The following is a guest post by Lucas Miller. Lucas is a young, up-and-coming Wizard of Public Relations. When not writing, running or studying, he’s working tirelessly to perfect what he claims is the “World’s Greatest Pompadour.”
Coming up with great taglines is always easier said than done. The difficulty of creating a tagline lies in the fact that, in merely a few simple words, a brand’s personality, attitude and — most importantly — product or service must connect with all of society on an emotional level. That being said, it’s no wonder that few are the taglines that break free from a strictly advertorial role and become part of our very American culture.
3) The California Milk Processor Board - ‘Got Milk?’
Though the campaign officially hung it up in February of 2014, the “Got Milk?” tagline brought the dairy industry a tremendous amount of success during its 20-year run. Launched in 1995 by the California Milk Processor Board, in miraculous fashion, the tagline managed to transform milk consumption into a funny, and even sexy activity through celebrity appearances from the likes of Beyoncé Knowles, David Beckham and Angelina Jolie.
Yes, the tagline was simple, but it actually stood for something: milk should always be around. Furthermore, it was an actionable tagline. If you’re not running out of milk, then it’s going bad. Either way, you’re in need of milk and there’s no time like the present to get some.
2) Apple - ‘Think Different’
Even though a handful of grammar enthusiasts claimed that the tagline should’ve read, “Think Differently,” there’s no getting around the impact that Apple’s influential slogan had on the brand’s re-emergence as a powerhouse of marketing in the world of personal electronics. Crippled from the boom of the Wintel ecosystem, Apple’s reputation took a heavy blow as the Apple Newton proved to be an epic failure in 1987.
“Think Different” worked wonders for the counter-culture vibe which Apple originally transmitted to investors upon its founding in 1976. The restoration of such a character trait was desperately needed. Thanks to the help of the “Think Different” tagline, Apple — along with the timely return of Steve Jobs — quickly regained its stronghold as a tech leader and promoter of global creativity.
1) Nike - ‘Just Do It’
For over 25 years, Nike’s “Just Do It” tagline has been building the public’s perception of the Oregon-based sporting goods company. Rarely can three little words convey such a powerful, unifying image. Created by Widen + Kennedy in 1988, “Just Do It” is arguably the greatest, most recognizable tagline of all time. In that same year, the tagline made its first official media appearance in a commercial starring 80-year-old Walt Stack, who spends the duration of the feature talking about his daily 17-mile runs. No excuses. No complaints. Only results.
Regardless of whether your official “home court advantage” is found within the hallowed walls of Madison Square Garden or at the public park across the street, “Just Do It” motivates everyone to achieve greatness through pushing the personal limits of athletic ability until greatness is achieved.
Taglines and America’s Ever-Expanding Advertising Needs
Simply put, taglines are vital for entrepreneurial success. In fact, each year, companies all across the globe spend billions of dollars on advertising and branding. Produced by Fusion 360, the following infographic presents the current ongoing relationship between the world of advertising and corporate pocketbooks:
