Download slogans used by indian brands

ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
SLOGANS USED BY INDIAN BRANDS: A BRIEF ANALYTICAL STUDY ON THEIR ROLE IN
ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS
Dr. Tapal Dulababu
Professor & Principal
The Oxford College of Business Management,
No.32, 19th Main, 17th ‘B’ Cross, Sector IV,
HSR Layout, Bangalore 560102
ABSTRACT
Words used in their proper order and in a pleasing manner would readily be acceptable and obliged
by the world. Advertising is a form of mass communication closely linked with the world of commerce and
marketing. It is a powerful tool for the flow of information from the seller to the buyer. Advertising is an
indispensable component of all sorts of business. Stewart H. Britt says “Doing business without advertising
is like winking a girl in the dark; you know what you are doing, but nobody else does”.
This paper explores whether the use of slogans for Indian brands play vital role in advertising
effectiveness, and tells what message and features are to be conveyed by the use of slogans to make them
effective.
Key words: Advertising, Slogans, Nomenclature, Criteria, Effectiveness.
Advertising
The word advertising is derived from the Latin word, ‘advertero’ which can be broken
into ‘ad’ and ‘verto’ means ‘towards’ and ‘ I turn’ respectively. Literally, it means to a specific
thing. The definitions committee of the American Marketing Association (AMA) defined
(1960), advertising as “any paid form of non-personal presentation of idea, goods or service by
an identified sponsor”. Advertising is purposeful communications designed with a view to
specific objectives. Advertising attempts to persuade prospective buyers to buy a
product/service.
Stanton observes that “advertising consists of all the activities involved the presenting
to a group a non-personal, oral or visual, openly sponsored message regarding a product,
service or idea. The message called an advertisement is disseminated through one or more
media and is paid for by the identified sponsor”.
Hausen says that “advertising includes those activities by which visual or oral messages
are addressed to the people for the purpose of informing them and influencing them either to
buy merchandise or service or to act or be inclined favorably towards idea, institutions or
persona featured. In contrast with publicity and other forms of propaganda, advertising
messages are identified with advertiser either by signature or by oral statement. In further
contrast to publicity, advertising is a commercial transaction involving payment to publishers
or broad casters and others whose media are employed. Shapiro defines advertising as “a nonpersonal paid message of commercial significance about a product, service or company made
to a market by an identified sponsor”.
Advertising according to Kotler is “any paid form of non personal presentation and
promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor”. Thus in developing an
advertising program one must always start by identifying the market needs and buyer motives
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
and must make five major decisions commonly referred as 5 m’s (Mission, Money, Message,
Media and Measurement) of advertising shown in below figure 1:
Message
 Generation
 Evaluation
 Selection
 Execution
 Social Responsibility
Mission
 Sales goals
 Advertising Objectives
Money (Budget)
 Factors determining budget are
 Stages in PLC
 Mkt share & consumer Base
 Competition
 Ad frequency
 Product substitution ability
Media
 Reach, frequency impact
 Major media types
 Specific media vehicles
 Geographical medium allocations
 Social Responsibility
Measurement
 Communications impact
 Sales impact
Message
Message is a product of creativity. Creativity is the ability to produce original ideas.
Creativity influences advertising much before visualization and copy writing. Planning of the
ad, takes a great deal of creativity. Message should consist of the following elements shown
in the following figure 2. The verbal elements and nonverbal elements in the right proportion
(given the product, target market, and other things) results in the creative mix which create
more attention value for the advertiser. A brief description the elements of message are
presented as follows:
Headlines & sub heads
Usually headline appears at the top of the body-copy but is not always. In some cases,
headlines appear at the bottom or middle space of the advertisement. Generally, it is set in
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
bolder and larger type and it’s short and drags the reader to the body text. When body text is
lengthy, the message is divided into paragraphs and each is given a subhead to highlight the
theme of the paragraph.
Body Copy
It forms the main part of the ad apart from visual elements, headlines and captions. The
size of the body text differs from ad to ad and some ads may contain a shorter body text and
for some other, it will be larger. For technical products, generally the body text is lengthier;
for example, advertisements of computers, televisions, power generating equipment’s etc. will
have lengthy body text.
