A brand slogan is the advertising tagline that conveys the brand’s spirit in the shortest way possible. In just a few words, you’re expected to grasp the vibe of your brand.
Top 7 Brand Slogans
- Nike – “Just Do it”
- Apple – “Think Different”
- L’Oreal – “Because you’re worth it”
- KFC – “It’s finger lickin’ good”
- Coca-Cola – “Open Happiness”
- Dunkin’ Donuts – “America runs on Dunkin’”
- McDonald’s – “I’m lovin’ it”
A slogan is usually a short phrase that captures core values, personality, and positioning of a brand.
These few words might give you tons of trouble, because it’s not easy to come up with a good brand slogan.
That’s why I wrote this article – to showcase some good slogan examples for your inspiration.
By looking at some of the famous brands’ slogans and the story behind them, you’ll understand what elements make them successful.
Then, we’ll go through some tips to help you write a catchy slogan for your company.
Just as with using free logo makers—I wouldn’t recommend using any free slogan makers as well, but if you wanna give it a try—be my guest!
PS. Check out my step-by-step tutorial on YouTube — How To Create A Brand Tagline / Slogan
Tagline vs Slogan
People often use them as interchangeable synonyms but they don’t mean the same.
Larger companies will usually have one tagline e.g. Disney’s tagline is “The happiest place on earth”; and many slogans e.g. Disney’s slogans are “Where dreams come true”, “I’m going to Disneyland”, “Where the magic began” and more.
Taglines
- A tagline is about the business itself, and should stand the test of time (it doesn’t change).
- Taglines represent the tone and feeling you want for your products or services.
- It is often part of your company graphics ant it stays with you all the time.
Slogans
- Slogans are intended to be less long lasting and more flexible.
- They’re often used in advertising campaigns. (they changes over time).
- Slogans are often used only for one product, or one campaign.
In this article let’s focus on slogans, or advertising taglines if you wish.
If you’re looking for a brand tagline, you should start with developing your brand strategy first.
PS. If you need more than just a slogan, also check out my Brand Story Framework
1. Nike – “Just Do It”
The Nike’s “Just do it” slogan, was created 30 years ago by renown advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy and it’s still one of the core components of Nike’s brand.
The campaign launched in 1988 was highly successful ever since, by featuring numerous notable athletes in order to attract customers and promote the image of Nike.
Nike created an image of success through the combination of professional athletes and motivational slogans emphasizing sportsmanship and health.
Colin Kaepernick is the new face of the company’s new “Just Do It” campaign.
According to the study conducted by researchers from Texas Tech University called “A study of the antecedents of slogan liking” the Nike “Just Do It” was the most recalled slogan of all.
What can we learn from Nike slogan?
- It works because it’s motivates people. Nike is about sports and working out. “Just do it” sounds like a personal trainer, pushing you to get up from that couch and do the work to get results.
- The slogan is universal and intensely personal which leads to customers associating their purchases with the prospect of achieving greatness.
- It’s everywhere – that’s why it works. Nike is a powerful brand with enormous advertising potential.
2. Apple – “Think Different”
When IBM announced a “Think” slogan, so Apple announced their new campaign in 1997 with its slogan “Think Different” created by advertising agency TBWA.
Craig Tanimoto, art director of TBWA said:
The “Think different” campaign was perhaps the most successful advertising campaign of all time.
Apple went so audacious and perhaps preposterous by placing great minds and achievers next to the Apple logo: Albert Einstein, Muhammad Ali, Gandhi, Bob Dylan, and Amelia Earheart.
The “Think different” slogan was introduced in “The crazy ones” commercial which played a pivotal role in helping Apple achieve one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in business history.
When the “Think Different” campaign launched, Apple immediately felt the boost despite having no significant new products, and changed people’s perception of Apple products just being some “toys”.
Here are couple great things about the slogan:
- It’s minimalistic, elegant, and effective. It’s everything that Apple was striving to be.
- It’s made of just two words, but it tells the brand’s story. Apple is all about innovation and changing the world. It’s all about thinking differently.
