Do you have a slogan that sticks?
The ripping response to our elevator pitch debate got me thinking of an even shorter (yet possibly more important) business branding element.
The strap line.
Also called the tag, tag line, end line, slogan and motto, this is a short, memorable phrase designed to connect consumers with a product, campaign or organisation. (Once again, Wikipedia nails it.)
For such a tiny device, tags can pack a BIG punch.
So let’s check ‘em out.
Word Association
Do you recognise these tags?
Products
- Avagoodweekend.
- Puts a rose in every cheek.
- Get one or get lost.
Organisations
- We try harder.
- Think different.
- For all creatures great and small.
Campaigns
- Got milk?
- Life, be in it.
- Yes we can.
See what I mean?
Needful Things
Coca Cola is odd in that they change their tag like there’s no tomorrow. I was stunned to see the extent of it.
To me, this extreme variability suggests they have zero to say (nyuk nyuk), but put an awful lot into saying it. However, it doesn’t appear to have done their megabrand status any harm.
Then you have what’s arguably the mother of all tags:
- Just do it.
I don’t use the products, but I like the simplicity, stability and stress of this statement.
Chickening Out
This month, KFC (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken) replaced their 50-year-old Finger-lickin’ good tag with:
- So good.
Again, I don’t eat the stuff, so this change doesn’t affect me.
Do you think it’s good or bad for the brand?
My Tag
My early Feisty Empire tags were lame*:
- Anything with words.
Too vague. No implied or intrinsic benefit.
- Clear, concise, correct communications.
Death by alliteration!
Luckily, brilliant Adam invented my current tag when designing my logo:
- Fighting words.
I love it – as do many clients: a rare confluence!
Not only is it short and nice to say, it has two meanings:
- I give clients powerful words with which to win market share.
- I fight bad words (e.g. long, wrong, tired words).
Question Time
If you have a tag:
- What is it?
- What does it mean?
- How did you get it?
If you don’t have one:
- Why not?
- Do you want one?
- Would you like everyone in this forum to brainstorm suggestions?
Tag:
you’re it!
* Though rather better than Coke’s 1966 effort!
Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire
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Author
Mike Boyle "the Sales Cat"
June 30, 2011 at 10:19 am
Paul
oh wow more of what i love, thankyou.
On this a statement i love:
Martin Luther King in 1963 did not stand up one day in Washington DC and say ” I have a………..mission statement!”
He stood up with conviction, love and passion for a cause and said ” I have a dream”
see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
This is the key to the tag!
What you say must create a shiver up your spine and a flutter in your heart. It must move people to ask for more, want more and deeply desire to join you and your tribe.
At Banjar Group our tag is “we build exceptional personal brands through a little sales science, be it child, adult, product or service”
” Now is the time”
Create tags that stir the emotions in people, your business success depends on it
Mike
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 10:42 am
Welcome back, Mike.
I (and I’m sure many others) love it when YOU rock up!
You add much to our forum. Including that ripper link. Thanks a truckload!
Author
Ferenc Mantfeld
June 30, 2011 at 10:45 am
Rubihawk: Illuminate. Empower. Transform.
Not sure how that grabs the audience. We duked this one out with our branding guy, the one who came up with our logo and look&feel.
Mike, would love your assessment.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 10:47 am
Nice one, Ferenc; I dig it! I’d also very much like to hear Mike’s expert opinion.
Author
Malcolm Owens
June 30, 2011 at 11:46 am
Hi Paul,
The Coke one is interesting and it’s because they have a brand awareness level that exceeds 95% (very rare) so their constant advertising is a brand reinforcement strategy. Therefore changing their tag brings something new to the brand and gets noticed.
Most would be afraid to do so. In marketing circles Nike’s Just Do It is considered the best – simple, descriptive, emotive and certainly campaignable.
KFC is an interesting one as they made the change due to changing consumer sentiment and the negative association with ‘fried’.
