Dos and Don’ts Got Slogans?

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

The right slogan can propel any item from so-so to sensational.

Do:
• Include the client’s company name in the slogan.
• Use literary devices such as alliteration, assonance and poetic rhythm.
• Consider the scope of the client’s operation so that the slogan doesn’t pigeonhole the company in their customer’s eyes.
• Employ humor with care.

Don’t:
• Use words that are hard to pronounce or spell or come across as slick or snobbish unless that’s part of the joke.
• Make unfounded assertions.
• Use sexual innuendo, unless the client clearly asks for it.
• Spin off previously used slogans.

Quiz: Do You Remember?

Which of these companies goes with each slogan?

1. “Leave the driving to us.”
a. Hertz
b. Greyhound
c. Amtrak

2. “The choice of a new generation.”
a. Coke
b. Dr. Pepper
c. Pepsi

3. “Above and beyond.”
a. FedEx
b. Prudential Financial
c. FTD

4. “What the big boys eat.”
a. Wheaties
b. Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli
c. Wonder Bread

5. “Something special in the air.”
a. Chanel No. 5
b. American Airlines
c. Airwick

6. “The right choice.”
a. Sprint
b. Bell
c. AT&T

7. “We’ll leave the light on for you.”
a. Super 8
b. Sheraton
c. Motel 6

8. “Makin’ it great.”
a. Pizza Hut
b. Domino’s
c. Little Caesar’s

Hot Tips!

“Have as much info on the client’s marketing position and collateral as possible. From there, you’ll be able to see what they have done in the past.” – Jay Hoey

“I constantly make a note when an idea pops in my head. Sometimes in the darndest places, on a plane, in the car doing 75 mph down the interstate, while watching TV and a zillion other places.”
– Gene Dowdle

“Free write for 20 minutes every slogan you can think of. If at all possible, write 100 slogans. They don’t have to be great, but the key is to keep the pen moving; then the good stuff starts to emerge. This is important to do by hand. You lose something when you type on the computer.”
– Michele Pariza Wacek

“Make sure it’s a positive atmosphere in that no one can say anything bad about an idea.”
– Chris Lambrecht

Keep your hands busy. Pass out to your team Silly Putty, crayons and paper, blocks and other playthings, and artistic media from kindergarten. Channeling your inner child taps creativity.

“Be time-limited. If you give people less time to come up with as many ideas as they can instead of unlimited time, the number of ideas and the creativity tends to be better.” – Chris Lambrecht

“Think metaphorically and analogically about how two seemingly unrelated concepts are similar.” – Lisa Barnard

Try something different, such as going out to lunch at a new restaurant, taking a walk, driving an alternate route home or changing your usual workday schedule. Deviating from your normal routine stimulates ideas.

Pretend you’re a new customer of your client. Visit their store, try their service, sample their product and then review the experience. What did you expect? What did you like?

Our Best Slogan Ever

Below are the top slogans submitted by Advantages readers:

For an ice cream shop frequented by celebrating sports teams: “Victory is sweeter at Fenton’s.”
– Marty Jacobs

“Harold’s Chicken: One bite and we gotcha!” – Donald Fola

To promote a golf course residential real estate development: “Play once, stay for a lifetime.”
– Jovan Van Drielle

On a package of sunscreen: “Have a tanfastic time in Aruba!”
– Laurie Amigo

For the U.S. Open: “Where champions become legends.”
– David Fiderer