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Today, we’re giving you the secret sauce to create an unforgettable tagline for your brand. Ever notice how certain brand taglines just stick in your brain? Like Nike’s Just Do It or Apple’s Think Different? That’s not an accident—it’s science.
Many small businesses overlook taglines, but they’re a powerful tool for branding!
Today, we’re breaking down:
- What a tagline actually is.
- The science behind why some brand taglines are more memorable than others.
- How big brands craft their taglines.
- And most importantly—how YOU can craft your own tagline.
What is a Tagline?
Brand taglines are short, catchy phrases representing your brand’s mission, values, or unique positioning. The phrase is meant to stick in people’s minds and connect with them instantly.
It’s different from a slogan, which is often designed for a specific marketing campaign, like a product launch, promotion, or temporary initiative. It appears in commercials, ads, and billboards but usually isn’t meant to last forever.
A tagline, on the other hand, is long-term and represents a brand’s core essence. It’s crafted to create a lasting association in the consumer’s mind and remains consistent across branding efforts.
A great tagline helps:
- Make your brand memorable (so you stand out).
- Tell people what you’re about in an instant.
- Create emotional connections (people remember how you make them feel!).
Bottom Line: A tagline defines the brand as a whole, while a slogan is tied to a specific moment in time for marketing.
The Science Behind Memorable Brand Taglines and Why They Stick
Some taglines are catchy, and others are totally forgettable. Why? Three psychological factors make a tagline stick in your brain.
Repetition and Simplicity
Our brains remember short, clear phrases better. If your tagline is a sentence, it’ll be much harder for people to remember. And that’s not even a tagline! Quick, catchy, and short brand taglines are best.
Emotion and Storytelling
A tagline should make people feel something. It’s not just a phrase that relates to your business. It should evoke a feeling in your audience.
Rhythm, Rhyme, and Alliteration
These patterns make things easier to recall. The best example we can think of is “Every kiss begins with Kay.” It’s catchy and has that rhythm, making it easy to turn into a jingle (that always gets stuck in our heads.)
Brand Tagline Examples
Court quizzed Abbey to see if she can identify some big brands and their iconic taglines 🙂 Here are some examples of brand taglines – can you guess the company it’s tied to?
- I’m lovin’ it.
- Red Bull gives you wings.
- Finger lickin’ good.
- Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- Belong anywhere.
- The Quicker Picker Upper
- Eat Fresh
- America Runs on Dunkin’
- Taste the rainbow.
- Let’s go places.
- Designed to be deleted.
Nike Example
Nike’s Just Do It tagline is something we all know and remember. Why?
- Short, punchy, and structured with rhythm – just three words, yet incredibly powerful.
- Creates an emotional response – It taps into motivation and self-doubt, pushing people to take action. The phrase is universal, resonating with athletes and everyday individuals alike.
- Cultural impact – It’s more than a tagline; it’s a mindset. The campaign featured real athletes overcoming obstacles, making it deeply inspiring and relatable.
These brands didn’t just think these taglines were cute and fun. They use science and psychology to think about what would stick with their audience. Brand taglines can put you above your competitors when people remember your brand tagline over someone else’s.
How to Craft Your Own Brand Tagline
Now that we know what makes a brand tagline great, let’s talk about how you can create your own! We’ll use us as an example of how you can craft your own tagline.
Our Tagline: Let’s Duo This
Our tagline works for our business because it’s playful and embodies our brand’s personality. We love being a little goofy, and that shows in our brand. It connects to our brand name directly, making it memorable and on-brand. It also has a call-to-action feel, encouraging people to take the next step with us.
These are three ways you can develop your own brand taglines!
Approach #1: Wordplay and Puns
Court came up with ‘Let’s Duo This,’ which fits perfectly with our brand. It has the same energy as our brand tone and voice. It has a dual meaning (pun intended!) and is the perfect sign-off when someone inquires about working with us.
Start with a keyword or concept from your brand and explore puns or playful phrases. Do you already say something a lot? Would it (or a variation of it) work as a brand tagline?
Approach #2: Use Your I Help Statement
Your ‘I Help’ statement depicts the essence of what you do in the quickest way possible. It answers that question people love to ask, “So, what do you do?”
How can you play on this statement? If it’s, “We help women-led businesses thrive by making them seen and memorable,” your brand tagline could be something about being seen and memorable.
Approach #3: Lean Into Your Brand Personality
Lean into your voice and personality from your brand strategy. Find a tagline that captures your brand’s energy and vibe—whether that’s bold, relaxed, or sophisticated. It should feel as a part of your brand as your logo!
Tagline Testing Tips
Have a brand tagline draft ready to go? Make sure it works for your brand by following these tips:
- Say it out loud → Does it sound good?
- Ask others → What do they remember 5 minutes later?
- Test it on social media → See what gets the best reaction!
Alright, do you remember the three things that make great brand taglines? Memorable, clear, and emotionally impactful. Get creative and have fun with it!
Share yours with us! DM us or tag @Duo.Collective on Instagram. We’d LOVE to see what you come up with!
If you liked today’s episode on The Duo On Air Marketing Podcast, don’t forget to leave us a review & subscribe!
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Abbey Oslin and Courtney Petersen are Minnesota-based marketing experts, educators, and co-founders of boutique marketing agency Duo Collective, which specializes in SEO, social media strategy, and branding for small business owners and creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about Duo Collective, or to inquire about working with our team, head over to www.duocollective.com.
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