Whirlpool also; changed ‘Guess who’s mum has a Whirlpool’ to ‘Guess who has a Whirlpool’ no doubt in the name of political correctness.
Ideally your brand should be strong enough to stand alone without a tag but if you use one it should be meaningful and not just corporate wallpaper that doesn’t get noticed.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 11:51 am
Hiya, Malcolm. I was hoping to get your take on this. Thanks for bringing us all the extra info.
Great mention of Whirlpool. Didn’t realise they’d done that, but it sure makes sense!
Best regards, P.
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 11:51 am
Great topic. And your post turned up Paul as I was playing with Survey Monkey and in hovering over their logo discovered their tag line:
“The best thing since the opposable thumb”
I agree with Mike that your slogan (…and I think your brand name too) needs to give you a *slap*; help you to connect to that customer who you ‘get’ and who ‘gets’ you. Click.
The biggest problem of course is that everyone uses such generic terms that are devoid of personality.
And I am guilty of that. With a name like The Woo which is just a tad unique and original my tag line tones it down a bit (Love Your Marketing), but frankly your post has given me a shake and I really have to update it to something that is full of chutzpah, rythm, style…
Off I go to think it up.
In the meantime, if anyone here has a tag line that includes the terms “Business Solutions” apologies in advance when I let loose! Generic meaningless words that can be applied to a Business Coach, a Print Toner Company, or an Office Cleaner don’t just fail to say anything – they suck you of any brand substance. If you can take your tag line (as unfortunately I can do with mine at the moment…so please do as I say, not do as I do) and put it on another business and it works….it is a rotten positioning statement.
I think that is why I like yours so much Paul – It just wouldn’t make sense for anyone else.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 11:58 am
Great to see you too, Bambi. That was a damn fine guest post on our Sarah’s blog today!
Love Your Marketing works for me. But I’d be delighted to open the floor to suggestions if you’d like to save a $10,000 creative concept fee.
How about: Arrows to the Heart. (Too vague again?)
Thanks once again for your kind words and contribution.
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Hey Paul – I would be happy for all and any suggestions. You know how plumbers always have dripping taps…. Having to apply your expertise to your own biz can often be a case of “too close to the subject” (not to mention taking the time to work on the business rather than just in it).
I do like arrows…heart…
My blog is “The Heart of the matter” – so may be something there. “The heart of your business?”
Get your customers hot & ready?
From foreplay to relationships?
Mmm.
Help needed indeed.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 12:06 pm
You’re on, Bambi. Folks, let’s help her out!
Author
Malcolm Owens
June 30, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Sorry Ferenc,
Your brand guy got it so wrong. Dont mean to offend, I just say it like it is.
Ask yourself what those 3 ‘business speak’ words actually mean? What do they say about your business? I looked at it and had no idea what your business did, how you did it or what you were offering?
I clicked through to your website and saw the words represented on the corporate page but they don’t relate to the areas they claim to cover. Just words. They don’t mean anything and explain even less. I honestly believe you would be better off without them as they are white noise.
If you have, like Coke, a massive market presence and awareness ratings off the chart then you can have esoteric tags or positioning statements because people already know what you do. Spend millions on advertising and you can get away with just using your tag – ‘For a hard earned thirst’ or even your logo sans brand such as Nike’s swoosh logo.
Rushing to a meeting now but will continue this later today if you wish to check back!
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Thanks for your frank assessment, Malcolm. I know your intentions are pure. And I’m sure Ferenc is equal to your challenge.
Author
Ferenc Mantfeld
June 30, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Thanks for the feedback Malcolm. I like the good, the bad, the ugly.
If all I ever get is what I want to hear, I’ll never hear the truth. I suspected some of what you’re saying, but nobody has told me ‘between the eyes’ like you have.
Time to revisit this perhaps or elaborate. I’ll solicit some more feedback.
Thanks again.
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Ferenc – I am with Malcolm.
