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Atricle Dump - Wag the Tagline - The Rhetoric of Brand Messaging
With the advent of the small PLC's (programmable logic controllers), the Logo or the Pico to name just a couple, controlling pneumatic circuits can be achieved with high reliability, low complexity, and at a relatively low cost with one of the currently available, easy to program controllers.That's all well and good for the vast majority of applications that occur in a plant environment that offers electricity. But what if yours doesn't? Or, what if you would prefer to have a non-electrical compressed air circuit, one that is, perhaps, located in an explosive or fire hazard location?Years ago, there were no options but using air logic to control compressed air applications. For more modern applications that may need to operate without electricity, air logic still offers a viable alternative.There are commercially and readily available air logic elements that will help you design the air-only pneumatic circuit.OR GateThis device will allow an output control signal when either of two incoming air signals are present. The output air signal is continuous as long as there is an incoming air signal. This is useful when you wish to sequence a pneumatic operation, but don't want it to occur until another operation is complete.AND GateThis device will allow an output signal only when there are two input air signals received. The output air signal is continuous as long as there are two incoming air signals. This is useful when you wish to sequence a pneumatic operation, but don't want it to occur until other operations
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a
Deciding on starting a child day care business can be an exciting time, but for some the thought of having to deal with the business aspect of it can be overwhelming. No matter what your reasons for starting a day care business you can be sure that you will need to be full prepared for everything.What Are Your Reasons?Perhaps you are a stay at home mum who wants to start a home based business that you could be really successful with. Perhaps you have been searching for a child day care center in your area without luck? Maybe you are just fantastic with kids and looking for a career around them. No matter what your reasons for wanting to start a day care business, you can be sure that you will need a full proof business plan for it.What Will I need?When you make that decision to start a day care center business, you will naturally start to think of what you need to do and when. What will you need before you can full begin building a successful business? With so many questions that need answering it can sometimes look like to big a dream to make reality.That's why we have built a full business plan for you to follow when starting your day care center business. Without knowing what the pitfalls are before you begin, you run the risk of finding out what they are when it's too late.What Does It Include?Finding a business plan that lays out step by step all that you need, what to do and when and how to go about it can be a nightmare, that's why we have put together a great business plan
Admittedly, not all taglines shine. Many are vague, awkward, pretentious, complicated, and ambiguous. They communicate unintended messages, and are guilty of using trendy or meaningless business jargon. They often devalue the brand they’re supposed to strengthen and support.
As tools of aggressive advertisers, taglines often exhibit the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Novice marketers tend to use them indiscriminately as mere window dressing, and Internet sophisticates sneer at them as if they were quaint holdovers from the golden age of television. Given the lack of product loyalty these days, one wonders whether consumers could care less if Bayer works wonders or Avis tries harder.
In Praise of Taglines
Whether you like them or not, taglines still guide and influence consumer behavior, product preference, and company allegiance. They are, by far, one of the easiest and most effective ways to communicate a new or revised brand message. When properly applied, taglines can enhance the value and relevance of your brand, extend its reach, and give it renewed vigor. They can also be used to support pivotal objectives, such as launching a brand awareness campaign, differentiating a product line, or driving participation in an employee or third party program.
A banner for all seasons, taglines confer marquee value on your central marketing message – putting the world on notice as to who you are, what you stand for, and why your customers should care. It’s a tall order, but the proverbial tagline is up to the challenge.
The Haiku of Branding
When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.
In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.
Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-syllable novel, a kernel of truth (or myth) emerges that is often surprising, disarming, or uplifting.
From the Practical to the Personal
Taglines work their magic on a variety of levels. From a functional point of view, they can embrace your company’s mission, purpose, benefit, or competitive advantage (Works like a dream – Ambien; Built for the road ahead – Ford; Medicine with muscle – Motrin).
