By Marcia Yudkin

Whether you call it a company slogan, a tag line, a strapline, a logline, a branding statement, a positioning statement, a motto or a memory hook, this refers to a phrase that follows the company name in website headers, in print ads, on business cards and everywhere else.

Ideally, the slogan should say something interesting in a snappy way. In many cases, however, it just says something ordinary in a snappy way, and that gets the job done. The slogan makes the company stand out from competitors and stick in the minds of customers. It performs marketing magic.

Lets start with a couple of bland company names and then see how to jazz them up with five tag line techniques.

Example #1 is Benton Motor Rental. It rents cars to tourists and business visitors in Boston. The owners dont think its all that special or exciting, but lets see what happens when we apply some creativity.

Technique #1: Alliteration. This means repeated initial sounds or letters, as in:

Benton Motor Rental: Bostons Best Rides

Note that all the words in the business name and tag line need not start with the same letter for alliteration to add pizzazz.

Technique #2: Contrast. This means a juxtaposition of opposites or extremes, such as day/night, minimum/maximum, rich/poor. Lets add this to the previous example to get:

Benton Motor Rental: Bostons Best Rides, by the Hour or the Month

The contrast in the added phrase conveys flexibility and range and makes the company sound like it caters to the convenience of the customer.

Technique #3: Rhyme. Again, lets reuse and tweak an idea we already thought up:

Benton Motor Rental: Your Best Ride is Our Pride

Although thats a little hackneyed, the rhymed tag line still adds energy and a promise of customer service to the company name.

Technique #4: Make an unexpected connection. Bostons nickname is Beantown, and this companys car rental service costs less than some competitors. So that yields:

Benton Motor Rental: Beancounters Delight

Technique #5: Riff off a popular saying. Find a clich related to car rental and add a clever twist, or take a saying having nothing to do with car rental and make it relate:

Benton Motor Rental: Making Boston Your Oyster

Well, anyone who knows Bostons twisted street system and aggressive drivers wont believe that slogan for a minute, but you get the idea, right?

Example #2 is Cathys Fruit Shop. It sells both seasonal local fruits and fruits from overseas. Its known for being a friendly place with fresh, attractive produce. Again, lets get creative.

Technique #1: Alliteration.

Cathys Fruit Shop: Pears, Papayas, Plums Plus

Or, Cathys Fruit Shop: Fundamentally Fresh and Friendly

Technique #2: Contrast.

Cathys Fruit Shop: Earths Bounty, Heavenly Fresh

Technique #3: Rhyme.

Cathys Fruit Shop: Always the Freshest Crop

Technique #4: An unexpected connection.

Cathys Fruit Shop: Fresh Fruit on Fridays and Every Other Day of the Week, Too

Technique #5: Riff off a popular saying.

Cathys Fruit Shop: Compare Our Apples and Oranges

Its so much easier to pull captivating slogans out of your hat when you have these guidelines for combining words in punchy ways!

About the Author: Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that brainstorms catchy business names, product names and tag lines according to the clients criteria. Download a free copy of “19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line” at

namedatlast.com/19steps.htm

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Source:

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