- Once you hear this slogan, it’s impossible for you to forget it.
If you associate with higher qualities (courage, imagination, creations), your ads will be far more evergreen.
People will attack you for your audacity, but at least you’re promoting great role models.
The tagline was so good that Apple found different ways to revive it throughout its marketing campaigns over the years.
3. L’Oreal – “Because You’re Worth It”
Makeup is a controversial issue because women who wear makeup are criticized for being fake and not respecting their natural beauty.
Society criticizes them when they spend more money on high-quality makeup.
L’Oreal found a simple way to convince women they are not doing anything wrong when buying and applying makeup.
Written in 1973 when a social revolution and a new spirit of feminism was in full swing, it seems clear that the phrase could only have been written by a woman.
In its essence, this is actually a feminist phrase.
Ilon Specht was a copywriter with McCann Erickson back in 1973. She was thought of as original, unconventional, creative and independent. Fortunately, she worked on the L’Oréal account!
No one has the right to criticize a woman for something she wants and loves to do.
This became a legendary phrase through a campaign that involved powerful women as brand ambassadors. Jane Fonda and Freida Pinto – enough said.
4. KFC – “Finger Lickin’ Good”
This slogan is so good that it managed to stick around since the 1950s. It just shows that when a slogan is really good, trends can do nothing against it.
The philosophy behind slogans hasn’t changed. Just make it simple and catchy, and you’ll be good for decades.
Why does “Finger Lickin’ Good” work?
- It describes people’s feelings about KFC food. The slogan itself makes you think of tasty food, and that’s exactly what the creator was striving for.
- The lickin’ part is so casual that it makes the brand feel like home. It’s how people talk in a conversational, casual tone. A single word shows that this is not a pretentious restaurant. It simply serves the comfort meals you want to keep eating every day.
5. Coca-Cola – “Open Happiness”
Coca-Cola is fortunate to have had some of the greatest creative talent in advertising work on their marketing and “Open Happiness” (2009) campaigns featured some of the best slogans the company has ever produced.
When defining happiness, Coca-Cola believes the quest for true happiness is not a quest, but a choice.
Open Happiness was the longest used slogan in the history of the company.
Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company based on the Open Happiness theme also appeared in the United States as print ads in newspapers, in television commercials, in outdoor advertising, and in in-store advertising, source: Wikipedia.
What’s good about “Open Happiness” slogan?
- You can’t deny it – it’s catchy. Slogans succeed when they’re memorable.
- Instead of talking about the product, they talk about how the product makes people feel.
- Those 3 words differentiate the brand – a great tagline sets a flag in the ground but making a claim about the brand.
- It Instills positive feelings about the brand – assiociating happiness with the brand? – Great move Coca-Cola.
This slogan doesn’t talk about how Coke taste, looks or smells – but it does leave an impression!
Want to see more Coca-Cola advertising slogans?
6. Dunkin’ Donuts – “America Runs on Dunkin”
Dunkin’ Donuts launched, in April 2006, the most significant repositioning effort in the company’s history by unveiling a brand new, multi-million dollar advertising campaign under the tagline “America Runs on Dunkin.”
The campaign revolves around Dunkin’ Donuts coffee keeping busy Americans fueled while they are on the go.
This slogan connect emotionally with the hard-working cross-section of Americans who keep this country running every day; from the construction worker, to the lawyer and so forth.
The slogan appears on all products form coffee cups to napkins.
Referring to Dunkin Donuts as just “Dunkin” is manifested in 2018 rebrand in which “Dunkin’” drops the “Donut” part of it’s name.
Dunkin’ Donuts has been on a first-name basis with its fans long before the introduction of its iconic tagline, “America Runs on Dunkin”.
Read more about this campaign of official Dunkin’ website.
8. McDonald’s: “I’m Lovin’ It”
In 2003, Justin Timberlake helped launch the new McDonald’s marketing campaign tied around the slogan “I’m Lovin’ It”.
