Like a catchy tune or a clever pun, a good slogan can cement itself in your brain. Slogans like “I’m lovin’ it,” “Got milk?” and “What’s in your wallet?” are so familiar they might not feel like ads anymore—at this point, they’re part of pop culture.
An effective slogan is an emotional appeal that conveys the essence of your product or brand in just a few words. A great slogan helps your prospective customers remember your company and shapes how they feel about it.
Learn more about what makes a successful slogan, then review some inspiring examples to help you create your own slogan.
What is a slogan?
A slogan is a short, memorable phrase used by companies, politicians, nonprofits, and social movements to promote their brand, products, or purpose. Businesses feature slogans on product packaging, in advertising and marketing campaigns, and on their websites and social media feeds. Companies often broadcast slogans through multiple channels over long periods of time. This repetition can help consumers remember slogans.
Using a strong and memorable slogan can help your ecommerce brand stand out. Effective slogans can increase brand awareness and improve brand recognition. Ultimately, constructing a memorable slogan to convey the appeal of your brand will make it easy for customers to understand and think of your products when they shop.
Slogan vs. tagline
Slogans and taglines are both pithy, consumer-facing phrases. The two terms can overlap and often are used interchangeably. The main difference lies in their function: Brands tend to use slogans to sell specific products, but they use taglines to communicate brand values. For example, Kellogg’s “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” is a slogan because it’s designed to sell Rice Krispies cereal.
Taglines, on the other hand, are expressions of brand identity. A brand may write a new tagline after a major company pivot or rebrand, but generally, companies rarely change their taglines. Well-known tagline examples include Apple’s “Think different” and Nike’s “Just do it,” both of which communicate large ideas about the companies rather than focusing on specific products.
What makes a good slogan?
Slogans are succinct, but that doesn’t mean writing them is easy. Crafting a perfect slogan is often much harder than drafting a long essay—when you’re only using a handful of words, each one counts. These are the essential characteristics of successful slogans:
Short
Slogans are typically eight words or less, making them easy for consumers to recall. Great slogans are often even shorter: According to a study published in the Journal of Business Research, the most memorable company slogans are four words on average. Keeping your slogan concise will also let you display your slogan in a large, legible font across advertisements, merchandise, or packaging.
Catchy
The best slogans are so memorable that they stick in your head like a catchy jingle. Using humor or a poetic device such as alliteration or a simile can capture attention and create a lasting impression. For example, the insurer State Farm uses a simile in the slogan, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” The Bounty paper towel brand uses rhyme in the slogan, “The quicker picker upper.”
Evocative
A great slogan makes consumers feel something. Slogans often use powerful, suggestive words or phrases to create an emotional connection with users. For example, Toyota’s slogan “Let’s go places” evokes a sense of opportunity and adventure.
Clear
Great slogans are easy to understand. The best brand slogan examples use short words and focus on a single concept or aspect of the brand. Using complicated language or attempting to fit too many ideas into a short phrase can confuse readers. The New York Times’simple slogan, “All the news that’s fit to print,” is a great example of a clear message.
Examples of effective slogans
- Glossier: “Skin first. Makeup second”
- Allbirds: “Mother Nature made us do it”
- Dermalogica: “Professional-grade skin care since 1986”
- BLK & Bold: “Coffee for you. Impact for our youth”
- De Beers: “A diamond is forever”
- Dollar Shave Club: “Shave time. Shave money”
- Dunkin’: “America runs on Dunkin’”
- BMW: “The ultimate driving machine”
- Subway: “Eat fresh”
- Kay Jewelers: “Every kiss begins with Kay”
See how real brands use slogans to promote their products and express the brand’s identity:
1. Glossier: “Skin first. Makeup second”
Glossier built its reputation with skin care products and light, minimalist makeup. The company’s brand slogan highlights the less-is-more approach to makeup and communicates its product philosophy. It suggests consumers should take care of their skin and wear makeup to enhance it, rather than conceal it.
2. Allbirds: “Mother Nature made us do it”
Allbirds’ slogan emphasizes the shoe company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, an underpinning of Allbirds’s brand identity. Ultimately, this memorable message reminds customers about the company’s mission.
3. Dermalogica: “Professional-grade skin care since 1986”
Dermalogica’s slogan focuses on establishing credibility. The term “professional-grade” implies high-quality, effective products. By including the brand’s founding year, the slogan suggests that the company’s products have stood the test of time.
4. BLK & Bold: “Coffee for you. Impact for our youth”
BLK & Bold is a coffee brand that donates 5% of its earnings to youth-focused nonprofits across the US. The company’s slogan emphasizes the brand’s mission to do good, appealing to a target audience of socially conscious consumers.
5. De Beers: “A diamond is forever”
In 1947, an ad agency created the slogan, “A diamond is forever” for the De Beers diamond company. This short, simple, and emotionally charged company slogan connects diamonds to enduring, timeless commitment. This slogan was so effective it’s actually been credited with establishing diamonds as an essential part of wedding engagements.
6. Dollar Shave Club: “Shave time. Shave money”
Dollar Shave Club highlights value and convenience with its punchy, effective slogan. Employing wordplay by swapping “save” for “shave” makes this catchy phrase highly specific and memorable. Plenty of brands promise to help users save money and time, but Dollar Shave Club’s pun makes the slogan quickly recognizable and unique.
7. Dunkin’: “America runs on Dunkin’”
In just a few words, the Dunkin’ slogan establishes coffee as a daily necessity. Using the term “runs on” creates a connection between coffee and fuel, implying that the beverage is both energizing and essential for action. Including “America” adds an emotional element by creating a sense of community and shared values.
8. BMW: “The ultimate driving machine”
BMW’s slogan touts the car company’s superior product experience. The word “ultimate” places its automobiles above competing makes and suggests BMWs are for serious car enthusiasts. The term “driving machine” implies that a BMW is somehow more than just a car. Ultimately, the slogan appeals to a target market of car lovers who value luxury design.
9. Subway: “Eat fresh”
Subway’s company slogan works to differentiate it from other fast-food chains by highlighting its commitment to fresh ingredients. This positions the brand as an alternative to pre-formed burgers and greasy french fries. This message appeals to a target audience of health-conscious consumers who are looking for a quick meal.
10. Kay Jewelers: “Every kiss begins with Kay”
Kay Jewelers uses a play on words to make its slogan memorable. The brand name sounds like the letter “K,” making for a simple yet playful slogan, encouraging brand recognition. This message also connects the company to love and romance. This emotionally charged slogan suggests that giving Kay jewelry leads to close, loving relationships.
Slogan examples FAQ
What is a strong slogan example?
Chocolate company Taza’s “Perfectly unrefined” is an example of a strong slogan. It communicates the brand’s commitment to high-quality ingredients that don’t need to be overly processed to taste good.
How do you create a catchy slogan?
Catchy slogans are short, simple, and emotional. Focus on drafting a phrase using evocative words to convey a clear message about your brand or product. Using humor or wordplay can help you capture consumer attention and give your brand a competitive advantage. Remember to keep it compact—the most memorable slogans are less than five words.
Do you need to have a slogan?
You don’t need to have a slogan to run a business or execute a marketing campaign. Although you can operate without one, a short, memorable slogan can enhance your advertising efforts and help consumers remember your brand.