Mission
1. Sales goals
2. Advertising
Objectives
Money (Budget)
Factors
determining
budget are
1. Stages in PLC
2. Mkt share &
consumer Base
3. Competition
4. Ad frequency
5. Product
substitution ability
Message
1. Generation
2. Evaluation
3. Selection
4. Execution
5. Social
Responsibilit
y
Media
1. Reach, frequency
2.impact
3. Major media types
4. Specific media
vehicles
5. Geographical
medium allocations
6. Social
Responsibility
Measurement
1.
Communications
impact
2. Sales impact
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Fig 2. Elements of Message-Creative-mix
Message
Verbal elements
Headlines
Sub – heads
Body – text
Slogans
Non-verbal Elements
1. Music
2. Color
3. Trade mark /
Brand mark
4. Picture
5. Unusual sound
Right proportion of each results in Creative mix
Slogans
A distinctive catchy phrase that serves as a motto for a campaign brand or company. It
is used across a variety of marketing communication messages and over an extended period of
time. Slogans are a short phrase used in part to help establish an image, identity or position for
a brand or an organization, (“The world’s local Ban k” of HSBC Bank) but mostly used to
increase memorability. (Gurnn, Allen, Semenik, Thomson south-western, Vikas publishing
house, ND, 2003). In other words, slogan is a set of short, simple, clear catchy and colorful
words used to attract and hold the attention of the customer (Andhra Bank: “First in Service –
Best in banking”). The slogans should be short, direct, sweet, easily pronounceable, easily
remembered, time proof and yet pleasing to ears like in the case of “We cover you, At every
step in life” of ICICI Pru Life. It (slogan) is a concise but an effective way of telling an idea.
Slogans also facilitate the conduct of tests of marketing research (recall power test). The
purpose of which is also called a strap line, in an advertisement is to leave the key brand
message in the mind of the target (Foster Timothy R V, Ad slogans unlimited).
2. NOMENCLATURE OF SLOGANS
Slogan nomenclature varies from place to place. In many parts of the world and
generically, they are called ‘slogans’. In the USA, they are tags and taglines. In the UK, they
are ‘end lines’, end lines or strap lines. In Germany, they are called ‘claims’ whereas in France
‘signatures’. In the Netherlands, slogans are called payoffs.
3. CRITERIA FOR A PERFECT SLOGAN
Charless L Whittier in his book ‘Creating Advertising ‘says slogan’ should be a
statement of such merit about a product or service that it is worthy of continuous repetition in
advertising, is worthwhile for the public to remember, and is phrased in such a way that the
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
public is likely to remember it”. Foster Timothy has proposed the principles of framed do’s
and don’ts a perfect slogan as follows:
A Slogan should be memorable
When a person is able to recall the line without any aid, the slogan is said to be
memorable. The more the repetition of the slogan the more is its memorability. It also depends
on the brand heritage and the big ideas conveyed successfully through advertisements. Further
interest-provocative and contextual illustrations or story, alliteration, specially coined words,
puns, antithesis and rhymes are good ways of making slogans memorable. Tongue- friendly
phrases and happy brand experiences make the slogan memorable. Brand equity is a function
of memorability. Memorability improves the shelf life of a slogan. A few cases of rhyme-filled
and memorable slogans are hereunder:
Category
Alliteration
Company
Syndicate Bank
ICICI Bank
Andhra Bank
Rhymes
Canara Bank
Puns
ACC cement
Amway
Examples
Slogan
Reliable, responsible
Safer, simpler, smarter
First in Service – Best in
banking
Serving to grow – Growing to
serve
Double action, longer life
Better ideas, better life
Source
CFA, Jan 2003
Eenadu, 13-2-2003
CFA Jan 2003
FE Feb 2003
DC, 14-02-03
TOI 16-02-2003
A slogan should aid in the recall of the brand name
By reading the slogan, one should be able to remember the brand name of the product/
company. Ideally the brand name should be included in the slogan. The best way for bringing
the brand name into spotlight is to frame the slogan with a rhyme in it.
