Slogan's Heroes

Maybe you feel, as I do, that most company slogans are insipid, forgettable self-indulgences. Even some of the most respected companies in America end their ads with such tag-line turkeys as "The possibilities are infinite," "It works" and "Get more out of now," to list just a few.

OK, so now that the trash talk is over, what constitutes a good slogan? Perhaps the most compelling slogan I've ever run across was the tag line on pioneering book discounter Crown Books' ads of nearly 20 years ago. It read, "If you paid full price, you didn't buy it at Crown Books." What made this line so special was that it was powerful enough to stand all by itself and induce prospects to buy.

If you're looking for a real authority to help you develop a great slogan, check out www.adslogans.com. They're experts at identifying the dos and don'ts of slogan making and even have an advertising-slogan Hall of Fame to inspire you. Some on their list: "You're in good hands with Allstate," "Betcha can't eat just one" (Lay's potato chips) and "Finger-lickin' good" (Kentucky Fried Chicken).

Bottom line: Don't just attach a bland, antiseptic chain of words to your company name. Test your slogan's power by asking: Would I be willing to use these few words all by themselves to sell my company?

Jerry Fisher is a freelance advertising copywriter and author of Creating Successful Small Business Advertising.