Taglines can also convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Raising the bar – Cingular; Pleasing people the world over – Holiday Inn; Taking care of business – Office Depot). Or they can align your company with a recognized class or category to give it added value and credibility (The most trusted name in news – CNN; We move the world – DHL; Babies are our business – Gerber).
Finally, taglines can focus on your audience’s deeply-cherished needs and aspirations, promising personal fulfillment or the attainment of a desired goal or outcome (Will you be ready? – Cialis; Don’t dream it. Drive it. – Jaguar; It’s everywhere you want to be – VISA).
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a
It seems to happen every week: someone is caught saying something that they immediately wish they could take back. Even seasoned professionals like Don Imus say things they wish they hadn’t.While Imus said that he used those infamous three words “as a joke,” most people certainly didn’t think it was a laughing matter. In our view, the situation was made worse because virtually every time the media reported on the incident, they repeated those three words. It was truly a story that took on a life of its own, for several reasons. First, the apologies didn’t really seem sincere. Pointing out that it was intended as a joke in essence placed the blame on those who “misunderstood” his innocent comments rather than on Imus.Second, Imus’ employer was very delayed in its response to the situation. And, while they said that their decision to suspend, then terminate, his employment was based on his inappropriate comments, it was also clear to many that the decision to fire Imus was made only after many companies cancelled their advertising. Thus, people were left with the impression that if the ad dollars were still there, Imus would be, too.How does this pertain to corporate America? On a smaller scale, we’ve all seen things like this happen to CEO’s and other executives and managers. Typically, it happens at company meetings or in some form of communication with employees, clients and/or the public. It also happens during interviews. To put it simply, something is said that shouldn’t have been said. Maybe it was a joke that went bad; maybe it wa
A banner for all seasons, taglines confer marquee value on your central marketing message – putting the world on notice as to who you are, what you stand for, and why your customers should care. It’s a tall order, but the proverbial tagline is up to the challenge.
The Haiku of Branding
When conceived and crafted persuasively, a tagline can become an enduring symbol – elevating your brand message from the mundane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.
In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.
Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-syllable novel, a kernel of truth (or myth) emerges that is often surprising, disarming, or uplifting.
From the Practical to the Personal
Taglines work their magic on a variety of levels. From a functional point of view, they can embrace your company’s mission, purpose, benefit, or competitive advantage (Works like a dream – Ambien; Built for the road ahead – Ford; Medicine with muscle – Motrin).
Taglines can also convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Raising the bar – Cingular; Pleasing people the world over – Holiday Inn; Taking care of business – Office Depot). Or they can align your company with a recognized class or category to give it added value and credibility (The most trusted name in news – CNN; We move the world – DHL; Babies are our business – Gerber).
Finally, taglines can focus on your audience’s deeply-cherished needs and aspirations, promising personal fulfillment or the attainment of a desired goal or outcome (Will you be ready? – Cialis; Don’t dream it. Drive it. – Jaguar; It’s everywhere you want to be – VISA).
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a
Both cigar retailers and producers are basking in the warm sun of rising cigar sales. As stalwarts like Altadis, USA continue to report solid growth in their earnings, independent cigar makers like Cusano and Alec Bradley are having to hire more employees to meet demand. These independent producers are discovering they are part of a changing world in which the newest cigar smokers -- a growing population of twenty-something aficionados -- are looking at them not as fringe independents, but creators of some of the highest rated smokes around. After hundreds of years of dominance by entrenched name brands, the independent cigar makers have finally found a way to garner upward mobility. The result of all this is not unlike what has happened to the wine world in the last thirty years. Just as wine drinkers are realizing you don't have to go to the entrenched omnipresent regions of France to find great wine, cigar smokers are discovering that the highest quality handmade cigars are not necessarily from Cuba. The Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and other countries are doing for cigars what Napa Valley, Australia and Chile have done for wine. Leading the charge to pioneer distinctive cigar tastes and styles in these areas are the independent producers like Cusano, Alec Bradley and others. Cusano, for example, smuggled tobacco out of Cuba and blended it with their own strains to create a remarkably distinct and full flavor for its Cusano Corojo 97'. The 97' along with the Cusano 18ane to the memorable. Its task, though, is daunting: to distill the meaning of a corporate vision, competitive position, brand promise, product benefit, or customer experience into as few words as possible – less than seven or eight, optimally speaking.
