Archive for the 'copywriting' Category

08
Jun

What becomes a tagline legend most?

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Recently, Forbes.com ranked what it views as the 25 best-ever advertising taglines.

As discussed in a recent post, taglines (aka slogans) can be effective tools in support of various communications objectives. And, of course, some cleverly serve multiple purposes, such as Apple’s “Think different” and Chevy’s “Like a rock,” which refer to both the brands and their customers.

Here is what the taglines on Forbes’ list of 25 classics may be trying to accomplish (as well as the year they first appeared).

Some of the taglines highlight a brand attribute:

11. Great taste, less filling. (Miller Lite, late 1970s)

14. It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. (Timex, 1952)

16. Let your fingers do the walking. (Yellow Pages, 1964)

19. The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand. (M&Ms, 1954)

Some build corporate identity:

20. We bring good things to life. (GE, 1972)

Some promote repeat brand experiences:

3. Don’t leave home without it. (American Express, 1975)

5. Got milk? (California Milk Processor Board, 1993)

9. You deserve a break today. (McDonald’s, 1971)

21. When you care enough to send the very best. (Hallmark, 1944)

25. Reach out and touch someone. (AT&T, 1979)

Some build affinity with customers by inspiring them:

2. Just do it. (Nike, 1988)

6. There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s MasterCard. (This is the tagline for the 1997 “Priceless” campaign.)

7. Think different. (Apple, 1997)

8. The Few. The Proud. The Marines. (U.S. Marines, 1976)

10. A diamond is forever. (DeBeers, 1944)

13. Friends don’t let friends drive drunk. (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1990)

15. Like a rock. (Chevrolet, 1991)

18. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. (United Negro College Fund, 1972)

23. You’ve come a long way, baby. (Virginia Slims, 1968)

24. Be all you can be. (U.S. Army, 1980)

Some position the brand vs. its competitors:

1. The ultimate driving machine. (BMW, 1971)

4. We try harder. (Avis Rent A Car, 1963)

12. Can you hear me now? (Verizon, 2002)

17. Where’s the beef? (Wendy’s, 1984)

22. Time to make the donuts. (Dunkin Donuts, 1982)

Many of these decades-old taglines are still in use, attesting to how well they work on behalf of their brands.

Which classic slogans do you think are missing from the list?

Note: Apologies to Blackglama, whose “What becomes a legend most” slogan was vandalized to create the headline of this post. Launched in 1968, it deserves to be on the list.

15
Mar

If rockers named new products …

istock_000003982760xsmallI heard a concert promotion on the radio for the indie-rock band, We Were Promised Jetpacks, and realized we have the wrong people in charge of naming brands.

If rock musicians named new products, we would be spared forgettable and hard-to-pronounce monikers like Accenture and Eukanuba.

Instead, we would be driving Blue Oyster Cult cars and drinking Toad The Wet Sprocket beer. We’d bank at They Might Be Giants and buy insurance from Built To Spill. We’d enjoy dinner at The Flaming Lips.

Here’s a representative list of poor brand-name choices:

  • Bing
  • iSnack 2.0,an Australian cheese spread
  • Syfy
  • VIA, Starbucks’ instant coffee
  • Depends
  • Ruth’s Chris Steak House
  • Acloché
  • CompUSA
  • Vonage
  • Comerica
  • iPad
  • Ayds
  • Cranergy
  • DHL
  • Touareg
  • Noxzema
  • Comerica
  • Anextec
  • Cialis
  • GEICO,
  • Xfinity
  • Xe, formerly Blackwater
  • Altria, formerly Philip Morris
  • Airtran
  • Tiguan

Compare the above with this list of creative and memorable rock band names:

  • Psychedelic Furs
  • Dinosaur Jr.
  • Violent Femmes
  • Velvet Underground
  • Meat Puppets
  • Romeo Void
  • Guided By Voices
  • Queens Of The Stone Age
  • Camper Van Beethoven
  • Fine Young Cannibals
  • Moby Grape
  • Country Joe And The Fish
  • TV On The Radio
  • Porno For Pyros
  • Foghat
  • Spandau Ballet
  • Strawberry Alarm Clock
  • Captain Beefheart
  • Faith No More
  • Echo And The Bunnymen
  • Crowded House
  • Arcade Fire
  • Death Cab For Cutie
  • Daft Punk
  • Pink Floyd
  • Pearl Jam
  • Radiohead
  • Hot Tuna

Now tell me. Which set captures your attention?

