Everyone wants to make a claim for their company. A claim that captures the essence of the company or product. A short slogan that is original and easy to remember. That's usually how the guidelines for marketing agencies sound. Supposedly, for every one good slogan, there are 100 bad ones. In the next installment of our newsletter, we've selected a few good and a few bad examples.
Like the brand, like the slogan
A company slogan or claim should describe not only what you do, but also the company's values. For example, Disneyland is "The happiest place on Earth" for most kids and adults, while Nike's slogan "Just do it." A beautiful example is the Dollar Shave Club, a well-known company in America, which entered the scene in 2012 and became a success practically overnight thanks to its viral video, catchy marketing and witty slogans. Their slogan "Shave time. Shave money." cleverly points out the two biggest advantages - low price and extreme convenience. It also represents the humor for which the company is known. In the attached video, check out their ticket to success - the aforementioned viral video and their most famous slogan, "Our blades are f***ing great."
Nivea "White is purity"
In 2017, the German cosmetics company Nivea came up with a new product. As is customary, every good product needs a catchy slogan. We have no idea which lucky person came up with the idea, but "White is purity" didn't exactly meet with success and applause around the world. The company withdrew the materials with the slogan and, predictably, publicly apologised. There is another slogan associated with this deodorant, which leaves no stains on either white or black fabric, and that is "White stays white, black stays black". Those who look for racism will always find it, and these days companies are under the microscope. That is why we have one recommendation for you in conclusion: do not use colours in your customs.
Can a bull give you real wings?
Redbull gives you wings, Redbull gives you wings, Red Bull geeft je vleugels, Red Bull verleiht flügel.
The energy drink maker is known around the world for its slogan, which originated in the 1990s. Even so, it took almost two decades before there was a person disappointed with the effects of the drink. It's not that he or she was expecting a one-shot wing, it's that the drink is not as stimulating as the manufacturer claims. One can contains less caffeine than a cup of coffee. Red Bull has decided to deal with this out of court: anyone who can prove that they have purchased the energy drink in question in the US in the past twelve years can expect to be compensated with ten dollars in cash. A total of USD 13 million has been earmarked for this. The case eventually made its way onto the well-known The Ellen Show, whose treatment is sure to entertain.
Nokia: "Connecting people"
The Finnish brand, famous for its mobile phone production and the legendary "snake", came up with its slogan in 1992. Claim is a clear proof that creativity is the result of the knowledge you can acquire, for example, while writing your thesis. The author of the slogan for Nokia is Ove Strandberg, who at the time was working as a part-time student in Nokia's research centre. He played around with different options while writing his thesis until he came up with the final one. The slogan is well-known among people and holds up to this day, but Nokia mobile phones, unfortunately, not so much.
The worst part in the end
As mentioned, there are a plethora of good taglines that capture the essence and you will associate them with your brand for ages. But there are an even greater number of bad taglines that, while easy to remember, don't exactly shed the best light on the product. Where that line is, unfortunately, we haven't figured out. But in the end, we've put together a selection of the best of the worst. Judge for yourselves where the marketeers went wrong and where this is a brilliant piece of work with a sense of humour.
Can't find the right slogan for your company or product? Contact us and we will be happy to help you.
