Call it a tag line, slogan or theme line, it’s the essence of your brand – distilled into (preferably) seven words or less. A theme line can:• Express your company’s vision or unique market position.• Define your brand’s character or extol a benefit.• Align your company’s values with that of your target.• Promise to fulfill an important need or desire.
What makes great theme line? The best ones tend to be short, powerful summations tied inextricably to the character or "gestalt" of the brand. Recently, Business Week interviewed branding expert Eric Swart, who surveyed 100 marketing professionals about their favorite theme lines. The results:
1. "Got milk?" (1993, California Milk Processor Board)2. "Don't leave home without it" (1975, American Express)3. "Just do it" (1988, Nike)4. "Where's the beef?" (1984, Wendy's)5. "You're in good hands with Allstate" (1956, Allstate Insurance)6. "Think different" (1998, Apple Computer)7. "We try harder" (1962, Avis)8. "Tastes great, less filling" (1974, Miller Light)9. "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" (1954, M&M Candies)10. "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (1956, Timex)
Swartz noted that, since the mid-1990s, there has been an emphasis on community in theme lines. He believes this is because the Internet has made us aware that we are globally interdependent. Among the most popular modern slogans are those that reflect this type of thinking, such as "Solutions for a small planet" from IBM, "The world's online marketplace" from eBay and "Share a moment, share a life" from Kodak.Next time, we’ll look at the process of developing a great theme line.
What’s your favorite theme line?
Tom,
too bad his research didn't list the top 20. A couple of years ago, Newsweek listed the all-time top 20 ad slogans, and Howie Cohen, our chief creative officer had two in the top 20!
"Try it you'll like it." and "I can't believe i ate the whole thing!"
HIs lines have actually become part of the American venacular.
Hi Tom,
Joe actually beat me to it with his comment about Howie.
Back when those spots were running, there was probably not a single family who did not have at least one or more members constantly repeating Howie's lines. And all these years later, many still are.