In one of Steve Martin’s old stand up routines he says: “Some people have a way with words and others …. have not way”.
In one of Steve Martin’s old stand up routines he says: “Some people have a way with words and others …. have not way”. Mediocre taglines are like that: they have not way. When poor taglines aren’t sinking under the weight of trying to say too much, it’s often the case that they fail at the most basic level—the words.
For example, here is one I found in a Yellow Pages ad. (Remember the Yellow Pages?) Excellence through total quality. These words, along with “future, tomorrow, today, solutions, people and technology” are so bankrupt now from overuse in taglines (in any copy really) that it’s a safe bet you’ll get nowhere if they’re used. Now, the line may be accurate in what it says (like some of the other examples I have shared) but it lacks any appeal or real personality—the language is flat.
Here are a few strategies and suggestions to consider when creating your tagline:
- Use colorful language. Fresh language.
- Try syntactic variety: Good. Better. Goodman.
- Avoid buzzwords and jargon because they usually have a short shelf life.
- Try a question. But remember, if you ask a yes or no question and the answer is no, you might lose the reader: Have You Driven a Ford Lately? Think in terms of open-ended questions: What’s in your wallet?”
- Be a student. Look at other taglines that feel and sound right and try to understand why.
- Communicate one simple idea, and keep it brief. A tagline is not a brochure.
Look at it this way. Once you have done all the good work of finding a clear, focused difference to convey about your credit union or bank, the last thing you want to do is dress up that difference in a paper bag. So splurge. Reach for words that are as unique as your brand and fit just right.
This is part 3 of our 3 part series on what makes good taglines good, and weak taglines weak.
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