For example:
Category
Brand
name
Rhyme
Company
Maratha zen
Yamaha Enticer two
wheeler
National school of
banking
ESPN channel
Thomas cook (Tourism)
Vellore institute of
Technology
Amarraja Batteries
(Amaron batteries)
A slogan should contain a key benefit
Slogan
just add zen to your life
Source
BT 02-02-03
Blue blooded Yamaha
TOI 4-2-03
At NSB we teach success
TH 10-2-03
Think better, win bigger
Best holidays, honest prices
A place to learn, a chance of
grow
TH 8/2/03
TOI 3/2/03
lasts long, really long
TH 5/2/03
(India Today
Jan 20/03)
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Many advertisers include key benefit in the slogan to convey about the benefit to the
consumer in a concise way. For example
Key benefit
Safety for
the
investment
Product/company
Slogan
Source
Mutual fund (First
India MF)
Where safety comes first
Brand Equity quiz
book Jan 2003
Prosperity
Can Bank MF
Together for long term
prosperity
Fortune India Jan
31-03
Better
training
Amity B-Schools
We nurture talent
TOI 3/2/03
We bring good things to
life.
DC 10/02/03
More smiles per hour
Before we make
programme, we make
history
TOI 11/2/03
National
Geographic
Channel
Quality of
life
Mileage
New things
GE country wide
consumer financial
services (personal
loans)
TVS Suzuki victor
National Geographic
TV channel
A slogan should differentiate the brand
A slogan should depict a characteristic about the brand that sets it apart from
competitors. For example
Product/company
SOTC world Famous
tours
Slogan
Source
The smartest way to see the world
TH 3/2/03
HSBC Bank
The world’s local Bank
Readers Digest
Jan 03
Western Union
The fattest way to receive money
world wide
TH 3/2/03
Kurlon mattresses
Pure sleep nothing else
Voltas AC
Sansui TVS
SERVO (lubricants)
JK Tyres
Acs with IQ
Better than the best
World class engine oils
Total control
its
Readers digest
Jan 03
TOI 14/2/03
DC 3/2/03
CFA Jan 03
BT 2/2/03
A slogan should invoke positive feelings about the brand
A slogan should invoke positive feelings about the brand by conveying the
benefit/comforts or the uses of the product/service in a compact form. For example
Product/company
Slogan
Source
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Yashoda hospital
(Super specialty)
Apollo Hospital
Oyzterbay (Jewellery)
Air Sahara
Cathay pacific
(Air liner)
State Bank of India
HDFC (Home loans)
JK Papers
South Eastern Railways
Birla Ready mix concrete for
construction
Global hospitals
Salora (TVS)
LIC (Jeevan Suraksha)
Zurich India
We hope you will never need us,
TH 8/2/03
Touching lives
Jewellery for the living
Emotionally yours
With you all the way,
With you right through,
Creating lasting impressions,
Striving for excellence,
DC 5/2/03
TOI 10/2/03
TH 11/02/03
Bran Equity Quiz
book July 03
Readers digest Jan 03
TOI 3/2/03
BT 2/2/03
DC 16/02/03
Concrete on call,
TH 13/02/03
Now you’re really flying
Medical Excellence through team
work.
