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For many businesses, a tagline is just as important as a brand name. In fact, many people rely on a company’s tagline to understand and absorb its message. This means businesses of all sizes should put significant thought into their tagline and make sure it packs a punch.
This article will walk you through how to write an impactful tagline for your business and provide some stellar real-life examples of taglines. Click on any of the links below to jump around:
What is a tagline?
In branding and advertising, a tagline is a short, memorable catchphrase that succinctly wraps up what a business is all about. These catchy phrases can be funny, informative, serious, empathetic, or engaging—basically whatever tone you want your company to convey to your target audience about your products or services.
Tagline vs. slogan
Taglines and brand slogans might seem like the same thing, but they aren’t. While they’re very similar, there are some minor but key differences (though both can make a powerful impact on consumers).
The biggest difference is that taglines are used more broadly than slogans. Taglines are permanent and represent the brand and your products or services as a whole. A slogan is a more temporary phrase that’s used only for specific advertising campaigns or products.
A good example is the Apple brand. While its primary tagline is “Think Different,” it adopted a catchy slogan—“This Changes Everything”—when it introduced the iPhone.
Disneyland is another example of a brand creating a strong tagline complemented by equally impactful slogans for specific campaigns. We all know of the theme park as “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Meanwhile, it’s been through several slogans for targeted advertising campaigns, including “I’m going to Disneyland” and “Where dreams come true.”
Advantages of having a tagline
Your tagline clarifies the mission and personality of your company for customers and is an important part of building a better brand. Here are some advantages to creating a strong tagline for your business.
Differentiate from competitors
A strong tagline can help you stand out among your competitors. It can differentiate your business from other companies in your industry and help customers think of you first every time. As an example, Avis uses the tagline “We try harder.” That automatically tells consumers where they stand among other car rental companies.
Another great example is De Beers, which specializes in diamonds. Its iconic “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign tells shoppers why only a diamond—and no other stone—will do.
Inform potential customers
An informational tagline sends a clear message to consumers by explaining who your company is and what it does. A great example of a business using this type of tagline effectively is the bath, body, skin, and hair care company Lush, whose tagline is simply “Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.” It’s succinct, easy to remember, and says everything you need to know about this natural beauty company. Focusing on creating an informational tagline can be especially useful as your brand is getting started and you’re trying to get your name out there.
Strengthen the brand
Creating a great tagline can only strengthen your company. It can help boost your brand awareness and engage those who see it, hopefully turning them into loyal customers. The best brands rely on powerful taglines.
A good example of a strong tagline elevating a brand is Toyota’s “Let’s Go Places.” It taps into most people’s inner wanderlust and sense of adventure while also stating their vehicles’ primary function—helping people get from one place to another.
Or consider cosmetic company Maybelline. Its “Maybe She’s Born With It” tagline is empowering for both consumers and the company’s brand image.
Engaging tagline examples
Now that you know what a tagline is and how your business might benefit from one, here are 10 examples of catchy taglines from recognizable brands. Each one has brought a measure of success to the company it’s associated with and, in many cases, is just as identifiable as the business itself.
Nike: Just Do It
Nike’s inspirational tagline “Just Do It,” introduced more than 30 years ago, is advertising brilliance decades later. Its effectiveness stems from its simplicity. The tagline is written so broadly that it speaks to just about every person who reads it without specifically saying what “it” is.
It motivates customers and forces them to think about their own dreams and aspirations—their own personal “it.” In turn, they associate their Nike purchase with success and achieving their goals.
Apple: Think Different
The iconic Apple tagline “Think Different,” used in the late 1990s and early 2000s, is a great example of a company using a catchy phrase to stand apart from its competitors. Many view the tagline as a response to IBM, whose own slogan at the time was simply “Think.”
Apple builds on that and goes one step further, telling technology consumers to “Think Different.” It puts ideas in customers’ heads, telling them that the brand stands out and is “different” from IBM in good ways.
The critically acclaimed campaign also won the company numerous advertising and branding awards, including the 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial and the 2000 Grand Effie Award for the most effective campaign in the U.S.
Lay’s: Betcha Can’t Eat Just One
This catchy earworm of a tagline from Lay’s has been speaking to potato chip lovers for decades. “Betcha Can’t Eat Just One” is casual and informal and is also a challenge to consumers, one that the company knows it’ll win.
The tagline pulls them in and keeps them coming back for more. It also lets consumers know what they can expect when they start snacking: The chips will be hard to put down.
General Electric: Imagination at Work
It was considered a risk when General Electric decided to retire its well-known tagline “We Bring Good Things to Life” for a new one nearly 20 years ago. The company spent more than $100 million to introduce “Imagination at Work” to the world.
The move paid off, as the tagline and rebranding completely overhauled the global company’s image. “Imagination at Work” represents the company’s push to build its reputation as the creator of top-of-the-line, innovative technology at a time when it was growing and expanding its product line. The rebranding also took place after a wave of corporate scandals.
The new tagline earned the company numerous awards, including top honors from Advertising Week.
Verizon: Can You Hear Me Now?
Verizon’s memorable marketing tagline “Can You Hear Me Now?” was a turning point for the telecommunications company’s branding.
