Having a good and catchy slogan is essential to a successful marketing campaign. Think about the best brands in the world; you’ll likely remember their slogans. Good slogans keep your brand at the forefront. That way, customers don’t have to think twice about what you’re all about.
Before you get started on creating your own, we took the time to research some of the best slogans in history. Check them out below for some inspiration!
What is a catchy slogan?
Before looking at what makes catchy, good slogans, it’s important to understand what a slogan is. A slogan is a short, memorable phrase used in advertising. Marketers use slogans to provide a quick summary of “the why” of your product. In other words, it shows what makes your product, service or brand stand out and why customers should care.
Slogans vs. taglines
People often confuse slogans with taglines - and for good reason. Both are short, catchy phrases used to summarize a brand. Yet, there are some minor differences:
Tagline: A tagline defines the brand as a whole.
Slogan: A slogan defines a specific product.
For example, Nike’s famous tagline is “Just do it.” That covers all products under the Nike umbrella. Meanwhile, a well-known slogan for Nike focuses on shoes: “The sneaker makes the man.”
Slogan vs. company message
So we already determined that slogans are different from taglines. Now, let’s compare a slogan vs. a company message.
A company message is what the company stands for. Its true core values and beliefs. Company messages are longer than slogans but should still be short and catchy. The end goal of a company message is to define who you are as a business.
A slogan is born from the company message. It’s sort of the “cliff notes” version of the company message. It tells people what to expect from the business.
How to make good slogans
Like all things in life, there is no cheat code to make the perfect slogan. It takes a lot of trial and error. Hence, there are a few characteristics to know first that will make the slogan creation process a bit easier.
Characteristics of a good slogan:
1. To the point
As Albert Einstein once said, “Good slogans are short slogans.” Well, Einstein never said that but is true nonetheless. Many of the best slogans in history were two or three simple words. We already mentioned “Just Do It” above but let’s recall some more. Remember Apple’s “Think Different”? Or who could forget Mcdonald's all-time great “I’m Lovin It.” The list goes on but the point is…get to the point!
2. Catchy
Creating a catchy slogan is easier said than done. If you keep in mind rhyme and alliteration though, you are well on your way. Let’s look at an example from Maybelline. “Maybe it’s Maybelline.” This slogan works because “maybe” and “Maybelline” both start with the letter “m” and also the word “maybe.” If the slogan was “Go for Maybelline” or “Perhaps it’s Maybelline” it’s not as effective.
3. Special
These days it feels almost impossible to come up with an original thought. If you want to make a good slogan though, it must be something special. One way to do this is to look in the mirror. What are the unique selling points of your brand? What makes you special? Focus on that.
4. Perennial
A perennial slogan stands the test of time. “Got milk?” worked decades ago and it works now. Meanwhile, Nivea’s “white is purity” campaign would not hold up in today’s, culture. Keep this in mind when crafting your slogan. Sure, it might be tempting to jump on the current trend but the best slogans are ones that transcend trends and create their own.
5. Plays to a target audience
Of course, how could we forget the target audience? After all, the whole reason for creating a slogan is to speak to a target audience. If you ignore their qualities or even their existence, your slogan will fail. Do some research on the gender of your target audience, geographical location, and age. You will find good slogans are not universal and you will have to change them to attract different audiences.
The best slogans of all time
Now that you know the characteristics of a good slogan, let’s take a look at some of the best all-time for inspiration.
Sprite: Obey Your Thirst
Ford: Built to Last
Pringles: Once You Pop, the Fun Don’t Stop
Gatorade: Is it in You?
BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine
Wendy’s Where’s the Beef?
Burger King: Have it Your Way?
Da Beers: A Diamond Is Forever
Dunkin’: America Runs on Dunkin’
Red Bull: Red Bull Gives You Wings
Olive Garden: When You’re Here, You’re Family
Skittles: Taste the Rainbow
Target: Expect More, Pay Less
Bounty: The Quicker Picker Upper
Lays: Betcha Can’t Eat Just One
Rice Krispies: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
Coca-Cola: Open Happiness.
Did we forget any of your favorites? Follow us on Twitter and let us know!
Good slogan generators: do they work?
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), there are several tools on the market for advertising free slogan generation. Are they good slogans though? What these generators do is analyze a database of previous slogans and create a new one based on what you tell the AI to do. Yes, it’s true a good slogan could come out of this but in Walden’s opinion, crafting a slogan is not something best left for the robots.
Do not underestimate the difficulty of creating historic slogans. As stated earlier, it takes a lot of research, trials, and errors to produce the perfect slogan for your brand. Thankfully, the writers at Walden can do that.
Contact us today and we’ll start brainstorming good slogans!