There are words that remain with us forever. “Just Do It.” “A Diamond Is Forever.” “Think Different.” The company slogans have become so ingrained in the popular culture that we hardly ever pause and wonder where they originated. The reality is usually shocking, at times grim, and at times, unintended.
We are going to discuss 31 well-known company taglines and the interesting stories of their origin. It can be marketing history or slogans examples; these business slogans demonstrate how some words can make a brand that will last generations.
The Dark Origins
#1. Nike — “Just Do It” (1988)
Dan Wieden became motivated by the death speech of a convicted murderer, Gary Gilmore, who had been executed in 1977. Gilmore was commanded to say his last words and said, ” Let’s do it. Wieden changed it to Just Do It; the Nike executives were reluctant to this, but the slogan turned the sinking company into a mighty force throughout the world.
#2. De Beers — “A Diamond Is Forever” (1947)
Frances Gerety wrote this line before going to bed after a hard day. Her colleagues shunned it, but Advertising Age subsequently called it the best slogan in the 20 th century. It introduced the custom of a diamond engagement ring.
#3. Volkswagen — “Think Small” (1959)
Doyle Dane Bernbach had to devise an advertising program that would move American customers of big cars to buy the Volkswagen Beetle. Their advertisement campaign was able to market the small size of the Volkswagen Beetle. The advertising sector underwent total reformation due to the use of straightforward print advertisements by the company.
#4. Las Vegas — “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” (1998)
Mark E. Brown needed to revamp Las Vegas into something more than a casino town. Liberty was the primary idea that the team chose. The slogan was so widespread that it was quoted on The Jay Leno Show by Laura Bush.
Accidental Genius
#5. Avis — “We Try Harder” (1962)
At the time that Doyle Dane Bernbach took the Avis account, it was lagging behind Hertz. Bill Bernbach asked why anyone should rent from Avis. President Robert Townsend replied, “Well… we try harder.” That spontaneous admission became one of advertising’s most enduring popular slogans.
#6. Got Milk? (1993)
Jeff Goodby was struggling to make milk interesting. During a focus group, a participant remarked, “The only time I think about milk is when I run out.” Goodby scrawled “got milk?” on a poster board. The campaign launched with 70 commercials featuring celebrities with milk moustaches.
#7. Allstate — “You’re in Good Hands” (1950)
A sales manager coined this phrase after his wife said their sick daughter was “in good hands” with their doctor. It has been used for seventy years as one of the most reliable expressions in insurance.
#8. I Love New York (1977)
Milton Glaser, a designer, created the now-popular logo on a taxi ride on an envelope with a red crayon. He was a pro bono worker who did not imagine that this would be permanent. It is still one of the most well-known tourism slogans in the world.
#9. Maxwell House — “Good to the Last Drop”
Maxwell House alleged that President Theodore Roosevelt said this after taking their coffee in 1907. Although probably a concocted PR tale by the ad agency, the slogan became a permanent part of the packaging more than 100 years later.
#10. Staples — “That Was Easy” (2001)
In one of their brainstorming sessions, Leslie Sims said it would be nice to hit a button and come up with a great idea so that the team could go to lunch. That informal desire came to be known as the Easy Button idea and slogan. Until early 2005, the campaign was ubiquitous.
Competitive Fire
#11. Apple — “Think Different” (1998)
Craig Tanimoto developed this slogan to go against the IBM slogan of Think IBM. The Here to the Crazy Ones ad involved Einstein and John Lennon. The advertisement reinvented Apple as the organisation of innovative minds.
#12. Wendy’s — “Where’s the Beef?” (1984)
An actress by the name Clara Peller asked a question, ” Where is the beef? In an advert where the actor appeared. The Wendy’s slogan was able to boost their sales by 31 percent. The term was so widely used that presidential candidate Walter Mondale attacked presidential candidate Gary Hart with it.
#11. KFC — “Finger Lickin’ Good”
Colonel Sanders got into the business of selling fried chicken in a Shell gas station. The company adopted his catchphrase, which was popular as their business slogan. The character of the Colonel was still played by celebrities even after his death.
#12. McDonald’s — “I’m Lovin’ It” (2003)
McDonald’s invested 1.37 billion to sponsor this campaign, and 6 million was given to Justin Timberlake. It was a German slogan, Ich Liebe Es. This was the longest advertising campaign adopted by the McDonald’s brand.
#13. L’Oréal — “Because You’re Worth It” (1973)
This was revolutionary. The majority of beauty advertisements were based on appealing to men. The slogan of L’Oréal was focused on female autonomy. Eighty percent of women today relate positively to the phrase.
The Power of Personality
#14. Trix Cereal — “Trix Are for Kids” (1959)
This exclusionary slogan was created by Joe Harris, who created the Trix Rabbit. The storyline followed the rabbit’s desperate attempts to get the cereal. It became Kellogg’s longest-running marketing effort.