Again – if you lifted your tag off your business and threw it down on any of your competitors and it still works, and makes sense, then it isn’t helping you to cut through and build a distinct brand.
Perhaps you could use the ‘hawk’ part of your name. My perception is that Hawks fly very high scanning their environment and then are able to pick out, from a huge distance, a tiny little mouse.
Does your software that analyses a businesses numbers to help them make decisions, etc., actually start with a hawk like ‘hunt’ resulting in catching its prey? Diving down into the tiniest detail…with eyes that don’t miss a thing?
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 12:43 pm
This is very good …
Author
Daniel
June 30, 2011 at 1:02 pm
goddamnit – just when I thought my site close to where I wanted it – now I want to claw the tagline off the home page. Thanks Paul.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Sorry about that, Chief!
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Daniel – love your site design.
Also love “tame the wild beast”.
Maybe “Taming social media, teaching it some tricks & making it sit up and beg for more”? (Too long of course…).
A Naming Business that I really like is called Igor. And their tag line is “Building the perfect beast”. I particularly love how on their site they offer up the boring generic names of all of their competitors – Their name and tag line does double the work as it is such a great example of what they do: Great Naming.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 1:13 pm
We put the YOU in media. ?
(I see there’s already an ‘I’ in there …)
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Daniel…How about:
Psst
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Hi folks,
Our new business venture is a fitness training studio.
The business name is “Resistance Training”.
We are about to launch a “teaser” Internet Social media campaign (facebook, video blog, youtube channel, twitter, key wording and back linking, etc.) to build a profile and interest and build our Google page rank. We are going to offering something to the Melbourne fitness training market that hasn’t been seen before. It will partly be a personalit” driven brand and will have a funky, cutting edge image to it, while still having broad appeal. It’s has nothing to do with trends and fads, but rather a new approach and a level of quality that is very rare in the industry.
We are still working on ideas for a tag line.
We are thinking along the lines of “Join the Resistance”
Given what Mike said perhaps “Now is the time… Join the Resistance” might be better?
Or “Fitness Training Like No Other. Join the Resistance”
Any ideas/input/advice would be appreciated.
Jas
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 1:56 pm
How about: ‘Resistance isn’t Futile’?
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 1:58 pm
For Daniel,
I went to your site. I see one of your menu items is Social Media Marketing which seems to be your primary offering, so perhaps those words could be in your tag?
And, by the way, ask your web developer to ensure the images on your website are pre-loaded, that way your mouse rollovers will work more smoothly for first time visitors.
Jas.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Ain’t nothing like a good mouse rollover. Especially with cheese.
Author
Malcolm Owens
June 30, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Hello again Ferenc,
The bit on your site that made sense was:
Take control of your business with RubiHawk, the powerful new financial analysis tool that works in concert with your current MYOB accounting software. (Frame of reference/explanation)
Make vital business decisions across your entire enterprise with precision. (Promise)
RubiHawk eliminates the need for cumbersome spreadsheets and reveals more accurate and timely analysis on performance targets. (Benefit in user terms)
That’s what you need to say – explain what your product does and its consumer benefit. So put it in ‘What’s in it for me’ terminology and sell the reason why. A summary would be:
The pitch: Financial analysis software that provides precise, easy to use information for effective control of your business on a MYOB platform.
Key words: software – precise – easy – effective control – business
So we can get to:
Precision software for effective business control
Or to make it a bit more interesting and invite further interest:
The precision tool for business success
You may need to give this some more thought but hope this process helps!
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Good on you, Malcolm; this is great stuff!
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm
You are a gun, Malcolm!
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Keep ‘em coming, Paul!
Author
Mike Boyle "the Sales Cat"
June 30, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Malcolm
Great work on this.
if i may add for me the key for the site is to allow people to travel an emotional scale from PAIN to PLEASURE
Where do i desire to be in the future, of course one of the keys to value based selling.
