We’ve all lived our lives in the midst of a culture created in large part by advertising, but what makes for a great ad slogan? Is it enough to just be memorable, or must it also actually promote the product itself and do so accurately? Thinking over the hundreds (or thousands) of slogans we all have memorized, which ones stick out as particularly good or particularly bad?
Good Slogans
~“Reach out and touch someone” AT+T 1979
~“You’re in good hands with Allstate.” Allstate 1956
~“The quicker picker upper.” Bounty 1971
~“Nighttime sniffling sneezing coughing aching stuffy head fever so you can rest medicine.” Nyquil
~“Time to make the donuts.” Dunkin’ Donuts
~“Crunch all you want. We’ll make more.” Doritos
~“Fifteen minutes could save you 15% or more.” Geico
~“Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.” Almond Joy/Mounds
~“It’s everywhere you want to be.” Visa 1988
~“The ultimate driving machine.” BMW 1975
~“Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.” Alka Seltzer 1976
~“Have it your way right away.” Burger King 1973
~“M’m! M’m! Good!” Campbell’s Soup 1935
~“Have a Coke and a smile.” Coca-Cola
~“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” FedEX 1982
~“We answer to a higher authority.” Hebrew National 1975
~“Snap! Crackle! Pop!” Kellogg’s Rice Crispies 1932
~“Finger lickin’ good.” KFC 1952
~“Fill it to the rim with Brim.” Brim
~“Got Milk?” Milk 1993
~“Just do it.” Nike 1988
~“The Uncola” 7-Up 1973
~“All the news that’s fit to print.” New York Times 1896
~“It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” Timex 1956
~“Be all you can be.” US Army 1981
~“Let your fingers do the walking.” Yellow Pages 1964
~“Does she or doesn’t she?” Clairol
~“Where’s the Beef?” Wendy’s
~“Is it live, or is it Memorex?” Memorex
~“Can you hear me now? Good.” Verizon
~“So easy a caveman could do it.” Geico
~“Life is short. Stay awake for it.” Caribou Coffee
~“They’re Grrrrreat.” Kellogg’s Frosted Wheats
~“Think outside the bun.” Taco Bell
~“Two all-beef patties, special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun.” McDonald’s Big Mac
~“Zoom Zoom.” Mazda
~“Give a hoot, don’t pollute” Forestry Service
Mediocre Slogans
~“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” State Farm--Yeah, but I don’t have to pay my neighbors to act this way.
~“It keeps going, and going, and going.” Energizer--I’ve gotten better results with Duracel
~“99 44/100s percent pure” Ivory Soap--Pure what, and why not 100% pure?
~“When it rains, it pours.” Morton Salt 1911--It’s misunderstood by most people. Humidity won’t stop it pouring.
~“Good to the last drop.” Maxwell House 1915--Isn’t it true of all coffees?
~“The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” M&M 1954--All candy looks the same on a dashboard in June in Phoenix.
~“Calgon, take me away.” Calgon 1985--To this day, I have no idea what Calgon is.
~“Breakfast of Champions.” Wheaties 1935--The major problem here is that it surely isn’t true. Wheaties never paid another ad agency creative fee again.
~“Don’t leave home without it.” American Express 1975--How would you leave home without your credit cards, unless you left your wallet?
~“Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.” Charmin 1964--Why not? And who squeezes toilet paper for kicks?
~ “Betcha can’t eat just one.” Lays--I can never remember the brand of chip it represents.
~“Taste’s great, less filling.” Miller Lite--No one in his right mind would say that any Lite beer was great tasting.
Bad Slogans
~“Every kiss begins with Kay.”--Also the slogan for Golddiggers of America United. I’ve kissed my wife many times, and I don’t think I’ve ever stepped foot within a Kay’s Jewelers. And, because of this slogan, I never would. How about, every kiss begins with love”
~“ A diamond is forever” DeBeers Consolidated--In case our love isn’t?
~“When you care enough to send the very best.” Hallmark 1934--No greeting card is ever the very best of anything. “When you care enough to spend just a couple bucks.”
~“Strong enough for a woman.” Secret--It used to be strong enough for a man but pH balanced for a woman. Now with feminism, it’s that women are as stinky and strong as men?
~“The choice of a new generation.” Pepsi 1984--So what happens when they grow up? I love Pepsi, but this was a bad idea.
~“Kid tested, mother approved.” Kix--No kid ever asked his mom for little yellow cardboard spheres. No mom ever thought she was really meeting her kid’s nutritional needs with tiny Cheeto’s minus the cheese.
~“No rules, just right.” Outback--Huh?
~“Doctors recommend Phillip Morris.” Phillip Morris--That should have been a warning and an admission of guilt, not an ad slogan.
~ “I’m lovin’ it.” McDonalds--Only if you don’t have taste buds.
