Got slogan?

Guidelines for creating effective slogans

Chiranjeev Kohli
a,

, Lance Leuthesser
a
, Rajneesh Suri
b
a
College of Business, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA
b
LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS
Slogans;
Taglines;
Jingles;
Brand name;
Brand image;
Brand equity;
Corporate identity
1. Long live the brandwith a little help
Just Do It: Nike's rallying call to athletes
everywhere is as familiar as the brand name itself.
This example illustrates perfectly the vast power
and might that can be wielded by the device known
as the slogan, termed in honor of the Scottish Gaelic
word slogorne, for battle-cry. Together with
brand name and logo, the slogan represents one of
the three key elements of brand identity; that is,
the elements by which the brand communicates
with the world around it (Kohli, Suri, & Thakor,
2002). Although pieces of the same whole, each
component of brand identity is distinct and serves a
particular function, as detailed next.
For its part, the brand name gives a product its
core identity. It is the anchor for a brand's image,
and cannot be changed easily. Logos, whether
stylized depictions of brand names or more abstract
designs, serve as visual cues for faster processing
and universal recognition of brands across different
languages and cultures. As such, logos are rarely
changed in a significant way, but are sometimes
modified or updated to stay current. Finally, slogans
play an important supporting role in brand identity.
A brand name, most often no longer than a word or
two, cannot say much in a literal sense; the same is
true for logos. No doubt, these elements of brand
identity can acquire rich imagery and meaning
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: ckohli@fullerton.edu (C. Kohli),
lleuthesser@fullerton.edu (L. Leuthesser), surir@drexel.edu
(R. Suri).
www.elsevier.com/locate/bushor
0007-6813/$ - see front matter 2007 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2007.05.002
Business Horizons (2007) 50, 415422
through brand associations established over time.
They are, however, limited in creating an image
because they lack the inherent ability to say much
about the product. As a result, a preponderance of
this task is left to advertising over the long run.
Slogans can bridge this gap, and can and must say
something about the image of the product, thereby
making it possible to communicate what the brand is
about. In this manner, slogans provide a unique and
significant contribution to a brand's identity. This
identity, in turn, enhances brand awareness and
brand image through recognition, recall, and
favorable associations for the brand. Thus, slogans
can serve as hooks or handles in capturing the
meaning of a brand and in relaying what makes the
brand special (Dahln & Rosengren, 2005; Keller,
1998).
The brand name and logo are intricately tied to a
brand's inherent identity. The brand name is a
brand's identity in its most basic form. This being
the case, any change of a brand name will lead to an
almost complete loss of identity. A logo is also in a
similar position, but lends itself to updating.
Consider this information in light of the experience
of Pepsi, which has, for about a century, retained its
name unchanged, but evolved its logo. Over the
years, the company has maintained an overall
graphic scheme consistent with the brand's image,
but has periodically updated its logo to reflect a
contemporary look. As much as consistency in a
brand's image and communication is crucial to its
long-term equity, markets change, and brands have
to respond accordingly. Since names and logos
cannot be easily changed, a slogan is in a unique
position to act as a bridge between a brand's legacy
and its evolving image. It is the most dynamic
element of a brand's identity, the one most easily
and most often altered, when needed. Apparently,
Pepsi has felt that need approximately 10 times over
the span of a century, having traded out (many
times over) its original 1902 catchphrase, Cures
nervousness. Relieves exhaustion, in favor of,
among others, the current The Joy of Pepsi.
2. The importance of slogans in branding
An understanding of factors that influence the
perceptions of brands is important because brands
are among the most valuable corporate assets. Each
year, Business Week reports brand equity of major
brands as estimated by the global branding consult-
ing company, Interbrand. The top brands worldwide
are valued in the tens of billions of dollars, making
their careful management a top corporate priority
(Brady et al., 2004). The dollar value of a brand's
equity is generally based on its ability to generate
economic profits.
Fig. 1, which has been adapted from Aaker
(1991), is a model of brand equity and its ante-
cedents. Brands with high equity are rewarded with
profits above the level that would be expected
under purely competitive conditions in an undiffer-
entiated market. Brand equity is the differential
effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to
marketing efforts. Thus, differentiation lies at the
heart of a brand's equity. Without differentiation, a
brand can never seek a premium or earn economic
profits. In some instances, differentiation is rela-
tively easy to create (e.g., automobiles, breakfast
cereal), whereas in other instances it can be much
more challenging (e.g., gasoline, bottled water).
