A slogan or tagline is a striking or memorable phrase used in advertising. An effective slogan has the ‘firepower’ to make consumers stop and think… and ever after recall your brand when they see or hear the phrase.
A slogan can play a key role in building your company’s reputation and identity – but if poorly thought out, a slogan can send the wrong message, dilute your brand and even drive customers away.
In today’s media-saturated marketplace, it’s vital to create a slogan that cuts through the noise and sets your business apart from the competition. It doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, a simple phrase is often better as long as it’s memorable.
Think distinctive when you want to trademark a phrase
The global computer company, Apple’s slogan is “Think different.” If you want to register a trademark for your slogan, our advice is “Say it different.”
Distinctiveness and originality is also what gives your slogan its legal punch – and helps it qualify for trademark registration!
The more unconventional your slogan is in the context in which it is used, the more likely it is to be considered distinctive and the more likely you can protect it as a trademark.
For example, “Fast and effective relief from headaches” is unlikely to be distinctive if it is used by a company selling pain medication. But the same phrase might well be distinctive if used by an accounting firm because the message, in that context, is not literal!
In the UK, a small business owner used an original slogan, “A superhero has my back” firstly to distinguish her clothing brand from others, but also to protect her brand! Having a trademark registration for the slogan empowered her to quickly take action when a corporate retailer put that phrase on their own range of clothing.