Links on advertising slogans:
Advertising slogan hall of fame by Adslogans.co.uk
The advertising century by Adage.com
Famous advertising slogans by Wikipedia
Marketing slogan database by Textart.ru
14 comments:
You ~“Every kiss begins with Kay.”--Also the slogan for Golddiggers of America United. I’ve kissed my wife many times, and I don’t think I’ve ever stepped foot within a Kay’s Jewelers. And, because of this slogan, I never would. How about, every kiss begins with love”
ME - I do not shop Kay but I do think of “Kay” every time I hear the jingle begin with “Every Kiss begins…”
I think I heard it just a couple of days ago. The length of time it’s been used, certainly catapults it to the top of the list or Kay would have trashed it long ago.
Whether a slogan is academically good or bad matters little, when the popularity with the public generates more revenue for the company. The bottom line ultimately is the deciding factor whether a slogan is successful or not.
I’ve taken many Advertising Slogans and adapted them for use on Church signs.
For those interested: http://www.PoetPatriot.com/poetpatriotquotes-signs4.htm
You ~“Good to the last drop.” Maxwell House 1915--Isn’t it true of all coffees?
ME - To me, all coffees are bad from the first start.
You ~“When you care enough to send the very best.” Hallmark 1934--No greeting card is ever the very best of anything. “When you care enough to spend just a couple bucks.”
ME - Yes a lame slogan but another success for the bottom line.
You The choice of a new generation.” Pepsi 1984--So what happens when they grow up? I love Pepsi, but this was a bad idea.
ME - Advertising is NOW! People do not usually analyze advertising, but they either respond or not. For Pepsi’s bottom line this one was not too bad.
I’ve taken many Advertising Slogans and adapted them for use on Church signs.
For those interested: http://www.PoetPatriot.com/poetpatriotquotes-signs4.htm
You - ~“Strong enough for a woman.” Secret--It used to be strong enough for a man but pH balanced for a woman. Now with feminism, it’s that women are as stinky and strong as men?
ME - “Strong enough for a woman” was prior to Political Correctness. It used irony to contrast and show that it was not too strong for women. Secret was commonly used by men but was gentle enough for women. That slogan successfully expanded the market to women.
You - ~“No rules, just right.” Outback--Huh?
ME - Perhaps you did not know the complete name of the business, Outback Steakhouse. Knowing that the meaning comes clearer. No rules just that the food, or your steak, is cooked just right. The shortened version also adds to the Australian theme especially when said with the Australian accent on TV.
You - ~“Doctors recommend Phillip Morris.” Phillip Morris--That should have been a warning and an admission of guilt, not an ad slogan.
ME - I am sure that one came up in the law-suits, but at that time smoking was still vogue. I believe a study was (whether actual or not) quoted where more “smoking” doctors smoked Phillip Morris over others and subsequently recommended them. Perhaps recommended for taste, rather than health?
I’ve taken many Advertising Slogans and adapted them for use on Church signs.
For those interested: http://www.PoetPatriot.com/poetpatriotquotes-signs4.htm
You - ~“The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” M&M 1954--All candy looks the same on a dashboard in June in Phoenix.
ME - Are you sure? 1954? I remember this one vividly, though I was born in ‘54 – Perhaps the slogan did not melt and lasted 10 years or they found it on a shelf and used it again.
You - ~“Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.” Charmin 1964--Why not? And who squeezes toilet paper for kicks?
ME - Mr Wiffle did, and on public TV!
You - ~ “Betcha can’t eat just one.” Lays--I can never remember the brand of chip it represents.
ME - I and others I know have it tied to Ruffles. I’ve found no documentation only that Lays used it during the time they had Ruffles, Lay’s, Chee-tos, and Fritos. I know it was not Chee-tos and Fritos so it boils down to either Ruffles or Lay’s. I feel strongly that it was Ruffles.
I can’t eat just one [plain Ruffles], but my wife stops me from eating the whole bag.
You - ~“Calgon, take me away.” Calgon 1985--To this day, I have no idea what Calgon is.
ME - If I remember correctly I think Calgon was a Shampoo or a bath soap. – I heard the jingles but did not pay much attention back then.
Research – The original Calgon has been passed through various parent companies over the years to now be owned by the Steris Corporation. Calgon was first a water softener that removed Calcium from water, thus Cal – gon. The Slogan “Calgon Take Me Away” has been used by the split off Calgon Bath and Beauty Products, that was acquired by Ascendia Brands in 2007.
The Slogan was used in Commercial for Calgon bath and beauty products where a woman in a hectic home exclaims, “Calgon, take me away!” and then is seen with her head back, relaxing in a bath.
I’ve taken many Advertising Slogans and adapted them for use on Church signs.
For those interested: http://www.PoetPatriot.com/poetpatriotquotes-signs4.htm
"Have you driven a Ford... Lately?"
We know we've been building junk for decades... but give us another try.
No offense, but Roger Hancock - you need to get a sense of humor. Seriously. And also a life.
No Offense Taken.
Just making comments. I had been researching slogans for my website.
McDonald's is still using "I'm Lov'in it!"
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