Got slogan? Guidelines for creating effective slogans

Abstract

Slogans are a key element of a brand's identity, and contribute to a brand's equity. In today's marketplace, almost all brands employ slogans; they enhance a brand's image, aid in its recognition and recall, and help create brand differentiation in consumers' minds. While there is general consensus on the importance of the device itself, little agreement exists as to what constitutes a successful slogan. As such, although marketing managers use slogans extensively, they are often at a loss when it comes to creating them. In turn, this leads to ineffective use of slogans and, ultimately, the possibility of a surprisingly poor linkage between a brand and its slogan, even among the most well-known brands. To explore this phenomenon, we surveyed articles from a variety of academic streams related to slogans, and also looked at industry publications for relevant case studies. Based on our investigation, we propose in this article a series of guidelines for the strategy behind slogans, and on creation and utilization of effective slogans. In particular, our findings should be of use to business practitioners. © 2007 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.