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What Is an Advertising Slogan?

B. Miller
B. Miller

An advertising slogan is a catchy message for a company or product designed to catch customers' attention, and communicate the reason a customer would want to make a purchase. Some companies will use the same advertising slogan for many years, to increase familiarity with the idea and help customers develop associations with the product. Other companies will frequently develop new slogans to go along with new products or services, particularly if the company is evolving to offer new and different things to customers. A catchy slogan can really go a long way in selling products, and many companies hire professionals to work on just this task.

The purpose of an advertising slogan is to deliver what is known as the core message. This message is the most important aspect of the whole product, service, or idea that the company is trying to sell. Put simply, the core message is the idea that the company hopes the customer will take away. It can take some effort to distill advertising copy down to the core message, but it is really worth it when trying to create an effective advertising slogan. Brainstorming sessions with many different people can sometimes be effective ways of doing this.

Businessman giving a thumbs-up
Businessman giving a thumbs-up

Usually, a slogan is no more than a few words; it is virtually never longer than a sentence, because that would defeat the whole purpose. Often, literary techniques such as alliteration are used to make the slogan more memorable. Alliteration, sometimes also referred to as front rhyming or head rhyming, is when each of the words in a sentence starts with the same sound, or even just the same letter. Traditional rhyme might also be used to make it more memorable. Many companies add song, such as an advertising jingle that contains the advertising slogan, since it is easier for people to remember something expressed with a melody.

Advertising slogans can be found in all different types of marketing communications. Print media especially is a common place to find advertising slogans, but they are also found in advertising methods such as television and radio commercials, or other types of promotional materials. Advertising slogans are great options when space or time is at a premium, because it offers customers a general idea of what the product or service is being advertised without requiring a great deal of undivided attention.

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