#15. Rice Krispies — “Snap! Crackle! Pop!”
The advertising slogan referred to the sound which the cereal produced after milk was added. The 1941 package design introduced three cartoon elf mascots who represented the three sounds. The campaign has continued for more than eight decades.
#16. Goldfish — “The Snack That Smiles Back”
In 1962, Pepperidge Farm introduced its Goldfish crackers to the world. Each package comes with its smiling fish character, “Finn,” which can be found on all of their packages. This is taking an ordinary observation and making it a promise.
#17. Old Spice — “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (2010)
It was an ad slogan that had initially been run during the Super Bowl, and Isaiah Mustafa was a part of it. The campaign transformed a 70-year-old brand and repositioned it to the consumers of a younger age. The next year sales increased by 11%.
#18. Energizer — “It Keeps Going, and Going, and Going…”
The pink bunny was a parody of a similar rabbit by Duracell. In 2008, the mascot was recognised by 95 percent of the consumers. Energiser has a branded competitive advantage due to the similarities between modern batteries.
Promises and Possibilities
#19. Bounty — “The Quicker Picker-Upper” (1965)
The absorbency of the Procter & Gamble Company has used in the Bounty advertisement campaign, as it is the best advertisement message to show the weakness of the paper towels. Bounty has been positioning itself as the best paper towel product according to all the test results.
#20. Geico — “15 Minutes Could Save You 15% or More”
Geico controlled only 2 percent of the car insurance market before this slogan. They ranked second to State Farm by 2017. The slogan makes a promise which is specific and quantifiable.
#21. American Express — “Don’t Leave Home Without It” (1975)
This tagline was rated the second most powerful tagline since 1948, and it has changed the way credit cards are viewed as a convenient payment means for necessities when travelling.
#22. M&M’s — “Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands” (1954)
This is the slogan that solved the problem of the messiness of chocolate. The innovation by M&M was the hard candy shell, and the slogan made it memorable. It is one of the top 10 most influential taglines.
#23. Timex — “Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking” (1956)
Timex demonstrated this slogan through live torture tests on television. The watches were subjected to washing machines and paint mixers. The slogan defined ruggedness for a generation.
Modern Classics
#24. Red Bull — “It Gives You Wings!”
The energy drink positioned itself in competition with coffee using this aspirational slogan. It had the capability to create a new form of beverage that was entirely different.
#25. Skittles — “Taste the Rainbow” (1990s)
Skittles has been the most successful among the American populace that enjoys non-chocolate candy products as of 2016. The motto justifies the reason why the introduction of new products by the use of effective advertising campaigns assists the businesses in building various product identities.
#26. Maybelline — “Maybe She’s Born With It, Maybe It’s Maybelline”
This is a step that was also taken by Maybelline itself in the early 1990s, thus affording the company the opportunity to seize a spot in the competition with CoverGirl. The slogan utilised natural beauty as its main strength in order to capture the customers who desired natural beauty but without makeup products.
#27. Disneyland — “The Happiest Place on Earth” (1955)
Walt Disney had a desire to provide an area where families could have a fun time together. The vision, which was maintained by the slogan, has remained topical even nearly 70 years after it was created.
#28. Harley Davidson — “American by Birth, Rebel by Choice”
The company does not just sell motorcycles, as it gives the customers the adventure experience as well as personal identity. It is a slogan that defines this way of life in such an immaculate and unblemished way that Barbie has even emerged with a special edition Harley Davidson doll.
#29. Verizon — “Can You Hear Me Now?” (2002)
The Test Man character was portrayed on several occasions by Paul Marcarelli in a span of 10 years. The network advertisement used a question that viewers could easily understand to demonstrate its trustworthy service.
Creating Your Own Memorable Slogan
These 31 well-known company slogans and phrases have three common characteristics which make them easy to comprehend while delivering strong emotional power and authentic appeal.
When you are making a slogan to use in your business, keep in mind that the best company taglines tend to appear in unlikely sources. Listen to how the customers characterise you and what they identify with you.
Cognitive IT Solutions provides Digital Marketing Services, which assist businesses in developing their brand voice. We assist you in creating effective slogans and complete brand identities through our expertise in finding impactful words.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can small businesses benefit from famous slogans-style marketing?
Absolutely. Famous slogans follow the principles regardless of the size of the company. Focus on what makes you unique.
How often should business slogans be changed?
The majority of specialists suggest the use of a winning slogan for as long as possible. Avis employed We Try Harder ” for over 50 years. Business slogans do not need to be switched because this deters customers from identifying with the business.
What’s the difference between a slogan and a tagline?
Slogans are specific to the campaign, whereas the taglines tend to be permanent. Nevertheless, lots of brands and slogans serve as both. You can find various famous brands and slogans by reading the blog above that serves as both.