The perfect match,
Self-reliance for life,
Building a worry free world,
TH 16-02-03
TH 16/2/03
TOI 14/02/03
TOI 6/2/03
A slogan is that reflect the brand’s personality
Personality implies habitual patterns and qualities of behavior of any
individual as expressed by physical and mental activities and attitudes, as well as distinctive
individual qualities of a person consider collectively. For example:
Product/company
Idea Cellular Idea prepaid
card
Network associates
(network security)
LG Electronics
ICICI Prudential
(Life Insurance)
New City Hospitals Sec’bad
SBI (Life Insurance)
HDFC Bank (Credit Cards)
Slogan
Source
An idea can change your life
DC 6/2/03
Your network our business,
Data quest
31-01-03
DC 4/2/03
Expand your life
We cover you, At every step in
life
Treating you with care
With us, you’re sure
we understand your world
your status, your taste your
class, Our solution,
Performing consistently for you
Indian Express 4/2/03
TOI 5/2/03
TH 14/2/03
Financial Express
What people in the chair gave
on their table
FE 1/2/03
Eureka Forbes
(Aqua guard water purifier)
Your friend for life
Brand Equity quiz book
Jan 03
Khazana Furniture
Franklin India Blue chip Fund
TOI 4/2/03
TH 15/2/03
TH 17/2/03
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
IFFCO –TOKIO
General insurance
Birla sun life insurance
The life you deserve
BT 2/2/03
Your dreams our commitment
BT Jan 20/Feb
2 2003
A Slogan should be strategic
Some companies convey their business strategy may effectively through the use of
slogans, such as
Product/company
BSNL (telecom)
Vignan Schools
Hindalco (Aluminum)
Siemens (Telecom)
Matrix labs
Wipro (Soft)
Nokia (Cell phones)
Slogan
Connecting India
Global standards, India values
World Class Quality
Global network of innovations
Worldwide partnerships World wide
solutions
Chemistry together
Applying thought
Connecting people
Malaysia Airlines
Going beyond expectations
Jagan Institute of
mgmt
UTI (MF)
Developing the corporate leaders of
tomorrow
For you better tomorrow
Patni computers
Source
TH, 8/2/03
TOI 8/2/03
TOI 9/2/03
DC 17/2/03
TOI 5/2/03
TH 5/2/03
TH 5/2/03
ET 5/2/03
BI Jan 20 – Feb 2
03
Indian mgmt
Jun 03
CFA Jan 2003
A slogan should be campaignable
When the slogan works across a series of advertising executions, the slogan said to have
some shelf life. For different ads with different story boards, if the same tagline used, the tag
line said to be campaignable.
For example:
Pepsi (Soft Drink)
Yeh dil mange more
Telco’s Tata Indica
More car per car
Reliance infocomm
Karlo duniya mutti mein
Nokia cell phones
Connecting people
BSNL (telecom)
Connecting India
Wipro Soft
Applying thought
Boost (energy drink)
Boost is the secret of our energy
Raymond Garments & clothes
The complete man
H BO (TV channel)
Simply the best
Voltas (ACs)
Acs with IQ
Note: Source is not mentioned as the slogans are found in every advertisement
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
A slogan should not be usable by a competitor
One should not be able to substitute a competitive brand name and use the slogan.
Further a little modification in the line which does not lead to any change in the theme conveyed
by the companies.
For example
Product/company
Slogan
Source
Nokia (Cell phone)
Connecting people
ET 5/2/03
BSNL (Telecom)
Connecting India
ET 5/2/03
SBI (Home loans)
with you all the way
Reader’s Digest,03
TATA AIG (Insurance)
with you always
BI,Jan20-Feb 2,03
HDFC (Home loans)
with you, right through
Readers Digest Jan 2003
LIC (Insurance)
with you all the time
FI,31/1/03
Bank of Baroda
Banking on Relationships
BI Jan 20 Feb 2 03
The Ohanalakshmi bank
Relationships forever
Fortune India 31/1/03
Ltd
AIMA
Excellent in mgmt.
CFA Jan 2003
ICFAI
In search of excellence
India Mgt Jan 2003
Slogan should be original
Originality is king. Originality stands out. Originality improves the chances of impressing
the message on target group. But, originality is hard to come by except with creative process.
For example:
Product/company
Business Today (Business magazine)
sMaruthi (Wagon R)
Telco (Tata Indica)
Pepsi (soft drink)
Sansui (TVS)
Philips (TVS)
Ing vysya
MRF (Tyres)
Slogan
For managing tomorrow
Inspired Engineering
More car per car
Yeh dil mange more
Better than the best
Let’s make things better,
Adding life to insurance
Tyres with muscle
Source
BT any issue
Readers Digest Jan 03
TOI 3/2/03
TOI 5/2/03
DC 3/2/03
TOI 3/2/03
BE quiz book, Jan 2003
Eenadu 1-2-03
Slogan should be simple
Simple means it should be short and in simple word so that the target market understand
and get impressed. Being simple excludes many things. conversely accommodating too many
meanings in a simple phase requires high thoughtfulness. But the most common folly is missing
out the best in the endeavor to express the best. Simple words can tell simple things but not big
ideas. Being too simple is tantamount to mediocrity unless some rhythm, rhyme and magic are
built in to it. Let us look at a few practices.