Therefore in your site there should be terms, statements, explanations and or evidence of PROBLEMS YOU SOLVE FOR CUSTOMERS.
We add a little sales science to all we work with. That solves a problem for the CEO as he wants some science in selling because he wants sales!
Think about what problems you solve for customers. If there emotional buying brain then tells them ” hmmm thats me” they will seek and buy!
Lets be clear people do not just buy stuff! Sorry to burst the bubble, but they don’t. They buy a better place to be, less dissatisfaction with current life, more pleasure etc etc with your stuff. They buy stuff that moves them forward.
Mike
Author
Daniel
June 30, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Talk about a blog that gives back – Paul maybe you and Naomi should think about making the tagline for this ‘more than you bargained for’.
Thanks Bambi – that lgor tagline is a real winner! Psst.. I like that, will ponder further on what it could be followed with.
Jason thanks for the tip – that’s been annoying me! Nice biz name btw – you could build a whole theme around ‘Join the Resistance’; have a video montage of overweight people throwing down their mcdonalds burgers in disgust, throwing their xbox out the window, things that show them making a stand against their unhealthy lifestyle.. Not to mention all the cool campaigns you could integrate into a SM campaign. Look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Author
Adam Finlay
June 30, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Jason, how about ‘Join the movement’.
Works on multiple levels. Particularly if you tie it to a dynamic logo. (Speaking of tired business words, ‘dynamic’ is one such. But in this instance, it’s the word I want.)
Great topic, as usual Paul (and many thanks for the mention).
And great comments too, all. Onward.
Author
Sonia Cuff
June 30, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Great debate, everyone!
We have two tag lines. Our old one was ‘Local service – global strength’, which spoke to the large volume, experience and knowledge-sharing of our international group but personal service from your local franchisee.
During our last rebranding exercise, the tag ‘Technology Solved’ was created and added to our larger, standalone logo instead of the old tag.
Debate is still out on which one is ‘better’. I think they say two different things nicely.
Author
Malcolm Owens
June 30, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Easier to come up with a logo and tag line than to find a free night to hit the town with boys!
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Hey Jason. Are you locked into your name?
“Resistance Training” is a functional descriptive term and they are really ordinary names to build a brand upon…Difficult to get cut through, difficult to stand out, doesn’t convey the personality that I am sure the business will present.
And – as far as online – if folk remember the name and type in Resistance Training they get all of your competitors who offer that form of training.
Perhaps Resistance Training is all of part of the tag line – the descriptor – and you go for a more emotive experiential type name?
Must say that from Adam’s comment above I quite like “Onward”. In itself a great tag.
Author
Shauna, Secret Secretary
June 30, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Hi guys
I’d love some help with my tag line…I don’t really have one. The closest I suppose is the heading for one of my web pages: ‘Let Secret Secretary enable you to do what you do best!’
It’s a bit long, originally my concept was to be the ‘secret’ behind you business success, and now I’ve narrowed my niche down to Diary & Email management for Keynote Speakers and Social Media Assistance Services.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. http://www.secretsecretary.com.au
Author
Sonia Cuff
June 30, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Oh Shauna, please dont. So many people in computers & IT try and use that line and it’s bad. A marketing person once said it’s like a restaurant saying ‘let us cook so you dont have to’. Just a little too obvious.
For some reason I cant get ‘you wont want to keep us a secret’ out of my head, but that’s more a marketing line than a tag. Love that you’ve narrowed down your niche though.
-Sonia.
Author
Mike Boyle
June 30, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Here we go,just ideas:
Crazy
get your shit together man!
Secret secretary, enabling high performing people
the secret life of a secret secretary
Seen but not heard- secret secretary
Behind every great success story there was a secret secretary
Shhhhhh this persons being enabled by a secret secretary
Author
Sonia Cuff
June 30, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Mike, my fav was ‘enabling high performance people’.
-Sonia.
