A Game of Tag: Organizations and Customers

Just Do It. Open Happiness. The King of Beers. Without any other context, you probably knew exactly which tagline belongs to which organization. A good tagline, like the above-mentioned, can stand alone from all other branding elements yet still fully represent your organization. But how does a brand achieve this? In this blog, we’re diving into the strengths and weaknesses of a good tagline.

What is a tagline?

A tagline is a phrase that represents your company and what it stands for. It should be short and sweet, easy to remember and even easier to repeat.

The tagline doesn’t necessarily need to tell your customers everything about your business—leave that to your messaging. However, the tagline should give the customer a general idea about your organization. A good tagline consists of one phrase that elicits actions or feelings from a customer. The key to a successful tagline is its ability to be used across all marketing efforts. The easier a tagline is to use across platforms, the stronger it is. 

Tagline vs slogan:

A common problem organizations make is thinking that a tagline and slogan are interchangeable. Newsflash: They are NOT the same thing. A tagline applies to the brand as a whole while a slogan applies to a specific product within a brand.

Creating Your Tagline

Be Unique

As we’ve said over and over—uniqueness matters. And when it comes to creating a tagline, the same rules apply. Focus on your brand’s unique features and hone-in on those. Since the tagline is generally only a few words, choose a unique factor or key differentiator that can be applied to your brand as a whole. This can be related to your brand personality or goal. 

But Don’t Try to Be the Most Unique

One mistake many organizations make when creating a tagline is focusing on being too “cute” or catchy. Don’t worry about that. A tagline, at its core, should be functional. It should convey something unique about your business and resonate with your target audience. For some brands like Disney, “The Happiest Place on Earth”, it makes sense to have a cute tagline. When it comes down to it, you know your brand better than anyone. If cutesy and catchy works for you, you’ll know it.

Make Your Mark

The goal of a tagline is to leave a lasting impression on buyers so that when they see your tagline again, they’ll remember you and what you have to offer. You want to be memorable so that customers keep you top-of-mind and continue to choose you over and over again.

A brand without a tagline, is like a dog without a collar–not all dogs need a collar, but it sure does make it easier to identify them. Likewise, not all brands choose to use a tagline and that’s okay. When done right, a tagline works wonders for your business. However, simply creating a tagline without taking the time to be strategic about it could end up hurting your organization more than you know. Before making a tagline, consider if you have the resources to make it effective.

Contact Pyxl

Taglines are an important aspect of branding and marketing for businesses of all sizes. A great tagline can help a company establish a strong identity, build brand recognition, and connect with its target audience. Whether you’re a startup trying to make a name for yourself or an established business looking to refresh your brand, investing time and effort into developing a strong tagline can pay off. Need help creating your tagline? We’re happy to help! Contact us today.

Updated: Nov 15, 2024