The slogan has gone on to become by far the longest-running McDonald’s slogan in history and still stands strong today being a great example of a tagline that resonates with the brand’s target audience.
”The phrase ‘I’m lovin’ it’ is becoming part of the language,” said Larry Light, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at McDonald’s, according to The New York Times.
How McDonald’s came up with the slogan?
McDonald’s held a competition between 14 international ad agencies, including the industry’s largest, but the winning firm is a small studio called Heye & Partner from Germany.
The idea was “ich liebe es,” which translates to “I love it.” of course accompanied by the “ba da ba ba ba I’m loving it”
McDonald’s debuted its campaign in Germany in recognition of the agency’s role and then rolled out english version in the US, UK and Australia.
McDonald’s continues to have the “I’m lovin’ it” slogan appear on most all of its product packaging; and has made no major announcement that the company will use any other slogan exclusively in place of this one any time in the near future according to Wikipedia.
How To Write a Good Brand Slogan
- Keep it short and on point
- Set yourself apart
- Highlight a key benefit
- Explain your commitment
- Evokes an emotional response
- No negative connotations
- Use the right resources
When you go through my the top 7 brand slogans I listed above, you’ll notice few elements they have together.
They are all good in their unique ways, but there are mutual characteristics that helped me come up with tips that really work.
1.Keep it short and on point
Slogans should never be longer than a sentence, anything longer will become jumbled and ultimately forgettable.
When you check the list above, you’ll notice that most slogans stick to that pattern.
2. Set yourself apart
Apple’s “Think different” was similar to IBM’s “Think,” but the slogan was created with one goal to mind: to set this brand apart from the main and all other competitors.
When people see it or hear it, they should think of your products and the company itself. It’s the effect that Nike’s “Just Do It” has.
3. Highlight a key benefit
If you have an advantage over your competitors, or if your product or service has a unique benefit, you need to use it e.g. like McDonald’s did with the “I’m lovin’ it” slogan – it’s not the most healthy choice, but it’s so tasty!
Slogans are the first impressions for many potential consumers, so it absolutely needs to stress the company’s worth. Another great examples is the KFC – “It’s finger lickin’ good” slogan.
4. Explain your commitment
Often times, winning slogans will explain a company’s dedication to its customers or a higher purpose like Dunkin’ Donut’s did with the “America runs on Dunkin'” slogan.
Slogans devoted to customer service, especially ones that guarantee quality and satisfaction even if it’s at the company’s expense, play extremely well with the public.
5. Evokes an emotional response
Think about your target audience and the problems they face.A perfect examples is the L’Oréal – “Because you’re worth it” slogan that connects with the products users (women) and make them feel good about themselves.
Make it about them (not you), think about what do they feel and how can you’re product make them feel appreciated.
6. No negative connotations
You have to always think positive and focus your slogan on something positive. Think about what do all people want? – They want to be happy!
Coca-Cola is not healthy and none of the sodas are, but they don’t combat that fact. They rather focus on positive emotions, happiness, smiles, laugh and connect it to the brand.
7. Use the Right Resources
If you and your team go through a brainstorming session and don’t come up with a good slogan, this is the first thing you should do: repeat it tomorrow.If you still can’t make it work, maybe it’s time to hire a branding consultant.
The best part is that branding experts are a very affordable option if you run a startup or a small company.
Do You Really Need a Slogan?
Many brands don’t have a slogan.
But if you’re just launching your startup or a new marketing campaign slogan can only do you well, but it has to be great!
Recently I created a slogan for my client, a startup company Carwao – “Have a WOW car-buying experience”.
Brand Slogan — Tools & Exercises
If you want to learn how to come up with your brand slogan (or tagline) like a pro — check out the Brand Tagline exercise.
In my new and practical guide to Brand Strategy I walk you through step-by-step brand tagline creation process.
Please note that I don’t recommend using any free slogan makers, but if you wanna give it a try, be my guest.
Are you looking to hire for your slogan creation? — Start a project here.
Are you going to create a slogan for your company? — Leave a comment below.