In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-sylla

Admittedly, not all taglines shine. Many are vague, awkward, pretentious, complicated, and ambiguous. They communicate unintended messages, and are guilty of using trendy or meaningless business jargon. They often devalue the brand they’re supposed to strengthen and support.

As tools of aggressive advertisers, taglines often exhibit the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Novice marketers tend to use them indiscriminately as mere window dressing, and Internet sophisticates sneer at them as if they were quaint holdovers from the golden age of television. Given the lack of product loyalty these days, one wonders whether consumers could care less if Bayer works wonders or Avis tries harder.

In Praise of Taglines

Whether you like them or not, taglines still guide and influence consumer behavior, product preference, and company allegiance. They are, by far, one of the easiest and most effective ways to communicate a new or revised brand message. When properly applied, taglines can enhance the value and relevance of your brand, extend its reach, and give it renewed vigor. They can also be used to support pivotal objectives, such as launching a brand awareness campaign, differentiating a product line, or driving participation in an employee or third party program.

A banner for all seasons, taglines confer marquee value on your central marketing message – putting the world on notice as to who you are, what you stand for, and why your customers should care. It’s a tall order, but the proverbial tagline is up to the challenge.

The Haiku of Branding

When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.

In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-syllab

In Praise of Taglines

Whether you like them or not, taglines still guide and influence consumer behavior, product preference, and company allegiance. They are, by far, one of the easiest and most effective ways to communicate a new or revised brand message. When properly applied, taglines can enhance the value and relevance of your brand, extend its reach, and give it renewed vigor. They can also be used to support pivotal objectives, such as launching a brand awareness campaign, differentiating a product line, or driving participation in an employee or third party program.

A banner for all seasons, taglines confer marquee value on your central marketing message – putting the world on notice as to who you are, what you stand for, and why your customers should care. It’s a tall order, but the proverbial tagline is up to the challenge.

The Haiku of Branding

When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.

In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-sylla

A banner for all seasons, taglines confer marquee value on your central marketing message – putting the world on notice as to who you are, what you stand for, and why your customers should care. It’s a tall order, but the proverbial tagline is up to the challenge.

The Haiku of Branding

When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.

In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-sylla

The Haiku of Branding

When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.

In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-sylla

In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.

Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-syllable novel, a kernel of truth (or myth) emerges that is often surprising, disarming, or uplifting.

From the Practical to the Personal

Taglines work their magic on a variety of levels. From a functional point of view, they can embrace your company’s mission, purpose, benefit, or competitive advantage (Works like a dream – Ambien; Built for the road ahead – Ford; Medicine with muscle – Motrin).

Taglines can also convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Raising the bar – Cingular; Pleasing people the world over – Holiday Inn; Taking care of business – Office Depot). Or they can align your company with a recognized class or category to give it added value and credibility (The most trusted name in news – CNN; We move the world – DHL; Babies are our business – Gerber).

Finally, taglines can focus on your audience’s deeply-cherished needs and aspirations, promising personal fulfillment or the attainment of a desired goal or outcome (Will you be ready? – Cialis; Don’t dream it. Drive it. – Jaguar; It’s everywhere you want to be – VISA).

Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.

Focusing on the Message

Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.

A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a visible and lasting impact on your target audience. Given the short-term