First impressions are the best impressions.
Sounds harsh? In marketing, it’s the cold hard truth. Your slogan can make or break your company or your campaign. In this competitive world we live in, brands who get their slogans right demand respect. They have not only figured out a way to express their value and identity as a brand, but they’ve also managed to do it in a single, simple, superb sentence.
Without further ado, here are some of our favorite campaign slogans of the past and present:
Nike – “Just Do It”:
Let us begin with one of the most iconic slogans in the history of advertising. Nike uses this iconic slogan on clothing, packaging and throughout its various ad campaigns. It is timeless and flawless with a long, long life: it was created more than 30 years ago and is used in full force till this date. People see this slogan and automatically associate it with the brand.
L’OREAL – “BECAUSE YOU’RE WORTH IT”:
Here’s another gold medalist when it comes to successful slogans. Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re worth it? This slogan has been around since 1977 and is instantly recognizable with L’Oreal to anyone who sees it. It was one of the first slogans to highlight self-confidence and encourage empowerment, making it a revolutionary moment in advertising. As a cosmetic brand, L’Oreal wanted to emphasise that by buying makeup to make themselves feel confident and desirable, women aren’t doing anything wrong. Judging by L’Oreal’s success and countless consumers’ identification with the brand, the slogan is clearly a perfect fit.
DISNEY – “THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH”:
In just five words, Disney has worked wonders. Its slogan was whimsical, magical, and absolutely captivating. It traces its roots to the early days when the first ever Disney park opened in Anaheim, California, and has remained a faithful part of Disneyland’s advertising and branding for many decades. It captures the wish of every Disneyland visitor: the ability to enter a world of happiness and dreams, if only for a few hours.
Some of Disney’s shorter-term campaign slogans are also worth mentioning: “I’m going to Disneyland” was a slogan used in a series of 1980s commercials and is a brilliant example of early celebrity marketing. “Where Dreams Come True”, launched in 2006 after the park’s 50th anniversary, was meant to speak to all their customers in a single, magical voice.
It’s safe to say that Disney has mastered the art of effective slogans.
DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB – “SHAVE TIME. SHAVE MONEY”:
Dollar Shave Club has mastered the perfect recipe for a perfect slogan. “Shave Time. Shave Money” is extremely effective because it cleverly emphasises two of the company’s key benefits to its consumers: convenience and cost. It offers its customers fresh razors and ensures that they save (or shave) time and money by shopping online and subscribing to regular deliveries. In short, it’s short, crisp and spectacularly successful.
BURGER KING – “HAVE IT YOUR WAY”:
Burger King’s original slogan was developed back in the early 1970s to differentiate itself from its competitors. Notice something? By using the “your” pronoun, Burger King’s slogan is singularly consumer-centric, focusing primarily on its audience by offering customised fast food and personalised service.
Burger King has a complicated relationship with its original slogan. While it was immensely successful after its launch, Burger King decided to abandon it due to concerns that it was increasing wait times. It embraced a haphazard game of trial and error before deciding to embrace its original slogan in 2004. However, in 2014, it once again decided to ditch the old and welcome the new by changing its slogan to “Be The Way”. In 2022, this was changed to “You Rule”.