Author
Shauna, Secret Secretary
June 30, 2011 at 3:52 pm
wow! thanks so much Sonia & Mike.
Sonia will definitely be changing based on your passionate plea…
Mike, however will I decide?
But I’m leaning towards ‘shhh this persons being enabled by a Secret Secretary’ because shhsecretary was the only profile name I could use for Twitter when I registered ages ago.
Thanks!
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Egad! I take the dogs round the block for a stretch and come back to all THIS!
Once again, you’ve ALL gone beyond the call. Thank you so much for your generosity of spirit.
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Hi Bambi,
Thnaks for your advice. We’re not locked into the name Resistance Training, but are very keen on it.
It’s about being underground, alternative, non-mainstream. We’re not the establishment, we are the resistance. It’s not about a functional description, even though it is one as well.
Regarding search engine results, imagine you were looking for someone to train you in Melbourne. What would you type into google? Probably something that contained words like – Personal, Group, Fitness, Training, Trainer, Melbourne. Then, we’re backing ourselves to have the Internet marketign smarts to make sure when you type that in we are on the first page of results.
I’d be rapt to hear any further thoughts you have. This topic is a great thought provoker. Well done, Paul!
By the way, I would recommedn anyone looking to improve their search engine results to investigate Google Analytics. It free and very powerful.
Jas.
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Secret Secretary
Your wife will never know.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Secret Secretary:
‘Like fairies at the bottom of the garden. Except bigger. And not in the garden. And we know PowerPoint.’
Author
Phil Owens
June 30, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Just checking in from Berlin to a great discussion.
I tend to agree with Bambi on the name, Jason. For a simple guy like me, ‘resistance training’ is what old people do to keep healthy. Im sure that there is a sense of ‘commitment’, ‘purpose’, effort, belonging, success/results to the business – the benefits that could play out? If you cant get them in the name, then get them in the tag line. It may be that you only need to add one word in front “xxxx” resistance training” to give you the cut through?
Re the secret secretary – seems the ‘benefit’ is freeing up people to do what they are really good at, whilst you take care of the rest. concepts like ‘valet’, ‘freedom’, success, etc come to mind. Given your target market and description of service, how about:
“Get booked”
“Speak Easy”
“Freedom to speak”
My tag lines are fairly descriptive:
Resourced leaders: Unlocking potential
and
Reflective Resolutions: Resolving the issues of Modern Life
Happy to hear your thoughts on these!
Author
Adam Finlay
June 30, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Nice one Jas!
Almost, Paul, though I would add, ‘Get your own damn coffee’.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Geez, Phil; you sure get around! Love that you keep dialing in your excellent thoughts.
Very funny, Ad. Be careful though; you know how you can generate an entire PAGE of headlines at the slightest provocation!
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Hi Shauna,
After the humour I feel compelled to have a serious go. I’ve mostly adapted copy from your website.
Secret Secretary
Your hidden productivity advantage
less work, more life (playing on work/life balance)
Your extra set of hands
Your virtual assistant
In the background removing the noise
Letting you do what you do best.
Jas
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 4:34 pm
My joke playes to gender stereotypes. Your partner will never know is more PC!
Author
Giorgio Migliaccio (@CoachGiorgio)
June 30, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Great piece and some amazing comments on here!
I’m still nutting mine out, presently, for my executive coaching it’s: creating a vision for your future, and, for my business coaching its: helping you love your work, helping you grow your business. Works in progress as are my sites.
A friend of mine has one for his coaching business which I think is very good: creating champions, applauding success.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Welcome, Giorgio!
‘Why walk, when you can take the Coach!’
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Giorgio,
Far be it from me to give advice on this as I am muddling through myself, but vision and future seem very similar and etherial. Maybe something along the lines of Making Your Vision Reality, or something that says We’ll help you establish your vision and then realise it.
Jas.
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 4:43 pm
See it? Be it!