Product/company
Slogan
Source
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
DHL Worldwide Express
(Cargo)
Amity B-School
Fenna (India ) (Industrial
product)
Andhra Bank (Credit Cards)
Eureka Forbes
(Aqua guard water purifier)
LG Electronics (Electronics)
Thompson (TVS)
The pulse of business
TOI 28/1/03
We nurture talent
TOI 3/1/03
Fit and forget
BW 17/2/03
First in service – best in
banking
CFA Jan 03
your friend for life
Expand your life
Happy technology to you
Brand Equity quiz book
Jan 03
DC 4/2/03
TOI 3/2/03
Slogan should be neat
A neat slogan helps portray the product progressively in the punter’s perception. For example:
Product/company
PC Quest (computer magazine)
Nestle (Nesthum)
Britania (biscuits)
Slogan
Enhance your computing
Light & Nutritious
Eat healthy, think better
Source
PC Quest any issue
TH 30/1/03
TH 6/2/03
Slogan should be believable
Poetic expressions and exaggeration is seen on the end lines, such as:
Product/company
HSBC Bank (Credit Cards)
Aaj Tak (News Channel)
Seagram’s (Music products)
Mahindra & Mahindra
(Scorpio Zeep)
Sansui (TVS)
Servo (Engine Oil)
LIC (Komal Jeevan)
Slogan
The world’s local bank
The nation’s best news chann
Above it all
Source
Reader’s Digest Jan 03
BT 2/2/03
BT 2/2/03
Nothing else will do
BI Jan 20 Feb 2m 2003
Better than the best
World Class engine oil
Zindagi ke saath bhi, Zindagi ke
baad bhi,
DC 3/2/03
CFA Jan 2003
Brand Equity Quiz
Book, Jan 03
Firmly anchored on truth, honesty and simplicity, the phrases lend themselves to be
believable. Overstatement as well as understatement will stifle believability. Take a look at a
few cases.
Slogan should help when customer ordering the product or service
Slogans distinguish some from the other in the product line or choice set. They facilitate
customers’ communication with the selling, obviating wrong shipments. The cases in point are:
Product/company
Slogan
Source
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
BMW
Weight watches
Fed Express
I want to have the ultimate driving
machine
Give me taste, Not waist,
why fool around with anyone else,
AXN Channel
HBO Channel (Meals)
HBO Channel
Slogan should not be in current use by others
The more different users of a slogan, the less effective it is. Banker and insurance
companies and also telecom companies use more or less same meaning giving or with same
words in their slogans. The mission, strategy and message of two brands may be the same. But
each of them should occupy a distinct slot in the consumers’ mind. This is what brand
positioning is all about. The slogan in most cases expresses its position. If the positioning is
proper, this slogan will not be in current use by any other brand. Take a look at a few cases.
Product/company
AIMA (B-School)
ICFAI (B-School)
SBI (Home loans)
Slogan
Excellent in management
In search of excellence
HDFC (Home loans)
LIC (Insurance)
with you right through
TATA AIG (Insurance)
Bank of Baroda
TheDhana Lakshmi Bank ltd
with you all the way
with you all the time
with you always
Banking on relationships
Relationships for ever
Source
Indian mgt Jan 03
TH 5/2/03
Readers Digest Jan
03
TOI 3/2/03
Fortune India
31/1/03
BI Jan 20-Feb 2 03
CFA Jan 2003
CFA Jan 2003
Slogan should not be bland, generic or hackneyed
Slogans that are bland, redolent of mom and aprole-pie, clearly suffer a weakness. Almost
any brand could use these lines and lines are dull and monotony. For example
Product/company
UTI (MF)
Union Bank of India
AIMA B-School
GE Country wide
Consumer Financial
Services
West Bengal IDC
Slogan
For you better tomorrow
Good people to bank with
Excellence in mgmt
Source
CFA Jan 2003
Readers Digest Jan 2003
Indian Mgt Jan –03
We bring good things to life
DC 10-2-03
Making things happen
Indian mgmt Jan –03
Slogan should not prompt a sarcastic or negative response
Malaysia Airlines: Going beyond expectation , BI Jan 20/Feb 2 2003
(Expectations differ from passenger to passenger)
Fiat Palio (4 wheeler): Technology to the max, DC 6/2/2003 (Can you define the max
limit of the Technology)
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ing Vysya life insurance : Adding life to insurance , Brand equity quiz book Jan 2003
(How can it be possible?)
