| What Is a Tag Line? | | | | customer will think of your product or service before |
| A tag line (also known as a "strapline") is a punchy | | | | that of a competitor: e.g. on the side of TESCO |
| slogan that follows a logo or company name. For | | | | superstore trucks, "You shop, we drop." Or DFS's |
| example, Jaguar's tag line is "Don't dream it. Drive it." | | | | "Think sofas, think DFS." Or the Automobile |
| Or IBM's "I think, therefore IBM." | | | | Association's "Just AAsk." |
| The tag line evokes an image of the product or | | | | 6. Meaningful - if it doesn't make sense, no one will |
| service whenever a person reads or hears it. It helps | | | | remember it: e.g. Abbot Ale's "When you're ready, |
| to establish a brand in a person's mind. | | | | you'll find it" or Foster's "Tickle it you wrigglers!" What |
| 10 Tips for Writing Tag Lines | | | | do these mean? |
| Keep your tagline | | | | And make sure someone whose first language isn't |
| 1. Simple - 5 short, one-syllable words are easier to | | | | English will understand your tag line. An Australian |
| remember than 25. Nike's "Just do it" is more | | | | might know what "Tickle it you wrigglers!" means, but |
| powerful than Iberia Airlines' "The best connections in | | | | would someone from Japan? |
| the world mean nothing if an airline forgets the | | | | 7. With the brand name included, if possible - the |
| human one." | | | | Automobile Association's "Just AAsk" is more |
| 2. Positive - negative statements don't sell. | | | | powerful than the anonymous Malaysia Airlines' "Going |
| 3. Original - like "Beanz meanz Heinz." | | | | beyond expectations" or WH Smith's "More of what |
| Not like Dixons' "The future ... for less" or Hyundai's | | | | you really want." |
| "A car first. A badge second," which could apply to a | | | | 8. With a sense of the brand's personality in it - |
| hundred different companies! | | | | WeightWatchers' "The weight is over." |
| 4. Benefit-laden - try to include a main benefit in your | | | | 9. Interesting - does WH Smith's "More of what you |
| tagline, something that will appeal to a reader's | | | | really want" grab you? |
| "What's in it for me?" mindset: e.g. Backlife's "Your | | | | 10. Free from the possibility of prompting a negative |
| personal back pain therapist." The reader/hearer | | | | remark - Mobil's "We want you to live" could give rise |
| shouldn't say, "So what?" | | | | to "That's obvious! |
| 5. Memorable - if it sticks in the mind, a potential | | | | |