Author
Giorgio Migliaccio (@CoachGiorgio)
June 30, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Thanks for the welcome Paul!
Jason: appreciate the thoughts. Many of my exec clients have no idea what they want to do ‘when they grow up’, so my thinking was to ‘create that vision for their future’ and then help them realise it. You’re right though that at present there is no connection with the realisation part. Will continue to plug away at it..
G
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Wow. I must say that it is obvious why Paul gets the big dollars to write copy.
Love “See It Be It” for Georgio
Another suggestion is: I know where you’re going.
Mike. What a pity that Secret Secretary can’t use “Getting your shit together”. I love it (and frankly I would use a VA/PA who used that line…).
Another suggestion for Secret Secretary: Behind every busy business.
Jason – I would love to try and give better advise but of course without knowing the customer and the business (yes…in that order) I am probably way off the mark. But some thoughts anyway…
I don’t know if ‘resistance’ conveys the underground, alternative, edgy feel that you are going for. I get the play on words. And I am sure that you will have great SEO to ensure fabulous rankings. And you are right that folk will try for trainers, fitness, lose weight, etc.
BUT if they have been reached by your other marketing activity and they just type in your name they will find those who are optimising for that generic term.
I’m a big believer in having a name that works as an ad every time it is used. A name that is the foundation for your brand. And then using the tag line to give it a framework.
Of course the name will never be used in isolation and will be impacted upon by the tag, by the language you use, your font/colours/designs.
Back to suggestions for a tag line…
Turning fitness on its head (with appropriate upside down fonts, etc.)
If Banksy was in PT he’ld work here
You’ll be fit enough to carry a big mirror around
From not to hot
By the way Sonia…I think that a tag line is a marketing statement so you are spot on.
(Of course – you do all realise that we will wake up at 3am with another hundred tag lines…damn you Paul)
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Thanks Bambi!
One question – who is Banksy?
Jas.
Author
Bambi
June 30, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Hi Jas – You make me feel just a little less old, TY
He is an internationally renowned street artist. Very clever. Very funny. Sometimes deep. This ain’t your normal grafitti…
http://www.banksy.co.uk/newoutdoors/index.html
(But obviously not a tag line for your business!)
Author
Shauna, Secret Secretary
June 30, 2011 at 5:19 pm
lol! you guys crack me up.
Jason: If only I could use ‘your wife/partner will never know’ (this one did cross my mind when I started) – as an aside when you google Secret Secretary you can come across many a porn site, but we’re working on the SEO to fix that…;-) like your sensible suggestions though..
And Bambi, ‘getting your shit together’ is right up my sense of humour alley, don’t worry about that, would love to talk further about your need for a VA…
Adam: ‘Get your own damn coffee’ is the reason I became a Virtual Assistant and not a Personal Assistant anymore…
Paul: Powerpoint is so old hat, it’s Prezi now don’t ya know?
And Phil: really appreciate your suggestions considering the Keynote Speaker side of things.
Sorry we’ll be keeping you up at 3am Bambi.
Really appreciate it guys!
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Right on, everyone! I was thinking in the shower that I’ll be up all night with these things! But that’s OK.
The other point I was going to make may now be redundant given the sophistication of this audience. I was going to say that the best brainstorming sessions welcome funny and crazy ideas and don’t shoot them down (at least not in Phase 1). These offbeat thoughts often trigger fantastic legit ideas down the track.
I too would use a VA who’s tag was ‘Getting your shit together’. This illustrates that your tag is NOT for your mum or your best friend or the Financial Review, or Merline from Number 12 or Great Uncle Bert who used to dabble in PR. It’s for your PUNTERS.
Author
Jason Hess
June 30, 2011 at 5:27 pm
just checked out banksy. brilliant juxtapositions and extrapolations!
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Thanks too, Bambi, for your lovely words.
‘I know where you’re going’ is a corker!
Prezi, eh Shauna? That’s a new one on me!