08
Feb

And the winner is … Google


In its Super Bowl commercial, Google tells an engaging little story of romance with simplicity and elegance. Appropriately, it uses keywords and search results only.

Its logo is onscreen almost the entire time, while it demonstrates several of its features and benefits. It effectively offsets Bing’s recent efforts at malignment.

Not only was the spot inexpensive to produce, but it stood out from the sophomoric humor and over-the top production of the majority of the commercials.

Erik Sherman, in his negative review of the spot at BNET, misses the point that by airing the spot in the Super Bowl, Google reached millions and millions who haven’t already seen it on YouTube.

Smart marketing all the way around.

Which spot do you feel was most effective?

03
Dec

Best posts of 2009

istock_000007990142xsmallThis month BrandSTOKE is one year old.

I’m honored that you take the time to read and comment. My goal for 2010 is to engage more conversation. If you have any suggestions for topics or improving the blog, please let me know.

Thanks for your interest and support. I’ll try to do better next year.

Here’s a list of some of the most popular posts as well as a few personal favorites from the last twelve months:

On brand building:

On brands vs. commodities:

On simplicity and effectiveness of messaging:

On smarter strategy:

On getting hired:

Just for fun:


04
Aug

Cash for clunker slogans

Abandoned carTime to turn in that old high-mileage, gas-guzzling ad slogan for a new one. Here are some candidates:

  • Acura: Advance
  • Audi: Truth in Engineering
  • Buick: Drive beautiful.
  • BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine
  • Cadillac: Life, liberty and the pursuit
  • Dodge: Grab life.
  • Ford: Drive one.
  • Honda: The Power of Dreams
  • Hyundai: Think about it.
  • Infiniti: Inspired performance
  • Jeep: Have fun out there.
  • Kia: The Power to Surprise
  • Land Rover: Designed for the extraordinary
  • Lexus: The pursuit of perfection
  • Lincoln: Reach higher.
  • Mazda: Zoom zoom
  • Nissan: Shift_the way you move.
  • Porsche: There is No Substitute.
  • Saab: Born from Jets
  • Smart: Open your mind.
  • Subaru: Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
  • Toyota: Moving forward
  • Volkswagen: Das Auto
  • Volvo: For life
  • Saturn: We’re still here.

It’s an interesting mix. Some are clearly on-brand (BMW’s classic “The Ultimate Driving Machine” and Volvo’s “For life”), some ask for your consideration (Smart’s “Open your mind.” and Hyundai’s “Think about it.”), and some seem strangely out of rhythm (Buick’s “Drive beautiful.”). Saturn’s “We’re still here.” manages to be honest, hopeful and a bit pathetic all at the same time.

I couldn’t find current slogans for Chrysler and Chevrolet. Can you?

Which ones do you think are still drivable? And which ones should be scrapped?

26
Jun

Speak less. Say more.

Cocktail Napkin IdeasIn previous posts (“Less’ isn’t just more–it’s omnipotent” and “Why strong design is always on Target“), I have discussed the effectiveness of focus and brevity in marketing messages.

Expressing an idea simply and succinctly makes it seem more viable and the brand more confident. It helps with the sell.

Supposedly, Winston Churchill, when prime minister, required that all proposals be presented on a half-page sheet of paper. If a proposer was unable to do this, then it implied to Churchill that the proposer wasn’t clear in his own mind.

Many successful enterprises have launched from a scrap of paper. (For a few examples, see “Seven Brilliant Ideas Scribbled on Cocktail Napkins and Toilet Papers.“)

Marketing exists to influence behavior, such as buying, trying, voting, donating, volunteering, applying, visiting, etc. To be successful, a compelling reason must be presented. The simpler and more clear the reason, the more effective the argument.

Our tools are limited by both time and space: a headline, a tweet, a 30-second radio or TV script, a pay-per-click ad, a billboard, an elevator speech. If we are unable to convince in one sentence, then superfluous words, images and flashy production value won’t help.

For greater success with your messages:

  • Focus on the single most important point.
  • Choose every word with care.
  • Use only necessary words.

If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water. – Ernest Hemingway




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