Happy Friday, everyone!
Here is this week's poll question:
How many of your clients use a tag line, slogan, or positioner to brand their business? Of these, which are your favorites?
For example, one of Rod's clients here in Pullman, an auto body repair shop and towing service, uses the catchy slogan, "Myers Auto Rebuild . . . where service is no accident!"
We'd love to hear what your advertisers are doing!
I really stress the importance of a 3-4 word slogan used in every ad. It should be a statement that can be remembered that pins the business to a consumers mind. How about "I'm Lovin' It" for McDonalds? Slogans are not always easy to come up with, but when they "click," they really work. How about this for a medium sized church..."Guiding People Home." Or this for a plumber who promotes that he always answers incoming calls himself..."We answer our phones!" Keep it simple, but keep it short and stay away from common cliches.
For sure!! Short.. simple.... and creative!
Two of my clients used a slogan that I did for their radio campaign across their entire marketing efforts, and have continued to use them for years! I get a big kick out of seeing all of their marketing using my slogans. They are:
For a local hospital in a rural community:
"Quality Care Right Here"
For our state's Tobacco Coalition:
"Wyoming's Air Is Everyone's to Share"
I love memorable, clever tag lines and encourage their use in advertising and promotion. We're a small independent Contemporary Christian station. I've begun using the following tag line on my business card, sales packages and during various Chamber of Commerce tip club groups for my :30 or :60 commercial to describe ourselves... "YOU BUILT YOUR BUSINESS. LET US HELP SPREAD THE WORD".
Here are a few of my client's tag lines:
Honest Auto (repair shop) - "Integrity Is Our Motto"
Red Carpet Car Wash - "We Treat Your Car Royally"
Medivoice Alert (personal medical alert systems) - "When Everything Matters"
The Carpenter's Shoppe Outdoors & More - "Building One Relationship at a Time"
Canton / Stark County Convention & Visitors Bureau (home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame) - "Discover Why Canton - Stark County is America's Playing Field"
I have created quite a few over the years for different clients. Some of my favorites are.....
Eye Doctor - "The Clear Choice"
Body Shop - "The sign of a good body shop is no sign at all"
Radiator Shop - "The best place to take a leak" (this is aired on our sports station to a male audience)
Drug Store - "We are never closed to the sick"
Personal Injury Lawyer - "Where every injury is personal"
We recommend a positioning statement for all clients. I have many great examples with one of my favortites for an ag co-op in Oregon. "Morrow County Graingrowers, our roots run deep in the soil you care for". Although a bit longer than we usually do, we developed it into a custom jingle (With Bill Turpin's help) that the client has been using in everything for over 5 years.
Just to give everyone a chuckle today, We were trying to work with a Greek Restaurant in Nevada and I gave up on using his slogan in radio, a first for me! The Slogan...."It's more than a great meal, it's like a taste of old Greece". Made both the client and I crack up.
HA!! ..."a taste of old Greece" That's a hilarious slogan! I had a client who weighs in at 300+ pounds and has a 50"s style diner. The guy is a real hoot so when we jokingly described him in spot as "The round mound of ground round" he actually loved it and insisted on identifying himself as that in future campaigns.
Transmission Repair - "We get your shift together."
A favorite of mine was back in Canton OH.
Pat Egan Tires. Where tires are spelt E.G.A.N.!
One might add: use it every time, and everywhere your name appears.
The radiator shop slogan is edgy, but also arresting.
Reminds me of one used years ago by an electrical contractor here, whose fleet of white vans sported their name/telephone number/logo and their slogan: "Let Us Remove Your Shorts."
"...a taste of old Greece" is classic, Rick. One of those slogans that gets a pass in print, but requires a decidedly more careful approach on radio. (Here's another, provided by Holland Cooke.)
The best "slogan" I've heard on Radio (or seen on TV) is "Every Kiss begins with Kay" (for Kay Jewelers). What's great about that slogan is that no one else can ever steal it.
Unfortunately, Community Banks are famous for picking 'slogans' that can be applied to any of their competitors. Slogans like "The Bank That Cares" can be used by any bank, anywhere.
A great slogan has to be "UN-Stealable" - For example, I have a car dealer using their family name of USEM. The slogan cannot be used by any other dealer: "USEM begins with U" (or... begins with YOU), depending upon use in radio or newspaper.
BIG, BIG Companies like Wal-Mart can use slogans like "Always" - but local clients don't have the budget that can make people memorize their slogan. A great slogan has to fit their business and cannot be stolen by any other competitor, I believe.
Sincerely
Ed Brady, KAUS AM/FM News Director & Ad Sales
I have an air conditioning repair company that uses the following.. "We sweat, so you don't have to".
Almost every client of mine has a tag line. I encourage them strongly to use it on everything (stationary, website, vehicles, all advertising, etc.). I make the point that the business name and tag line are connected and you can't use one without the other.
My two favorites are:
For a local realtor. The tag line is "real estate, real results."
For Ed's Heating & Cooling. The tagline is "Ed'll fix it...period!" Ed's is particularly good since his whole campaign is built around the concept that he would rather solve the problem than install a new unit.