Author
Malcolm Owens
June 30, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Adam doesnt drink coffee – strictly soy for him! (and that aint coffee)
Author
Naomi from MYOB
June 30, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Brilliant and informative discussion guys! Love it!
Dan – thank you for the tag suggestion for the blog – and for the feedback!
Bambi – love your suggestion “Getting your sh*t together”. I’d hire that person too!
Have to put my thinking cap on for a tag line for my parent’s business – after reading this, I’m looking forward to it.
Next thing we’ll be creating tag lines for ourselves! LOL
Author
Paul Hassing
June 30, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Fer sure, Naomi. We hit the jackpot today. So lucky …
Author
leon Noone
June 30, 2011 at 9:10 pm
G’Day Paul,
I first saw your post early this morning. I was very busy at the time and decided to come back to it. Wow! you got a great response. As you may remember from your HR days, like personnel, it’s some thing we all feel we’re experts about.
One of the really outstanding tags is “the fresh food people” from Woolworths. I’ve had a longstanding interest in business names and slogans or tags if you prefer. So, for what it’s worth…….
I guess that the most important thing about a name or tag is what it says to the prospect. I’ve often heard this described as the promise that the client sees in it.
Most business people are far too concerned about what they want to say to the prospect through their tag The reality is that tags are about prospect’s perception not marketer’s preference. As Al Ries and Jack Trout told us back in 1981, “marketing occurs in the mind.”
About 10 years ago I started working with a local plumbing company. After a while we changed the name to “The Clean Plumber.” We focussed entirely on domestic maintenance plumbing. And the tag became, “if we’re late you don’t pay.”
In the name and the tag they eliminated every homeowner’s two concerns about plumbers: they leave a mess and they never turn up on time. The name and the tag are entirely client centred. And they’re simple in both language and style.
One final thing. Your tag can contain only one message. To refer to Ries and Trout again, you have to own a word of phrase in the prospect’s mind. One idea, one word or brief phrase that the prospect can identify with. Long waffly, deep and meaninful tags just confuse prospects.
,
I just read all the other comments. It’s a lonely life for we curmudgeons…
Best wishes
Leon
Author
Paul Hassing
July 1, 2011 at 5:45 am
Hi, Leon. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
I like ‘the fresh food people too’. How totally amazing it’d be, if only it were true of the Collingwood store!
Glad to hear your amen on tags being about the prospect. And that plumber example is a corker.
I suspect many of us are lonely in our own little business worlds. I get a great kick out of the fact that we come together here. And that most definitely includes you.
Best regards, P.
Author
Carbonite Australia
July 3, 2011 at 7:56 am
Tag lines are important and the mere fact that I can recognise half of the ones listed is credit the companies that have invested money in them. Obviously some have greater branding budgets than others and do it more successfully. They also use personalities to brand them and particularly in sport clothing this can make a huge difference (success and budgets alike).
Carbonite’s is Backup. Simple, although the US has actually removed this from the latest design of their site (we need a redesign).
I liked it, it made sense and was/is inline with what the product has to date tried to be – uncomplicated software to backup your important files.
I also agree that over time it should evolve as the product and the service evolves. Changing it every year might work for Coca Cola but for everyone else, not so sure (might also be very costly).
Author
Paul Hassing
July 3, 2011 at 10:07 am
Great comment, Arthur. You seem to get more eruditer with every passing week. Many thanks for another thoughtful contribution.
Author
Luke Arms
July 3, 2011 at 9:35 pm
I’m sorry to join this conversation late, and that I haven’t read the previous comments.
I’ll throw mine into the ring:
“say no to cheese”
I’m a photographer (business name “one fine day photography”), and my tagline took longer to choose than my business name. It was my second attempt; my first was “may we tell your story” — an attempt to encapsulate my documentary/unstaged style, but a bit naff, and not overly unique.