Slogan should not be pretentious
This is called pomposity test. ‘Promise less and deliver more’ mind set leads to high
customers’ satisfaction. Promising what is not possible will only result in fast slide of the brand
along graph line of satisfaction and loyalty to customers. A slogan should give the true spin of
importance for example:
IIPM –B – School: What we teach today the other adopt tomorrow
Community (Digital copier): We are in your corner, BI, Jan 20 /Feb 2003
Birla sun life insurance: Your dreams our commitment, BI Jan 2/Feb 2 2003
AFL private (Cargo): Where movement is a science, FI 31/1/03
Slogan should not be negative
Negative Advertising is hard to justify and some times the negative slogan confuse
the customer, such as
Yashoda Hospitals: We hope you will never need us, TH 8/2/2003
Slogan should not neck of corporate waffle, hence sounding unreal
For example
DSP Merrill lynch (MF): Bullish on life, TOI 11/2/03
(Onida) MNC Electronics (Black TV): It will change your world DC 3/2/03
KLA Electronics (UPS): Leadership beyond compare, Data Quest 31/1/03
South Eastern Railways: Striving for excellence
DC 10/2003
Slogan should not be a ‘so what’ ? or ‘Ho-hum’ statement
For example
Bharat overseas Bank Ltd, A bank owned by 7 banks (‘so what ?’), CFA Jan 2003
Slogan should not make you say “ oh yeah??”
For example:
Apex Academy (IIT /JEE coaching): We take your career as seriously as you do!
TOI 10/2/03 (“o w yeah!”)
Videocon (Electronics): Technology for health and pleasure,
Brand Equity Quiz Jan 03, (“oh yeah!”)
Patni computers: worldwide partnership, world wide solutions,TOI 5/2/03
(“oh yeah!”)
Slogan should not be meaningless and complicated or clumsy
For example
AFL Private (Cargo): Where movement is a science, FI 31/1/03
Yamaha (Enticer 2 wheeler): Blue blooded Yamaha, TOI 4/2/03
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Slogan could be trendy
It implies that a slogan should be as short as possible
i) Single word slogans are :
Compaq & HP:
‘Invent’ , Data Quest 15/1/03
Apollo Tyres: unstoppable , BI Jan 20/Feb 2 2003
ii) Two or three words slogans and three terse ideas such as:
The new Indian express (news paper ): ‘ Sarvathra Vijayam’ Newspaper any day
Business Today: For managing tomorrow , BT any issue
Maruthi Vagon R: Inspired Engineering, Readers Digest Jan 2003
LG Electronics: Expand yourself,
TOI 3/2/03
Syndicate Bank: Reliable, Responsible,
CFA Jan – 2003
Jaypee institute of mgt : Education, Enlightenment, Empowerment, TH 12/2/2003
Khazana Furniture: your status, your taste Your class, our solutions,TH 15/2/03
Discussion and Conclusion
Slogans with power-packed words conveying what the brand stands for are handy tools,
for all companies big and small. One is yet to see a brand which expresses itself without words.
Integral to brand building unequivocally are slogans. Slogans and non verbal messages
reinforce each other in communication effort.
A unique and winning slogan should be a product of aggressive brain churning done by
more than one individual over a considerable length of time rather than just a few hours.
