I used to take the public transport bus to school from Classes 3 to 5. As I stood waiting for my bus number 11D every morning, my eyes would frequently be drawn to the slogan/tagline of the quaint little shop beside the bus stop. It was a dyeing and darning shop and the tagline was “We dye for you!”
More than three decades later, it still remains my favourite corporate tagline. Well, you could accuse me of having a soft corner for it because it was the first tagline that I fell in love with (what’s that they say about first love?) and was therefore an integral part of my growing up years. Though valid, these are not the only reasons for these four innocuous words to have stayed closest to my heart. “We dye for you” has all the elements that make for an effective corporate tagline:
a. It is short, catchy and easy to remember.b. It gives an insight into the company’s values, attitude and service offerings.
c. It reflects the brand position and brand personality.
d. It is specific, not generic.
e. It connects.
Though every successful tagline may not necessarily satisfy the first four criteria listed above, one can safely say that all iconic taglines certainly manage to “connect” with their audiences… big time!
How many times has the “Think Different” phrase on our Apple computers inspired us to think out-of-the-box when faced with a unique problem? How many times have we pumped our fists and recited Nike’s “Just Do It” mantra in our minds before venturing into uncharted territory? Well, that’s the kind of “connect” good taglines have with our hearts and psyches. Over time, they attain legendary status and become part of the society lexicon.
Here are some of my other all time favourites:
De Beers – A Diamond Is ForeverNokia – Connecting People
GE – Imagination at Work
Adidas – Impossible is Nothing
Budweiser – This Bud’s For You
AOL – Where The World Meets Online
Now go ahead and recall the taglines that tug at your heart. Believe me, it’s fun!
