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Microsoft's 1987 logo with its 1994 slogan.

Advertising slogans are short phrases used in advertising campaigns to generate publicity and unify a company's marketing strategy.^[1] The phrases may be used to attract attention to a distinctive product feature or reinforce a company's brand.^[2]

Etymology and nomenclature

According to the 1913 Webster's Dictionary, a slogan (/ˈsloʊɡən/) derives from the Gaelic "sluagh-ghairm" (an army cry). Its contemporary definition denotes a distinctive advertising motto or advertising phrase used by any entity to convey a purpose or ideal. This is also known as a catchphrase. Taglines or tags are American terms describing brief public communications to promote certain products and services. In the UK, they are called end lines or straplines. ss.^[3] In Japan, advertising slogans are called catchcopy (キャッチコピー, kyatchi kopī) or catch phrase (キャッチフレーズ, kyatchi furēzu).

Format of advertising slogans

Most corporate advertisements are short, memorable phrases, often between 3 and 5 words.^[2] Slogans adopt different tones to convey different meanings. For example, funny slogans can enliven conversation and increase memorability.^[1] Slogans often unify diverse corporate advertising pieces across different mediums.^[2] Slogans may be accompanied by logos, brand names, or musical jingles.^[4]

Use of advertising slogans

Some slogans are created for specific limited-time campaigns; others are intended as long-term corporate slogans. Various slogans start out as the former and are, over time, converted into the latter as ideas take hold with the public. Some advertising slogans retain their influence even after general use is discontinued. If an advertising slogan enters into the public vernacular, word-of-mouth communication may increase consumer awareness of the product and extend an ad campaign's lifespan.^[5]

Slogans that associate emotional responses or evoke recollections of past memories increase their likelihood to be adopted by the public and shared.^[5] Additionally, by linking a slogan to a commonplace discussion topic (e.g. stress, food, traffic), consumers will recall the slogan more often and associate the corporation with their personal experiences.^[5]

If a slogan is adopted by the public, it can have a notable influence in everyday social interaction. Slogans can serve as connection points between community members as individuals share pithy taglines in conversation.^[5] In contrast, if an individual is unaware of a popular slogan or tagline, they can be socially excluded from conversation and disengage from the discussion.^[5]

Social control

Advertising slogans as a system of social control include devices similar to watchwords, catchwords, and mottoes.^{[note 1][6]} The use of slogans may be examined in so far as the slogans elicit unconscious and unintentional responses.^[6]

The ongoing argument

Quantifying the effects of an effective, or ineffective, ad campaign can prove challenging to scholars. Critics argue taglines are a self-gratifying, unnecessary form of corporate branding that is neither memorable nor pithy.^[2] However, proponents argue if taglines enter everyday public discourse, the company's market influence could exponentially increase.^[2]

Functional slogans

A marketing slogan can play a part in the interplay between rival companies.^[7] A functional slogan usually:^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

• states product benefits (or brand benefits) for users (or potential buyer)^[13]
  


• implies a distinction between it and other firms' products^[14] — with constraints


• makes a simple, concise,^{[note 2]}clearly defined, and appropriate statement
  


• is witty; Or, adopts a distinct "personality"^{[note 3]}
  


• gives a credible impression of a brand or product^{[note 4]}
  


• makes the consumer experience an emotion; Or, creates a need or desire^{[note 5]}
  


• is hard to forget — it adheres to one's memory^{[note 6]}
  

The business sloganeering process communicates the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling the product or service. It is a business function for attracting customers.

See also

• 
  Advertising (Consumerism)


• Consumer confusion


• 
  Impulse buying (Impulse)


• List of slogans


• Media manipulation


• Political slogan


• Promotion (marketing)


• Tagline


• Visual Marketing

Notes

References

External articles

• 
  Quotations related to Advertising slogan at Wikiquote


• 
  The Advertising Slogan Hall of Fame, www.adslogans.co.uk


• Advertising Industry Guidelines 2014


• Advertising Slogans