“say no to cheese” is cheeky (i.e. a jab at photographers whose style is “cheesy”) — my clients appreciate the humour. It’s compatible with my playful, bright branding. It’s unique — copycats aside, most other photographers in the domestic market go more for elegance than humour in their branding
It attracts the type of client I want — those who have gone through dozens of cheesy, staged wedding photos they hate, and also those who like my jokes 
And finally, it’s a handy talking point (for those who don’t quite get it) and gag (anyone who says “say cheese” when I’m shooting get told off by my client, and everybody laughs, more or less).
It doesn’t hurt that another local studio is called “say cheese photography”. Mwahaha.
I’ve trademarked the phrase in Australia, and plan to use it extensively for years to come.
Of course it has weaknesses – mainly, some people don’t get it (not a big deal; if you don’t get it, you’re probably not the right client for my business) and some might find it offensive (again, if you’re that sensitive, you’re probably not for me). There’s also the fact that I quite enjoy eating cheese. But overall, I’m very happy with my tagline.
Author
Luke Arms
July 3, 2011 at 10:12 pm
FYI, it’s my last night in Singapore, and catching up on those comments made me forget about heading out to enjoy the nightlife; what an awesome resource this blog is!
Can I just add re: Ferenc’s original tagline that three words with full stops between them is so. totally. overdone. (in my industry, at least) that if anyone else does it, they’d better be absolutely. freakin’. perfect. Or face the wrath of the branding gods. So glad you’re reconsidering, Ferenc
Also, re: Resistance Training, and juggling your name, tagline, SEO and descriptor, may I suggest considering any luxury brand in existence: Rolex. Tag. Chanel. Louis Vatton. Their stores are all neighbours here in Singapore (probably in Sydney too, but I’ve been noticing them here!) and NONE of them brand with a prominent tagline or self-descriptor. Their uniqueness is in their name and its prominence.
Obviously none of us are likely to achieve such notoriety, but I still think there’s something to be learned from these big players; they created brands that could stand on a single word, and within our client/referral base, we can do the same thing. For me, “one fine day” is my brand, “photography” is in my logo (in small letters) to communicate what I do to new clients (because I’m not yet famous enough to ditch it; eventually, I hope to, but meanwhile I just ditch it in my communications wherever possible), and “say no to cheese” qualifies how I work as a photographer (again, I’d hope to be recognisable enough to ditch or minimise this eventually).
It’s worth choosing a unique name that could one day stand alone IMO.
Author
Paul Hassing
July 4, 2011 at 7:51 am
Dear Luke, what a brilliant way to start our day! Vanessa Williams sings about saving the best for last. Though she then goes on to claim that the sometimes the sun goes round the moon – so we need to take a measured approach to her pronouncements.
What I’m trying to say is that your late arrival in no way diminishes your value. I’m delighted that we’ve kept you from Singapore’s nightlife while eliciting your report from that locale.
I love your tag. And I’m continually impressed that you structure every element of your business to winnow out those you don’t wish to work with. I think you’ll live a lot longer for this.
Thanks so much for all your ripper observations and ideas, Mate. I dig them the most!
Author
Jason Hess
July 4, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Luke, thnaks for your comment re: Resistance Training
Jas.
Author
Bridie Jenner, Bridie's Typing
July 4, 2011 at 11:52 pm
I actually came up with my current tagline after a few beers… before my rebranding (in January this year) I tried a couple of other taglines, but they were pretty lame. I think the key is keep it simple and avoid jargon.
Author
Paul Hassing
July 5, 2011 at 7:51 am
Thanks for sharing, Bridie. I like your do-or-die guarantee too. You don’t see many of those around these days. Best regards, P.
Author
Paul Hassing
October 27, 2011 at 10:05 am
Another fast-food changes its tag after 16 years:
http://www.startupsmart.com.au/sales-and-marketing/hungry-jacks-slogan-change-highlights-branding-challenge/201110194238.html
Many thanks to @wordmistressAUS for the Twitter heads up.