Regardless, customers should have sufficient brand
knowledge to form perceptions about differences
among the brands.
The two primary factors that influence brand
knowledge are brand awareness and brand image.
The most common indicators of brand awareness are
brand recall and brand recognition. Brand recall is
the respondent's ability to remember the brand
without any aid. Brand recognition, on the other
hand, is aided recall, an easier task; it is the
respondent's ability to identify the brand from a list
that is provided. Brand image is typically assessed
by examining the type and strength of brand
associations. As can be seen, the role of slogans,
as with the other elements of brand identity, is to
enhance brand awareness and brand image, and, in
turn, influence brand knowledge.
The practical significance of slogans is well
illustrated in the results of a study that examined
changes in the market value of firms, when they
announced a change in slogans. Conducted by
Figure 1 The sloganbrand equity linkage.
416 C. Kohli et al.
Mathur and Mathur (1995), the research discovered
an increase in market values soon after the changes
were announced. The authors concluded that this
increase occurred because firms that announced
changes in slogans were perceived to have carefully
considered their marketing and advertising strate-
gies, and developed the new slogans as a positive
response to changes in factors such as demograph-
ics, consumer preferences, and competitive envi-
ronment. For example, Campbell Soup's shift from
M'm! M'm! Good to Never Underestimate the
Power of Soup received wide coverage in the media
and was seen as an attempt to make soup more
relevant to the everyday lifestyle. While it may or
may not have a lasting impact on the company's
market values, a change in slogan is considered a
clear signal of the management's intent, significant
enough to influence the marketplace and to create
a buzz in the media.
There is also ample anecdotal evidence to
support the importance of slogans. In 1997, Pizza
Hut ran a series of ads declaring war on skimpy,
low-quality pizza, challenging anyone to find a
better pizza than Pizza Hut. One of its competitors,
Papa John's, took up the challenge by running spots
featuring Frank Carney, a co-founder of Pizza Hut,
who by that time was a Papa John's franchisee.
Touting the quality of Papa John's, the commercials
made specific claims regarding the superiority of the
company's sauce, dough, or toppings, and concluded
with the slogan Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.
The ads proved very effective; within a year, Papa
John's market share increased significantly while
Pizza Hut's declined. Ultimately, Pizza Hut sued Papa
John's, asserting that the Better Ingredients.
Better Pizza slogan was a false advertising claim.
In the end, Papa John's prevailed, as the court ruled
that its slogan was essentially marketing puffery
because the termbetter was not quantifiable (see
Sacasas, 2001). The entire episode, however,
demanded a significant commitment of time and
resources from each firm. Clearly, this case illus-
trates the power of slogans as the central front of a
brand's overall communication strategy.
The remainder of this article considers how
slogans are used in practice, as well as the
theoretical underpinnings behind the practice, and
concludes with suggested guidelines for creating
effective slogans. We employ the term slogan,
although the labels taglines and brand signatures
have also been used. While slogans may be used in
connection with short-term promotions (e.g., to
link a brand with a major event, such as the
Olympics), most often they are part of a long-term
strategy for brand identity. The latter usage is the
focus of this article.
3. Deconstructing slogans: What we know
from theory and practice
As Fig. 1 shows, slogans contribute to the attain-
ment of two broad objectives: (1) enhancing brand
awareness and (2) creating, supporting, or changing
the brand's image or perceptions; that is, position-
ing or repositioning the brand. Clearly, these
objectives are not mutually exclusive, and market-
ers endeavor to develop slogans that serve both of
these objectives effectively. In the sections that
follow, we examine the literature on the role of
slogans in influencing both brand awareness and
brand image, and provide relevant examples from
practice.
