it meant to go on. Their ground-breaking advert ‘Here’s to the crazy ones…’ honoured visionaries through history who thought differently and ultimately changed the world. Apple’s ‘think different’ message succinctly demonstrated that Apple wasn’t a run-of-the-mill computer, it was powerful and allowed people to feel tech-savvy and competent, with relevant ease. Forbes magazine reported just 12 months later that Apple’s value had tripled on the stock market.
6) Audi
A premium German car manufacturer with perhaps the sector’s most famous slogan, which translates as ‘advancement through technology’. What is most impressive, is that many consumers are oblivious to the slogan meaning. Although understated and delivered in German, consumers ‘know’ it is synonymous with quality, innovation and globally renowned German engineering.
What’s the best formula?
There’s no magic formula to creating a clever slogan, but if you’re in the process of doing so – give yourself a head start.
- Allow yourself time to create – behind every flash of genius is seriously hard work.
- Take inspiration from your logo (if you haven’t got one, why not)?
- Keep it simple, short and memorable.
- Make it relevant to your image and brand.
- Don’t be afraid to add humour – people love to laugh
- It’s ok to walk a thin line, but be careful!
