Tagline

A tagline, or tag, is a short descriptive phrase used in public relations, advertising, and marketing, to convey a key message. Tagline and slogan are terms that are often used interchangeably. Taglines are clever words, phrases, or sentences that appear at the end of an advertisement or other communication tool to summarize the message in a crisp and memorable way. If the tagline is repeated from advertisement to advertisement, it is generally called a slogan. The word slogan comes from the Gaelic expression for battle cry, and slogans and taglines are the battle cry for a company, nonprofit organization, and brand. Therefore, taglines are either attached to a profit-making institution, nonprofit organization, or a particular brand, which is produced by an organization.

In the case of a particular brand, taglines play an important part in branding strategies and become a unifying theme in a campaign, which is a series of ads or collateral under some kind of thematic umbrella. A tagline summarizes the promise of the brand or how the brand wants to be positioned in the marketplace. In the case of a tagline for an organization, it becomes incorporated into a corporate identification system, which consists of a tagline, a logo, and an organization's name. In each case, taglines sum up in a short, easily remembered message the theme for an organization's unique positioning in the market or a brand's benefits.

Effective taglines are short, simple, and memorable and differentiate the company or product from its competitors. They are designed to be repeated, provide quick and easy identification of the organization or product, create a lasting impression, and ensure continuity. Frequently, taglines appear at the end of an ad as the final phrase, but they are usually incorporated throughout the materials produced by the organization or brand.

To write an effective tagline, a clear understanding of the organization's or brand's mission, unique characteristics, and competitive differences is needed. Some well-known taglines include L'Oreal's “Because I'm Worth It,” De Beers's “A Diamond Is Forever,” Nike's “Just Do It,” Disneyland's “The Happiest Place on Earth,” and Bounty's “The Quicker Picker-upper.”