3.1. Enhancing brand awareness
Much of the relatively sparse academic research on
slogans has investigated effects related to aware-
ness. Two components of memorability, recognition
and recall, are most widely used to assess brand
awareness. One stream of research on advertising
has investigated the effect of priming, whereby
frequent and recent ideas come to mind more
readily than ideas that have not been activated as
recently or frequently (Fiske & Taylor, 1984). The
efficacy of priming has been demonstrated in a
variety of cognitive tasks, such as naming objects or
identifying words (Higgins, Bargh, & Lombardi,
1985; McNamara & Altarribba, 1988; Tabossi,
1988). Notably, Homer and Kahle (1986) demon-
strated a strong positive effect of priming on
message recall. Adding to the base of knowledge,
Boush (1993) examined priming in the context of
slogans. During the course of Boush's research,
individuals were first exposed to slogans that
primed certain attributes of the brands, and
afterward the individuals were asked to rate
potential extensions of the brands. Extensions that
had characteristics in common with the primed
attributes were rated more favorably than exten-
sions that did not have characteristics in common,
suggesting that the primed attributes were retained
in memory. Slogans in advertising have become so
widespread that a great proportion of ads are now
signed off with them (Lamons, 1997). Given the
proximity of slogans to the brands in any commer-
cial message, they appear to be attractive vehicles
for priming key attributes for a brand.
Slogans are often presented as jingles because
this form is thought to do a better job of enhancing
memory and recall. Yalch (1991) examined the
conditions under which jingles serve as effective
mnemonics for linking slogans to their respective
brands. He did this by presenting individuals with a
list of frequently used advertising slogans, including
417 Got slogan? Guidelines for creating effective slogans
jingle and non-jingle slogans, and asking those
individuals to identify the brands associated with
the slogans. Using a recall test (requiring individuals
to identify the brand associated with each slogan,
without providing a list of brands for reference), he
found that slogans were correctly associated with
the brand significantly more often when they were
presented as jingles. This supports the assertion
that finger-snapping, toe-tapping songs have tre-
mendous power because they are memorable
(Wells, Burnett, & Moriarty, 1989, p. 201). When
the memory test was easier (i.e., simple recogni-
tion, selecting brand names from a list), however,
the scholar found no difference in individuals'
abilities to correctly associate slogans and brands
for the jingle versus non-jingle format. In a second
experiment, Yalch (1991) found that when indivi-
duals were exposed to audio taped advertisements
containing slogans, they were able to associate the
slogan with the brand more often when the slogan
was in jingle form. However, this difference was not
obtained when the ads were repeated a second
time. Based on the results of these two studies,
Yalch concluded that jingles can be effective
mnemonics for linking slogans to brand when other
cues are lacking.
When multiple cues are available, however, the
incremental effect of using a jingle might be
minimal. Furthermore, there is some evidence
that music may distract from the cognitive proces-
sing of advertising information (Park & Young,
1986), so the use of jingles in advertising should
be carefully coordinated with the other message
content and the amount of information processing
required. Given the totality of this information,
jingles may serve as a quick fix, but may not make
lasting contributions. Accordingly, jingles are better
suited for companies that have limited budgets,
which restricts the type of media they can use
(audio only, as opposed to television commercials)
and the number of exposures they can create for
their target market. Larger companies with higher
discretionary spending do not stand to gain much
from jingles. In fact, the distracting effect of music
may negate any short-term gain jingles have to
offer.
The relationship between slogan complexity and
recall has also been investigated. Corder (1986)
reported that several studies assessing recall
showed that while, overall, there was a strong
positive correlation between advertising exposure
and ability to correctly identify slogans, shorter
slogans were learned more quickly than complex
ones. Along similar lines, Bradley and Meeds (2002)
manipulated the syntactic complexity of slogans
while retaining their meaning. They did this by using
active versus passive voice (passive being more
complex) and by placing adverbs near the verb,
versus away from the verb (away from the verb
being more complex). The researchers found that
comprehension of slogans was not affected by
these manipulations, but that recognition (i.e.,
selecting from a list) was better for simple structure
(i.e., active voice, adverb near verb). Interestingly,
however, they found that recall was not better for
simple structure, a finding the authors attributed to
the notion that complexity may have led to deeper
processing, and possibly enhanced memory. This is
consistent with the elaboration likelihood model
(Petty, Cacciopo, & Schuman, 1983) and suggests
that insofar as slogans go, keeping it simple may
not necessarily be better when it comes to making
them memorable.