In this sense, the tagline bears a striking resemblance to haiku, which reveals its insights metaphorically and intuitively in a highly compressed form. The tagline is also akin to sculpture in the way it uncovers the essence of an idea after chiseling away all that is irrelevant.
Of course, the best thing about taglines is that they’re not written in stone. They can be easily refreshed when internal and external pressures require a branding makeover. Within the constraints of this so-called nine-syllable novel, a kernel of truth (or myth) emerges that is often surprising, disarming, or uplifting.
From the Practical to the Personal
Taglines work their magic on a variety of levels. From a functional point of view, they can embrace your company’s mission, purpose, benefit, or competitive advantage (Works like a dream – Ambien; Built for the road ahead – Ford; Medicine with muscle – Motrin).
Taglines can also convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Raising the bar – Cingular; Pleasing people the world over – Holiday Inn; Taking care of business – Office Depot). Or they can align your company with a recognized class or category to give it added value and credibility (The most trusted name in news – CNN; We move the world – DHL; Babies are our business – Gerber).
Finally, taglines can focus on your audience’s deeply-cherished needs and aspirations, promising personal fulfillment or the attainment of a desired goal or outcome (Will you be ready? – Cialis; Don’t dream it. Drive it. – Jaguar; It’s everywhere you want to be – VISA).
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a
(For full, ironic effect, the title of this article should actually be sung to the tune that begins, “Have yourself a merry, little Christmas...”)****************************************************************The Oracle of Delphi is credited with having made the famous admonition to all seekers of wisdom, “Know thyself!”It’s still great advice. Of course, when it comes to business and to achieving higher levels of productivity, it is essential to understand the conditions under which we work best.And these are not always obvious to us.For example, in a separate article, I mention that most salespeople perform better when they’re sitting in a “bullpen” arrangement, surrounded by other “pitchers,” rather than when they’re alone in private offices, with doors closed.Before tipping the answer, ask a few salespeople which setting would bring out their best efforts, and they’ll say the quieter space, probably nine out of ten times. They like it more, but it doesn’t force them, if you will, to do what counts in making sales; to be outgoing, bold, and to speak a little louder than usual.A tremendous amount of ink is spilled in books and articles with one aim—to help us to get along with everybody. But is this the only or the best path to individual or to collective productivity?Not necessarily, according to a number of sources that you probably won’t find quoted in the Harvard Business Review. These off-the-radar folks contend that it’s good to have a little interpersonal friction, in the same way that the gr
Taglines can also convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Raising the bar – Cingular; Pleasing people the world over – Holiday Inn; Taking care of business – Office Depot). Or they can align your company with a recognized class or category to give it added value and credibility (The most trusted name in news – CNN; We move the world – DHL; Babies are our business – Gerber).
Finally, taglines can focus on your audience’s deeply-cherished needs and aspirations, promising personal fulfillment or the attainment of a desired goal or outcome (Will you be ready? – Cialis; Don’t dream it. Drive it. – Jaguar; It’s everywhere you want to be – VISA).