The company used the tagline in commercials for about five years starting in 2002. While funny, many cellphone users at the time could relate to the catchy phrase, as many phone companies offered spotty service.
Verizon used this tagline to show the reach and reliability of its phone service, especially compared to its competitors. The company saw a 10% increase in its customer base within two years of airing the first “Can You Hear Me Now?” commercial. It jumped another 15% the next year.
L’Oréal Paris: Because You’re Worth It
For 50 years, L’Oreal Paris has celebrated and empowered its customers through its tagline “Because You’re Worth It.” It’s a powerful statement that resonates with women.
The iconic tagline is more than a saying—it’s a mission for the company, which wants its customers to take beauty into their own hands. They can do this, of course, by purchasing L’Oreal products. Not only does the phrase uplift a woman’s sense of self-worth but it’s also driven sales for the beauty line for decades.
McDonald’s: I’m Lovin’ It
The catchy McDonald’s jingle “I’m Lovin’ It” has been around since 2003, when it was created to pull the fast-food giant out of a difficult period as it faced challenges and brand decline. Its stock value dropped significantly, plummeting to less than $15 per share after hitting highs in the $40-per-share range, and many consumers simply didn’t think the restaurant chain was relevant.
To revive the brand, the company needed an updated, contemporary marketing campaign, which is how “I’m Lovin’ It” was born. The goal was to reach a younger audience by making McDonald’s feel modern yet familiar at the same time, as well as casual, comfortable, and entertaining.
California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk?
When San Francisco advertising firm Goodby, Silverstein & Partners came up with the tagline “Got Milk?” in 1993 to help the California Milk Processor Board boost its sales, it had no idea that it had created a pop culture mainstay.
The iconic slogan came to embody the 1990s. The use of celebrities—the ads featured notable people like Bill Clinton, Michael Jordan, Jennifer Aniston, Elton John, and Naomi Campbell, all wearing a milk mustache—made milk kind of cool.
Although only two words, the phrase is impactful. Over the years, the campaign has won many of the advertising industry’s top awards and it’s parodied and copied to this day.
Airbnb: Belong Anywhere
In creating a global brand—one that speaks to people from all cultures and walks of life—Airbnb has strived to embrace and convey a sense of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. That’s how the vacation rental platform adopted the tagline “Belong Anywhere” when it rebranded in 2014.
When designing the rebrand, Airbnb focused on its mission and asked itself a lot of important questions, tapping into its core values and purpose. The new tagline has helped the company embolden its connection with customers by appealing to their desire to feel at home wherever they are. And while the saying caters to this desire for belonging, it also calls to the traveler’s sense of whimsy and wanderlust.
Dunkin’ Donuts: America Runs on Dunkin’
When its iconic tagline, “America Runs on Dunkin’,” launched in 2006, Dunkin’ appealed to busy Americans constantly on the go. And whether they’re focused on work, friends, family, or personal pursuits, Dunkin’ coffee and doughnuts are there to fuel them every step of the way.
It’s a simple phrase, but it’s one that says a lot by celebrating the bustling lives of the average American. It boldly tells coffee drinkers that they won’t be able to get through their day without Dunkin’.
Tips on writing your tagline
As you start brainstorming your own tagline, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Make it recognizable
One of the most important qualities of a strong brand tagline is that it should be easily recognizable. Ensure your phrase is instantly identifiable as being connected to your brand.
Think about “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” When car enthusiasts see that tagline, they automatically associate it with the BMW brand. The same goes for the M&M chocolate tagline, “It Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands.”
Your tagline needs to fully represent your business’s voice, values, and mission statement so customers easily identify it with your brand and company name.
Signal a strong, differentiating message
It’s also a good idea to create a tagline that sets you apart from the competition. How is your brand different? What do you do better?
Consider Bounty paper towels. Its tagline is “The Quicker Picker Upper,” which tells you everything you need to know about what makes Bounty better than other paper towel brands or cleaning cloths.
Another brand to consider is the Dollar Shave Club, which boasts a tagline that sets an expectation for the company and tells you what it does better than its competitors: “Shave Time, Shave Money.”
Align your logo with your tagline
To better connect your brand with your tagline, incorporate your company slogan into your logo. This can reinforce your brand in the minds of consumers more effectively.
A great example is “I Love New York,” the official state slogan for New York. The logo incorporates the tagline in a memorable way by replacing the word “love” with a red heart.
Use positive words
While it’s OK to be funny and even irreverent in your tagline, it’s important to use only words with positive connotations when creating it. If your phrase uses negative words or presents a pessimistic tone, that will turn off consumers.
Consider the KFC brand’s tagline, “Finger Lickin’ Good.” It’s playful and energetic without being negative and focuses on how good the company’s fried chicken is.
Make the most out of your brand
Having a strong tagline as part of your brand’s marketing campaign is key for businesses of any size, whether you’re just starting out or you’re long established. These catchy taglines can engage customers and help with brand recognition.
If you’re interested in creating a tagline for your company, consider hiring an independent copywriter for the job. Upwork’s platform can connect you with talented freelance professionals who can create slogans and taglines that will take your brand to the next level.