Additional research has suggested that increasing
complexity of phrases through the use of figurative
devices may enhance their appreciation (McQuarrie
& Mick, 1999). Consistent with this, Lagerwerf
(2002) found that deliberate ambiguity (specifically,
the use of pun) could enhance the appreciation of
advertising slogans. For example, a political ad for
Ken Livingstone as candidate for mayor of London
featured a photo of the candidate standing in a
London Underground car, hand firmly grasping the
overhead rail. The photo carried the caption where
Ken stands on the Tube, a backhanded reference to
controversy over proposed changes to London's
underground transit system. Lagerwerf's research
showed that this kind of creativity was effective, as
long as the ambiguity was recognized by the
audience and they were able to resolve it. If a
deliberately ambiguous slogan is not recognized as
such, or if it is recognized as ambiguous but the
literal and figurative meanings cannot be reconciled
satisfactorily, then the strategy is ineffective or may
even have a negative effect. Rhetorical devices
such as deliberate ambiguity must therefore be used
cautiously; you can be creative, but not too
creative.
Of critical importance is to link the slogan to the
brand name. Regardless of how memorable a slogan
may be, it can't help brand awareness if it is not
correctly associated with the brand. Improving
Home Improvement. You Can Do It We Can
Help. One Client at a Time. Because You're
Worth It. The Company You Keep. Quick: what
brands do these slogans bring to mind? The problem
of incorrect slogan recall is a persistent one in
marketing, having been highlighted for almost
four decades now. Topic pioneers Katz and Rose
(1969) found that there is significant incorrect
recall for slogans, especially in heavily advertised
product categories with little product differentiation
418 C. Kohli et al.
(specifically, cigarettes). Not surprisingly, they also
found that correct recall was higher among users of
the product than non-users. Interestingly, however,
the duo discovered that slogans for cigarette brands
with large advertising budgets were not necessarily
more correctly associated with their brands than
those for brands with smaller budgets.
An interesting phenomenon is bogus recall,
whereby people report that they have seen a
slogan used in advertising, even when it is
fictitious. Surveying 200 respondents to explore
this concept, Glassman and Ford (1988) concluded
that bogus recall is, indeed, a serious problem for
marketing researchers. In fact, the authors found
bogus recall rates to be so high that they called for
improvement in the methodology used to test
recall. Most recently, Kiley (2004) reported the
dismal results of a Business Week survey of 500
people who were asked to link slogans with their
brands. Among 30 prominent brands, the median
proportion of correct linkages was a remarkably
low 6%. Although a few standouts did exist (e.g.,
Allstate Insurance (You're in Good Hands) 87%;
State Farm (Like a Good Neighbor) 70%; Wal-Mart
(Always Low Prices. Always) 67%), duds were
much more commonplace (e.g., K-Mart (Right
Here, Right Now) 1%; Staples (That was Easy)
0%; Wendy's (It's Better Here) 0%). With the
growing use of slogans, the challenge of correctly
linking brands and slogans is almost certain to
increase (Lamons, 1997). This is a weakness in the
industry that should be corrected. It is also worth
noting that the high link slogans are those which
have not been altered over the years, attesting to
the power of consistency.
3.2. Brand image and positioning
While it is obvious that brand awareness is prerequi-
site to any higher order communication related to the
brand, slogans are capable of achieving much more
than brand awareness. They also have the ability to
create brand image, which is often measured by
assessing the nature and prominence of brand
associations. Surprisingly, very little research on
slogans has been directed toward the study of this
aspect of their use. Supphellen and Nygaardsvik
(2002) proposed a three-stage model for testing
country slogans (i.e., slogans used to promote
tourism). The first stage involves qualitative assess-
ment of associations elicitedby theslogan, the second
stage assesses slogan recall and recognition, and the
third stage tests the slogan in a commercial context
(e.g., incorporated into advertisements) in order to
obtain realistic measures of ad and brand attitude,
brand awareness, and brand image. The above cited
research reported only on first stage testing of the
slogan Any Decent Doctor Would Prescribe Norway,
developed by the Norwegian Tourist Board. This
slogan, in which Norway was replaced with (coun-
try), was presented to respondents who rated its fit
with each of 18 countries. They found that three
countries, Canada, Switzerland, and Norway, were
rated highest, suggesting that the slogan was effec-
tiveinhighlighting themainappeal nature, wildlife,
and clean air of the brand (Norway).
