For the love of the slogan – because language is everything
A good slogan is short and unforgettable. According to Merriam and Webster it is defined as “a brief attention-getting phrase used in advertising or promotion.”
When you hear the phrase, "Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives," the first thing that comes mind is probably what to do when Covid-19 gained momentum. What about “Stay alert”…?
At the beginning of the government’s comms strategy for Covid-19 Boris prioritised the NHS and the slogan worked. In fact, it was so good; it was a victim of its own success. The new “Stay alert” slogan released 10th May was open to much criticism (“I don’t know what ‘stay alert’ means,” said Nicola Sturgeon)
Authoritative slogans are seriously powerful tools and can even embed brands in people’s everyday culture (an advertisers dream!)
Here are a few of the best (in my view)
“Good things come to those who wait” Guinness (1999)
"It does exactly what it says on the tin" Ronseal (2016)
“There is no substitute” - Porsche (1983)
