What Is A Tagline (and how to write a great one)
Taglines! Now that’s a copywriter’s forte. If you’ve not been hiding in a cave all these years, you must have come across hundreds of them. But what is a tagline? To put it simply, it’s a string of catchy words about a brand. It is a sentence (or two) of words that look dull by themselves, but when put next to each other, make an unforgettable line with uncanny earworm ability. A brand’s tagline is a textual showpiece; it is a shining beacon that helps the onlooker uniquely identify the brand from the crowd.
Brands and taglines share a deep connection. They are like two peas in a pod, so much so that you cannot think of one without the other. Litmus test: if we say Just Do It, what brand are you unmistakably reminded of? If you’re scratching your head, you seriously need to get out of that cave of yours!
Why are brands and taglines such best buddies?
Taglines play an important role for brands. They are the first impressions that sum up what actually is a brand and what it brings to the table, all in one sentence. Yet, some brands don’t even have a tagline, and they seem to be doing just okay. So why do some brands go to great lengths to create a tagline for their brand? It’s because taglines are a great means for a brand to engage with its customers. Along with the brand name and brand logo, the brand tagline makes the most powerful trifecta of “look once, remember forever” brands. But taglines have something more going on for them. For a tagline, it’s not just about how it looks, but also about how it reads and how it sounds.
For a tagline to be effective, it needs to be short yet descriptive, crisp yet contextual, simple but power-packed.
Think that’s tricky? You are absolutely right. Taglines can be deceptive. They might seem easy and simple, but the thought process involved in coming up with that perfect tagline that sums up your brand to a T? Less so.
Besides acting as good real estate for communication, a tagline serves other functions for your brand too:
Taglines help in brand recall
Brands everywhere are always in an endless battle of thwarting their greatest fear — fading into oblivion. To make an impression that lasts for generations, brands put a great deal of resources and implement complex strategies focused on raising awareness for their brand. And what simpler way to enhance reach and recall than a tagline?
Taglines communicate your benefit to your customers
Your words carry weight. A tagline may consist of a bunch of hand-picked words, but it’s also capable of conveying your brand value. Branding expert and author, Laura Ries compares tagline to a verbal logo that can motivate an action or trigger a memory. Not only that, taglines are responsible for expressing what you are and will be. From Apple’s Think Different to LG’s Life’s Good, taglines carry your brand essence and reveal it, one word at a time.
The different types of taglines
On the surface, it may seem easy to pick out 5–10 words to describe your brand’s vision and mission. But to fit them together perfectly can feel like a taxing and tiresome feat. The ideal tagline should effortlessly convey the brand’s message, values, and goals. At the same time, it needs to be witty, memorable, and in-sync with the brand’s tone and voice. And if you take up the task to create a tagline, you better do your research beforehand.
As brands try to establish themselves as unique entities, there seem to be as many taglines as the number of brands. Ranging from humorous to serious, emotional, and factual, there are a whole plethora of tagline types you can derive inspiration from. Take heart from Adidas’ famous tagline — Impossible is Nothing, and you’ll be all set to conquer this goliathan task.
- Descriptive taglines — Just as it suggests, a descriptive tagline is meant to describe the brand, simply and succinctly. Also, the description should convey the brand’s products, services, or promise in as few words as possible. For instance, if there’s a tagline that explains a brand effectively, it’s Walmart’s “Save money. Live better.”
- Imperative taglines — From Apple’s Think Different to Coke’s Open Happiness, all these brand giants’ taglines are imperative. The assertiveness and authority that lies behind the words are meant to evoke an action in the customers, and make them feel that it’s imperative to pick their product and choose them over other brands. Some imperative taglines, like that of Thomas Cook, add extra flavour by bringing rhyme to the mix — “Don’t just book it. Thomas Cook it.”
- Superlative taglines — Every brand tries to distinguish itself as superior and unique. So to establish your superiority, why not straight up compare your service, product, or purpose with others? That’s exactly what Budweiser does with its tagline — “Budweiser, the kings of beers”. Notice how they mentioned their brand in the tagline itself, reinforcing brand name recall. Clever.
- Provocative taglines — Provocative taglines aren’t provocative in the “let’s start a riot” sense, but more so in the “thought-provoking” one. These sets of words are like a hypothetical call-to-action that is meant to persuade customers to think twice before passing them over. For instance, British newspaper The Independent challenges every reader with its name and tagline — It is. Are you?
- Specific taglines — Specific taglines include specific words that make the tagline clever and memorable. They are meant to twist popular words, phrases and sayings to reveal the brand’s core philosophy and the sentiments it wishes to convey. For instance, IBM’s tagline is a creative masterpiece for specific taglines — I think, therefore IBM.
How to write a great tagline — a crash course
A great tagline doesn’t need you to be an accomplished wordsmith, but it does require that you bring your best thinking cap along. But before you get the ink flowing, go through these quick pointers to keep in mind to craft a tagline for your brand that both you and your customers love:
#1 Tuning it with your brand’s tone and voice
Hypothetically, if McDonald’s tried to portray itself as a serious and professional brand through its tagline, nobody would have claimed — I’m lovin’ it. This example only emphasizes the importance of a tone that suits your brand’s tone and voice. That’s why, be sure to define your brand, target audience, and message clear as day, before trying to sum them as your brand’s catchphrase.
#2 Striving for simplicity
Leonardo Da Vinci’s statement ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’ rings true for taglines too. You don’t need to use big words for big results.
The most iconic brand taglines are known for their simplicity, and that’s a crucial aspect of making them timeless.
As your tagline bears the responsibility to convey your message, it can only reach the masses when it’s understandable. And employing simple words are your best bet to do the trick.
#3 Highlighting your USP
To stick out from the competition, every brand offers something unique to their customers. Once you’ve set in stone how your brand is going to provide common things in never-before ways, you would’ve figured out what are your brand’s core USPs that draw customers like butterflies to nectar. Then it’s time to condense those in a tagline in a way that is simple, witty, informative, and unforgettable.
Whether you are a master weaver of words or not, a tagline is not confined to a writer’s pen.
Once you know the intricacies of the matter, and have your creative juices churning and flowing, you can ease your way into writing the tagline of your dreams.