In a study conducted by Boush (1993), slogans
were used to prime various attributes of a fictitious
brand of soup, Bella. For example, when Bella soup
was primed on the attribute nutrition, that
characteristic was moved to a top-of-mind posi-
tion. Respondents, after being primed on an
attribute, were then asked to evaluate potential
brand extensions of Bella, all extensions being food
products. The brand extensions were evaluated
more favorably when they were perceived to be
congruent with the primed attributes. For example,
a brand extension to frozen vegetables was per-
ceived to be most consistent with Bella soup, and
evaluated most favorably among brand extensions,
when Bella soup was primed on the attribute
nutrition. On the other hand, the frozen vegeta-
ble extension was perceived to be least consistent,
and was evaluated least favorably, when the primed
attribute of Bella soup was spiciness. A follow-up
study by Pryor and Brodie (1998) replicated Boush's
study and obtained findings consistent with it,
contributing additional evidence to suggest the
power of slogans in shaping brand perceptions.
Collectively, the previously mentioned studies
provide evidence that slogans can be effective in
positioning brands, and as such serve to underscore
the importance of slogans given the central role
that positioning plays in marketing strategy. At the
same time, however, slogans may need to be
changed to keep the brand updated. As such,
strategically, the objective of slogans should not
be to make the brand either over-positioned
(positioned too restrictively) or under-positioned
(positioned too vaguely). Clearly, crafting of the
slogan requires careful coordination with other
elements of the marketing mix and a clear vision
of the strategic direction of the brand.
4. Where do we go from here?
Having performed a thorough search of the litera-
ture, no article was found that focused specifically
on developing a systematic approach for creating
effective slogans. In response to this void, we
developed and here present a series of recommen-
dations that provide a coherent set of guidelines for
practicing managers. Constructed from research
419 Got slogan? Guidelines for creating effective slogans
related to the literature, these suggestions are as
follows:
(1) Keep your eye on the horizon. Brand strategy
is about knowing where you are and, more
importantly, where you are going. This
requires a long-term view and, among other
things, avoiding the constraints of a slogan
that defines the brand too narrowly. Slogans
created today should be able to embrace
tomorrow's business, because while they can
be changed if necessary, this expensive
exercise should be avoided. For many years,
Xerox Corporation was known to the public
simply as the Copier Company. As its
fortunes turned downward, Xerox groped for
a way to define itself better, eventually
becoming the Document Company. That
slogan didn't do a good job of accommodating
the scope of the company's activities, howev-
er, so Xerox has now become the provider of
Solutions for a Changing World. On the other
hand, BMW's The Ultimate Driving Machine
has stood the test of time. The slogan is
focused, and emphasizes that BMW produces
the best driving devices available, a descrip-
tion that easily encompasses any automotive
product, including cars and motorcycles.
(2) Every slogan is a brand positioning tool, and it
should position the brand in a clear manner. A
brand can be positioned in many ways, and is
often positioned on features or benefits; for
example, Excedrin is The Headache Medi-
cine. In mature markets, a brand may be
positioned against a competitor; consider that
Avis is Number Two We Try Harder.
Positioning can be used to provide reassurance
and reinforce brand loyalty, as in Stouffer's
Nothing Comes Closer to Home. A brand
should have a clear positioning and the slogan
should highlight the brand's main strengths,
again, in a clear manner.
(3) Link the slogan to the brand. The level of
incorrect recall for slogans is shocking. In
addition to being used consistently in advertis-
ing, the slogan should be placed on packaging
and even on collateral materials that go to the
trade. Every available vehicle to connect the
slogan to the brand should be used to drive home
a consistent image. Managers should ensure the
slogan evokes their brand name, and should do
market tests toverify it. If acompetitor's nameis
being evoked, for all practical purposes, it is
negative advertising!
An obvious way to enhance correct brand
recall is to include the brand name in the
slogan (My Doctor Said Mylanta, Aetna, I'm
Glad I Met Ya, If You're Not Wearing Dockers,
You're Just Wearing Pants). Surprisingly, the
vast majority of slogans do not include the
brand name. Although the practice of includ-
ing the brand name in the slogan may
somewhat limit creative flexibility, potential
benefits are great given the magnitude of the
recall problem. This would appear to be
particularly the case for brands with small
advertising budgets and infrequent exposure,
as well as brands in categories with relatively
undifferentiated products.