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a
There really are three different levels of marketing significance when it comes to your online business.There are three different levels of strategy that result in three different sets of results.1) Advertising – This role is primarily designed to elicit short-term results on a specific campaign or site performance goal.2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This role is designed for long-term growth by getting search engines to recognize your site and view you as trustworthy and deserving of a high ranking.3) Web Branding – This role is also designed for long-term growth, but may have more to do with customer confidence in your product and less to do with driving new traffic to your site.In web branding the idea is to develop a confidence in your product and or service.Did you know it is possible to develop a strong web brand and find customers returning even if that means paying more with your site?Why is this true?If you develop sound web branding strategies a customer will have no problem returning to use your services or buy your product. Customers will pay the extra if for no other reason than they are confident you can and will deliver on your promises. These customers have seen your track record and they are satisfied you will do what you say you will do.In times past there was greater brand loyalty for house cleaning products, food items, clothing and even vehicles. Branding of most products is becoming harder to do, but it’s not impossible.Web site owners who have taken the time
Effective taglines work beneath the surface like a mantra, gently nudging feelings and reinforcing opinions every time competing brands are weighed, measured, tested, and compared.
Focusing on the Message
Sadly, taglines are called upon to do the impossible, especially if they’re forged in a creative vacuum unrelated to, and unsupported by, other marketing and branding activities. Creating a tagline without aligning it to your core marketing message or ongoing communications program is like taking a diet pill at the expense of proper nutrition and exercise. In sum, there’s no such thing as a perfect tagline; rather, the true litmus test of a tagline’s suitability is whether its message is clear, consistent, and compelling – and whether it is integral to your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy.
A tagline may only be the tip of the iceberg, but it can have a visible and lasting impact on your target audience. Given the short-term memory of a fickle marketplace, the tagline must rise above the din and clutter, vibrant and intact, like a battle cry or a flag waving in the breeze.
As an essential part of your branding arsenal, a tagline can serve as a sort of mnemonic, sky-writing device that slips inside your prospect’s cloudy mind and pushes aside other conflicting messages. The successful tagline is one which communicates brand affinity – an ability to find common ground, stretch expectations, and appeal to basic needs for comfort, safety, assurance, excitement, love, acceptance, or, ultimately, self-actualization.
Text and Texture
We all know a good tagline when we see it, but what makes it great? Sure, it may be brief, clever, original, funny, ironic, simple, or elegant, but what makes it memorable? Apart from its ostensible message or promise, and the brand elements and benefits it reflects, I would like to focus on the ways in which a tagline’s message is crafted and executed to determine the source of its attraction and appeal.
Like much of classic literature, commercial taglines and slogans are replete with rhetorical devices that their creators use, unwittingly or not, to give them a distinctive tone, image, style, and personality. After all, tagline development is all about wordsmithing – using the right words in the right combination at the right time for a desired effect. It’s requires being cognizant of the symbols, nuances, and associations they evoke, as well as the order and combination of sounds and images they conjure up.
Tagline development is a way of communicating both textual and textural meaning while, at the same time, strengthening the specific brand aspirations of an organization, product, or service.
The Rhetorical Gambits of Successful Taglines
There’s something highly subjective about how a tagline strikes you. When its message, sound, and meaning work in harmony with each other, it has what branding strategists like to refer to as “legs.” It tells a story that transcends commonplace experience. It forms a gestalt that’s larger than the sum of its parts. The parts, however, can be dissected and examined. They are the building blocks of a tagline that make it artful, clever, and pleasurable. They are the rhetorical devices that amplify its meaning and crystallize its persuasive effect.
You’ll fondly recall some of these devices from high school English class. Here is a brief sampling (1):
Alliteration: The recurrence of initial consonant sounds, usually juxtaposed.
Famously fresh (Planter’s Peanuts)
Allusion: A reference to a famous person or event.
The spirit of ’76 (Unocal)
Analogy: Compares two things which are alike for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or object.
This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
Antithesis: Shows a contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure.
The toughest job you’ll ever love (U.S. Peace Corps)
Assonance: Similar vowel sounds repeated in successive or proximate words containing different consonants.
A silly millimeter longer (Chesterfield Cigarettes)
Colloquialism: An informal word or phrase of conversational language that brings color to everyday speech.
Wassup? (Budweiser)
Diacope: The repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase.
Always low prices. Always. (Wal-Mart)
Double Meaning: A figure of speech similar to the pun in which a phrase can be understoo
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