THE TAGLINE

It's your sales sentence

by Marta Ávila

What is a tagline

A tagline is a sentence that condenses, helps you synthesize and sell your project. With an average length of 3 to 10 words, it usually appears on the poster of a film, accompanying the title and rest of information we usually find on movie posters.

Therefore, it is a very powerful tool, very important to add value and meaning to the film or tv show you’re trying to sell to your audience, and before that, to investors and producers.

The tagline allows you to communicate in a direct way the message of your story to your main target, and at the same time, explain to your “potential clients” what you differentiate yourself from the rest of shows or movies that are being pitched; why you should be picked over the rest of projects.

“On every street in every city, there’s a nobody who dreams of being a somebody.” (Taxi Driver, 1976)

How to address the writing of the tagline

You should come up with a sentence that defines your project but that at the same time it is memorable enough, becoming almost like an extension of the title of your film. So, the whole point is to write a short line of text, which ends up being clever and that it generates a dramatic effect, so to use it as a promotional tool for your project. In fact, usually this kind of lines aren’t necessarily written by screenwriters, but marketing teams who strategize the whole release campaign of the film (if it gets made and gets a release date).

It is not about summarizing the story like you would do in a logline, but you do need to leave in the reader the desire to learn more about the script or see the film. In the end, the tagline is a USP.

The best taglines are easy to remember and lasting over time, they move and connect with the audience. To start with, they need to focalize the commercial interest and the attractive points of your story; in the end, the tagline must summarize the tone and premise of it, and also reinforce the message we want the audience to keep.

It’s about communicating a series of concepts which are going to be part of your communications strategy. That slogan that will complement and walk side by side with the ambiance we want to create for the story.

“They’ll never be caught. They’re on a mission from God.” (Blues Brothers, 1980)

Some Examples

In conclusion, the tagline isn’t an ordinary line, so give it a good thought before deciding on it. To get the inspiration juices going, here’s a selection of famous taglines from films and TV shows which have lasted over time.