(4) Please repeat that. Since most advertising
campaigns involve multiple ads over the course
of the campaign period, the specific ideas
communicated in the advertisements will nec-
essarily vary across different ads. In many cases,
the slogan is the only element that can be kept
absolutely consistent from ad to ad, creating
the repetition that makes slogans memorable
and which, in turn, leads to a consistent brand
image. Brands that have used their slogans
consistently also garner the highest recall rates.
For example, while Allstate's ads may focus on
safe driving bonuses, deductible rewards, acci-
dent forgiveness, or new car replacement, the
overall theme, which is captured by the slogan,
remains the same: You're in Good Hands.
(5) Jingle, jangle. There is a fair amount of
evidence that jingles enhance memorability,
especially in the short run. Given enough time
and repetition, however, jingles may not be
recalled at a significantly greater rate than
non-jingle slogans. In such cases, use of
meaning, abstraction, and consistency will
go a long way. For example, Just Do It does
it for Nike, given its ubiquitous presence.
However, for small businesses (e.g., local car
dealerships), which may have limited adver-
tising budgets or use an audio-only vehicle like
radio, jingles may provide a valuable jump
start on brand awareness.
(6) Use slogans at the outset. Slogans are a
fundamental component of brand identity;
accordingly, one of our basic assertions is that
marketers who fail to use slogans lose an
important tool for building brand image.
Research on the effect of priming has shown
that ideas formed during the encoding of
a stimulus are instrumental in influencing
420 C. Kohli et al.
memory, and a brand's image is primarily
created in its formative stages in the market-
place. In practical terms, marketers should
use slogans at the outset to prime the
importance of certain attributes of a brand,
and to shape a brand's image accordingly.
Otherwise, they lose a significant opportunity.
(7) It's okay to be creative. The keep it simple
principle isn't a golden rule when it comes to
slogans. While most slogans are kept simple
for the sake of brevity, evidence suggests that
slogans with a moderate level of syntactic or
semantic complexity trigger deeper proces-
sing and may be recalled better than simpler
ones. Vicks NyQuil has adopted this approach
as The Nighttime, Sniffling, Sneezing, Cough-
ing, Aching, Stuffy Head, Fever, So You Can
Rest Medicine. Slogans that prompt consu-
mers to process the information more deeply
have a better chance of standing out and
being recalled from a sea of indistinct com-
mercial messages individuals are exposed to
every day. This should also lead to lower bogus
recall, a serious problem with slogans. It's
important, however, to ensure that your
audience gets it, and is not left wondering
what message the slogan is trying to convey.
5. A final word
Complementing the brand name and logo, the slogan
is an important component of brand identity. Given
its power to communicate what a brand has to offer, a
slogan has the potential to change brand perceptions
immediately. When effective, a slogan can enhance
brand awareness and brand image, thus contributing
to brand equity over the long run. Heretofore, slogan
development has been mainly a hit or miss process,
done in the absence of a guiding framework. It is not
surprising, then, that marketers have often failed to
harness the power of slogans, particularly in terms of
enhancing brandawareness, as evidencedby the poor
recall scores for even top brands in the Business Week
survey (Kiley, 2004). The guidelines we propose are
intended to provide structure to the creative process
of developing effective slogans.
First and foremost, a slogan must be part of a
strategic view of brand identity, because the slogan,
in contrast to the brand name or logo, is capable of
telling where the brand is going. The slogan must be
memorable, and we have identified factors that
have been shown to be related to slogan memora-
bility and recall. Surprisingly, simple is not always
the best recommendation here. Further, a slogan
can help in shaping the brand's image and position-
ing, and thus play a key role in implementing a
differentiation strategy. In this regard, the most
effective slogans are likely to be those that
emphasize points of difference that are not only
meaningful, but congruent with existing brand
perceptions, as well. The above goals, achieved
consistently over the long run, should positively
impact brand knowledge and, in turn, brand equity.
By following the guidelines we propose herein,
marketers may better achieve slogan success.
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