Slogans framing calls for pooling of talents, clarifying of vision, visualizing of the graph line
of products growth and evolving of a communication strategy. The exercise involves efforts of
many creative people cutting across all echelons of organizational hierarchy, but primarily with
a lead role assumed by top brass. Efforts and seriousness shown in slogan making foretells the
future success of the brand, since it covers a wide range of decisions including strategic as well
as tactical ones, if at all right decisions are anything to do with brand’s success. Slogan framing
if interested to ad-hoc advertising professionals will be ill-fated unless the professionals are
thoroughly familiar with the brands and its strategization through their long association with
the brand.
Focus on slogan making is focus on an area of paramount importance since it touches on
strategization and communication. The analysis has boiled down to identification of chief
functions of a slogan and critic for effective slogan. The functions of an effective slogan are:
a) Credibility b) Convenience of recall c) Communicational ease d) Creative
distinctiveness which is called “4C’s testing framework”. “4C’s testing framework”
cannot only help evaluate the effectiveness of a slogan but also create a new winning
slogan.
The first and foremost function of slogan is establishing as well as maintaining
credibility for the brand. Timothy prescribes that it should be believable, should not be
pretentious, should not be unreal, capable of invoking positive feelings, tout key benefits,
represent personality of the brand and trigger deep strategy oriented thought process.
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Secondly, the slogan should help recall the brand name and the slogan itself. The
prescriptive phrasing is that the slogan should be memorable, simple, and neat and reflect
brand’s strategic orientation.
Thirdly, the slogan should be of high creative distinctiveness, which of course is a
product of high-rung creative thought process. The prescription for achieving this functionality
is that the slogan should be trendy, original, differentiate and personality reflective. It should
not be bland, generic, hackneyed and should not generate lackluster responses like so-what,
ho–hum, oh-yeah etc. it should not be already in use by others and preferably should hedge
itself against authorized or unauthorized use by competitors. It should not be a source of
negative responses. Perhaps sarcastic phrasing will invoke negative responses only.
Lastly, brand and business depend heavily on ‘communicational ease’ of the message
and slogan which is the subject on hand. The slogan should be campaignable and capable of
providing ease of ordering a product by a customer. It should not be sarcastic lest negative
responses are brought forth.
CREDIBILITY
- Believable
- Not pretentious
- Not unreal
- Source of
positive feeling
- speaks of key
benefit.
Fig 3. 4C’s TESTING FRAMEWORK
CREATIVE
CONVENIENCE
COMMUNICATIONAL
DISTINCTIVEOF RECALL
EASE
NESS
- Memorable
- Trendy
- Campaignable
- Aids in brand
- Not bland
- Ease in Ordering
recall
- Original
- Not sarcastic
- Simple
- Not in use by
- Not a source of
- Neat
others
negative responses
-Strategic
- Makes the brand
standout
- Non-encroach
able to
competitors
- Does not
generate
lackluster
responses
References
i) American Marketing Association, Marketing Definitions, A Glossary of Marketing terms
Chicago, 1960, P - I9.
ii) Stanton, W.J., Fundamentals, of Marketing, McGraw-Hill Co,1994, p-502
iii) Haunsen, Harry J , Marketing text : Techniques and cases, p 63
iv) Shipario, Irving J., ‘Marketing Terms: Definitions Explanations and / or Aspects, SMC
publishing company, New York , 1973, p3
v) Kotler P., Marketing Management: Analysis, planning, implementations and control, 9th
Ed, PHI New Delhi 1997, p 637.
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ISSN 0976-7193 (Print) ISSN 2349-2317 (Online) Volume 2 Issue 4, October (2011)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
vi) Foster Timothy RV , How Ad Slogans Work, www.adslogansunlimited uk
vii) Whittier Charles L, Creative Advertising, www.adslogansunlimiteduk
Notes: the following are the expansion of the used abbreviations:
CFA: Chartered Financial Analyst
DC : Deccan Chronicle
TOI: Times of India
BT : Business Today
TH : The Hindu
FE : Financial Express
ET : Economic Times
BI : Business India
FI : Fortune India