A Slogan is the soul of a brand. But there are a number of mistaken beliefs about slogans. Let’s consider, and reject, 5 of the most popular ones to make your life a little easier.

Your slogan should be clear and focused on your product

Why is it wrong? — The fact of the matter is, a slogan should communicate much more than product advantages. It’s also about your brand’s philosophy, values, and beliefs.

Nike doesn’t tell you: “The best sportswear for your workouts.” It says: “Just do it!”

Apple doesn’t tell you: “The best computers and gadgets on the market,” it says: “Think different.”

Do you see the difference? “Just do it,” and we’ll take care of the rest, including your comfort, by offering you the best sports apparel. “Dare to think different,” and we’ll support you with the most progressive gadgets.

Yes, you may say that such billion-dollar companies are so famous that even don’t need to explain to people what they are actually offering. But what about my small and unknown (yet) brand?

Well, if you wish to make your slogan more product-related, do it in 2 steps. First of all, define a marketing statement — what do you offer in a few simple words. Then try to make it sound more interesting and playful.

One of my favorite examples that I actually consider during my Creative Copywriting course: imagine you run a supermarket that offers fresh products only. A marketing message for this business may sound like “Fresh products every day.” Is it catchy? Probably no.

How can we make it look more interesting with the power of copywriting? — “We leave nothing for tomorrow.”

Why is the second option much more interesting and creative? — It makes you think! It creates a micro-conversation inside of your customer’s head: “Why don’t they leave anything for tomorrow? — Because they bring fresh product every day, and what’s left at the end of the day is probably donated to poor people”.

Never use the word “no” in your slogan

What?!! Despite tons of successful brands and campaigns that contain “no,” this nonsense still has some power among marketing managers.

What about “No Martini, no party” — a brilliant campaign starring George Clooney?

What about “Impossible is nothing” for Adidas? OMG! The double negative in one short sentence! Anyone heard — is this brand still alive?

What about the iconic “It melts in your mouth, NOT in your hands” slogan for M&M’s? The slogan has been unchanged since the 1940-s.

The truth is — sometimes negative sentences sound much more powerful and, as a result, create more impact. Try to rephrase “No pain, no gain” positively. Yes, of course, you can, but you’ll get some kind of marshmallow bullshit, to be honest. So if you feel that your statement with “no” looks bolder — go ahead! Do it!

Your slogan should be 3 or 4 words long, no more

Oh, I think I know where this one came from. Before the Internet era, there were times when outdoor advertising played a significant role. So driving 50-60 mph, a driver and his passengers simply couldn’t read more than 3-4 words from a billboard. Luckily now you can write whatever you want if it’s interesting and catchy — people will read it, be sure. Of course, if you can press all your brand philosophy in 3-4 simple words like “Just do it!” or “Life’s Good,” that’s great. If you feel you need more words — use more.

One of the greatest slogans ever, in my humble opinion, is a slogan for Nevada’s tourism department developed by “R&R agency” in 2003: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Sure it’s long, but isn’t it great? Does it reflect the nature of Las Vegas vacations? — Absolutely! Just imagine if the client asked the agency to cut it to 3-4 words… So again — the only restriction for your slogan is: it shouldn’t be boring as hell.

Your slogan should be grammatically impeccable

Sorry, grammar-nazis, but sometimes it doesn’t work this way. Remember an iconic slogan “Got milk?” offered by the “Goodby, Silverstein and Partners” agency in 1993. A grammatically acceptable interpretation of “Got Milk?” could be “Have you got (any) milk’? Or “do you have milk?”. But just imagine how toothless the campaign would look with such a slogan?

Remember “I’m lovin’ it” for McDonald’s. This one spurred so many battles. But the louder haters shouted, the more popular brand was, especially among young adults. It’s also interesting to note that the “Got Milk” and “I’m lovin’ it” aren’t alone in the industry. In fact, many advertising slogans appear to use incorrect grammar to reach their audience: Apple’s “Think Different” as opposed to “Think Differently” and Subway’s “Eat Fresh” (Eat Freshly).

What about a true game-changer in the apparel industry — British brand FCUK and their slogan “FCUK fashion”? Yes, it was very controversial, but it worked!

So if you need to break some grammar rules on the way to success or invent a totally new word like FCUK or Bamboocha (for Fanta) — do it!

It’s just a business, liking your own slogan is not a must

Wait, if you don’t like it, why should anyone else? You should love your business. You should be the number one fan of your own brand, you should believe in it even when no one else does. There’s no other way. Take any successful business and just imagine that its owner doesn’t like his or her brand: a logo or a slogan. Can you imagine it? I can’t, and I’ve got a terrific imagination. So follow your heart and don’t settle for less until you are fully satisfied with your slogan. Sometimes it’s hard, it takes time and effort, but it needs to be done.