The Do's and Don'ts of Using a Slogan

A slogan is an important part of branding, and most of the time, it acts as the cornerstone of a company’s identity. It’s the catchy phrase that communicates your business purposes, values, or promises. 

When done right, a slogan can elevate your brand, enhance recall, and foster customer loyalty. Conversely, a poorly crafted slogan can easily confuse customers, damage your brand reputation, or simply go unnoticed. 

In this article, we’ll explore the essential do’s and don’ts of using a slogan to ensure it serves as a powerful tool in your branding strategy. 

A solid definition of a slogan 

Slogans are also known as logo taglines or straplines that inform users about your product and service in only a few words. Slogans can either represent what you offer or they are used to communicate any emotion that is associated with your brand.

Some good examples include: 

1. McDonald’s: “I’m lovin it” 
2. Apple: “Think different” 
3. KFC: “Finger lickin' good” 
4. Adidas: “Impossible is nothing” 
5. Nike: “Just Do It” 

If you’re designing a logo for your business and can’t think of a slogan, there are a few things you need to know. The main one is to make sure that your logo slogan attracts people to the logo itself. Some logos might be attractive, but their slogan isn’t, and vice-versa. 

The do’s of using a slogan 

1. Keep it short and memorable 

A good slogan is easy to remember. Just like Nike’s “Just Do It” or McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” These slogans are concise, yet resonating with your target audience. Therefore, you should aim for clarity without sacrificing meaning. 

Short slogans are beneficial since they are so easy to remember and it’s easier to plant them in the minds of people. Overall, simplicity helps create a lasting first impression in the minds of people. 

A concise slogan quickly delivers your brand’s message and captures attention in seconds. In the past 20 years, the attention span of people has dropped to 8.25 seconds, so this means it’s more important than ever to be straightforward. 

2. Align your slogan with your brand’s identity 

It’s always important that your slogan reflects your brand’s values, mission, and tone. For example, if you look at Disney’s slogan, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” it already shows that it’s promising joy and magic.

Your slogan should show what your brand stands for. For example, if you look at Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan, it shows that its identity reflects it as a fitness brand. 

Slogans have tones– which can be playful, inspiring, or serious and should always match your brand’s voice. For example, Coca Cola’s slogan is “Taste the Feeling,” which evokes a warm and joyful tone. 

Above all, when creating your slogan, you should highlight your unique selling point (USP). For example, M&M’s slogan is “Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands,” which means that they are highlighting their USP and M&Ms being delicious. 

3. Make it timeless 

Avoid using trendy language or references that can easily become outdated. A timeless slogan remains relevant and valuable as your brand grows. A timeless slogan is one that remains impactful and relevant across the years, quickly adapting to changing trends without losing its resonance. 

If you want your slogan to remain timeless, you need to make sure it‘s built around your brand’s mission and enduring principles, not temporary trends. Slogans are best when you avoid trendy phases, industry-specific words, and even slang. 

4. Test everything out 

Before finalizing your slogan, it’s always important to test everything out to make sure it aligns with your brand and communicates effectively. Here are the steps you need to follow to make it impactful. 

Firstly, determine what you want to learn. Does the slogan align with your brand identity? Is it memorable? Does it evoke the desired actions or emotions? 

After, choose your audience and get feedback. Consider including a mix of loyal customers, unbiased participants and new prospects for diverse insights.

In order to effectively test your slogan out, you can use four approaches: 

1. Surveys and polls: Create online surveys with options for feedback on the slogan. Ask participants to rate its clarity, relevance and appeal. 
2. Focus groups: Gather small groups for more in-depth discussions about the slogan. 
3. A/B testing: Compare your slogan with alternatives by running A/B tests on social media ads, emails, or landing pages. 
4. Social media feedback: Post your slogan on social media platforms and invite everyone to comment or react. You can use polls or hashtags to get replies. 

Feedback from your audience is always important if you want to succeed in the long-term and make sure you are using the right slogan. 

The don’ts of using a slogan 

1. Don’t make your slogan too long 

A lengthy slogan is hard to remember and can easily lose impact. A concise slogan is essential for building an effective and memorable brand identity. Here are the key reasons why your slogan needs to remain short: 

1. It’s easier to remember: As we mentioned before, the attention span of people has reduced so it’s important to keep your slogan as short and clear as possible. A short slogan sticks to your audience’s mind and increases your brand recognition. 
2. Quick impact: A brief slogan captures your audience’s attention instantly. 
3. Enhances brand recognition: When your slogan isn’t too long, it makes it easier to associate with your logo or name. 
4. Avoids complexity: Long slogans can easily leave room for misinterpretation. Shorter slogans deliver a more focused and clear idea that resonates with your audience. 

Therefore, make sure to always highlight your brand’s core message, choose strong words to emotionally impact people, and always see how much you can shorten your slogan. 

2. Don’t copy from competitors 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to make your slogan similar to your competitors. Copying a competitor’s slogan not only diminishes your brand’s authenticity but can also significantly harm your reputation and limit your maximum potential. 

That being said, let’s start to learn more on why it’s important to stay original: 

1. Builds unique brand identity: Your slogan should reflect your brand apart, not mimic another company. Copying other brands makes your business seem unoriginal, undermining credibility and trust. 
2. Avoids legal issues: Many slogans are trademarked and copying them can lead to fines and lawsuits. 
3. Prevents confusion: A copied slogan can easily confuse customers, leading them to associate your brand with your competitor. Distinctive slogans make sure your audience can easily identify and remember you. 

Being unique is what matters and the key to helping you remain successful in the long-term. 

3. Don’t overpromise 

This may sound interesting, but one of the biggest mistakes you can make is overpromising. Making claims that you can’t consistently deliver will not only damage your reputation, undermine trust, and alienate customers. 

Not overpromising helps build trust with your audience. A realistic slogan establishes credibility, and the downside of overpromising is that it can set expectations that you might not meet, leading to disappointment and mistrust. 

Delivering on your slogan is what creates satisfied customers who recommend and return to your brand. 

4. Don’t ignore feedback 

Feedback is an invaluable resource when refining your slogan. Ignoring it can lead to lots of missed opportunities, and not only does it disconnect with your audience and a weaker brand identity, but there are also many other things to worry about as well. 

Therefore, it’s important to listen to feedback and here’s why: 

1. Ensures audience resonance: Your slogan is meant to connect with your target audience. Feedback helps you understand whether your slogans align with your values, emotions, and expectations. 
2. Highlights weaknesses and strengths: Constructive criticism sheds light on what’s working and what isn’t. It helps you refine your slogan to be more impactful and effective. 
3. Identifies miscommunication: Feedback reveals if your slogan is being misinterpreted or failing to convey your intended message. 
4. Improves memorability: Feedback can uncover whether your slogan is easy to remember and repeat it. 

If you want to effectively gather feedback, it’s important that you use surveys, polls, conduct A/B testing, and ensure social media engagement. 

Your slogan is a powerful branding tool that can leave a strong first impression on your audience 

A slogan is a powerful branding tool that can leave a lasting impression on your audience. By adhering to the do’s– such as keeping it simple, aligning with your brand’s identity, and emphasizing benefits, and avoiding the don’ts like overpromising, copying, and ignoring feedback. 

Nevertheless, you can craft a powerful slogan that can effectively communicate your brand’s essence. Always remember that a great slogan isn’t just about having an effective tagline, but reflects your brand’s promises to its customers.