Provides tagline and slogan creation frameworks including Marty Neumeier's Truelines vs Taglines, David Ogilvy's headline principles, Eugene Schwartz's desire channeling, the Distillation Method, and AIDA testing framework. Auto-activates during tagline creation, slogan development, and brand catchphrase work. Use when discussing taglines, slogans, catchphrases, brand mottos, truelines, memorable phrases, tagline testing, or brand mantra.
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reference/templates.mdQuick reference for creating memorable, strategic taglines using proven methodologies from expert copywriters and brand strategists.
"Your brand isn't what you say it is. It's what they say it is." — Marty Neumeier
| Type | Purpose | Audience | Example (Nike) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trueline | Internal compass that guides decisions | Internal team | "Helps you find your inner athlete" |
| Tagline | Public-facing "sexy" formulation | Customers | "Just Do It" |
How They Work Together:
"If there is magic in the tagline creation process, brainstorming is where it happens."
The most practical technique for creating taglines:
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Describes offering, benefits, or promise | "Save money. Live better." (Walmart) |
| Emotional | Appeals to feelings | "Because You're Worth It" (L'Oreal) |
| Aspirational | Inspires achievement | "Impossible is nothing" (Adidas) |
| Imperative | Call to action | "Just Do It" (Nike) |
| Superlative | Positions as the best | "The Best a Man Can Get" (Gillette) |
| Interrogative | Uses a question | "Got Milk?" |
| Provocative | Thought-provoking | "Think Different" (Apple) |
Expert Recommendation: "To hit emotional triggers, prioritize differentiation taglines or results-driven taglines."
Proven structural patterns:
| Formula | Example |
|---|---|
| [Verb] + [Noun] | "Think Different" |
| [Action] + [Benefit] | "Eat Fresh" |
| [Empowering Word] + [X] | "Rethink [X]", "Imagine [X]" |
| [Number] + [Benefit] | For specific claims |
| "The [Only/Best] [X] that [Y]" | Superlative positioning |
| Question Format | "What's in your wallet?" |
These devices have roots in oral tradition—they helped memorize stories across generations:
| Device | Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Rhyme | "The quicker picker-upper" (Bounty) | Phonetic patterns are easier to encode |
| Alliteration | "The best a man can get" (Gillette) | Repeated sounds create rhythm |
| Parallelism | "Go green, Go Ford" | Structural patterns aid recall |
| Sensory Language | "Finger lickin' good" (KFC) | Activates more brain areas |
| Rhythm | "Just Do It" (Nike) | The brain is "a sucker for rhythm" |
"Easily liked slogans are often forgettable. Memorable slogans challenge the audience with uncommon words, concrete imagery, or complexity. To remember something, we must think about it."
Find the sweet spot: memorable enough to stick, likable enough to resonate.
| Trigger | Example | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Alignment | "Think Different" (Apple) | Appeals to who people ARE or aspire to be |
| Aspiration | "Just Do It" (Nike) | Connects with motivation and empowerment |
| Self-Worth | "Because You're Worth It" (L'Oreal) | Taps into desire for validation |
| Sensory Experience | "The Ultimate Driving Machine" (BMW) | Promises physical/emotional exhilaration |
Created by: Dan Wieden (night before client presentation) Initial reception: "We don't need that shit" — Wieden insisted: "Just trust me on this one" Lesson: Great taglines often face initial resistance. Conviction matters.
The quirk: "Think Different" not "Think Differently" — grammatical incorrectness creates distinctiveness Lesson: Emotional positioning can be more powerful than feature-dense messaging.
The innovation: Among the FIRST taglines to focus on women's self-worth Lesson: Emotional benefits often outweigh functional ones.
Results: U.S. sales from 13,000 to over 90,000 in a decade Lesson: "Superlative" taglines can work when backed by genuine product excellence.
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Being Too Generic | "Quality you can trust" — could be any brand | Use the Onlyness Test |
| Using Clichés/Jargon | Technical terms aren't common language | Use everyday words |
| Neglecting Customer Benefits | Features without "so what?" | Focus on what's in it for THEM |
| Overcomplicating | Too many words, too many ideas | Distillation Method: cut by half 3x |
| Being Overly Clever | People remember the wit, forget the brand | "Rather than clever, be direct and clear" |
| Copying Others | Confuses customers, risks legal trouble | Onlyness Test |
| Cultural/Translation Failures | Pepsi's "Brings you back to life" → "Brings ancestors from grave" in Chinese | Test internationally |
| Disconnection from Brand | Tagline doesn't match actual experience | Align with trueline |
| Ignoring Medium Constraints | Works on billboard, not on business card | Test across contexts |
| Not Testing | Launching with untested assumptions | A/B test, focus groups |
| Including Brand Name | Research shows it feels "too sales-y" | Keep tagline separate |
Test whether your tagline achieves:
Is your tagline:
| Metric | Question |
|---|---|
| Memorability | Can people recall it after seeing once? |
| Clarity | Do they understand what it means? |
| Emotional Response | What feelings does it evoke? |
| Brand Fit | Does it align with brand identity? |
| Differentiation | Does it stand out from competitors? |
Can you complete this sentence in a way no competitor can?
"Our [OFFERING] is the only [CATEGORY] that [BENEFIT]."
If a competitor's name could substitute and the statement still works, your positioning needs work.
Tailor your tagline approach based on where your audience is:
| Level | Description | Tagline Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Most Aware | Knows product, ready to buy | Direct, product-focused |
| Product-Aware | Knows product, not convinced | Benefit-focused |
| Solution-Aware | Knows solutions exist, not yours | Differentiation-focused |
| Problem-Aware | Has problem, doesn't know solutions | Problem-agitation then solution |
| Completely Unaware | Doesn't recognize the problem | Start with identity or aspiration |
A three-word internal sentence that captures brand meaning:
Structure: [Emotional Modifier] + [Descriptive Modifier] + [Brand Function]
Examples:
A brand mantra is NOT a tagline—it's an internal compass that guides decisions. But it can inspire tagline direction.
See reference/templates.md for: