Life Alert: "Help, I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!"

Sunday, January 11, 2009

This is one that's been ingrained in my mind since I was a little kid -- but only because it was always the butt of our jokes. I didn't realize that Life Alert actually had this phrase trademarked. Bottom line, it's effective -- straight-forward and memorable. And most importantly, it builds the pain (literally).

The Good/Bad Story

What started with a simple URL obsession has blossomed into an all-consuming marketing mania. As a marketing professional, my day job requires me to critically evaluate good and bad marketing ideas. For some reason, I decided to devote my nights and weekends to that same pursuit. Of course, in this setting, I get to pick the companies I assess and don't have to mince my words. So join me here as I set out to put my stamp of Good or Bad on every slogan, tagline, and call-to-action that flashes before my eyes (and camera lens).

Slogan Best Practices

From Wikipedia...

An effective slogan usually:
1. States the main benefits of the product or brand for the potential user or buyer
2. Implies a distinction between it and other firms' products - of course, within the usual legal constraints
3. Makes a simple, direct, concise, crisp, and apt statement
4. Is often witty
5. Adopts a distinct "personality" of its own
6. Gives a credible impression of a brand or product
7. Makes the consumer feel "good"
8. Makes the consumer feel a desire or need
9. Is hard to forget - it adheres to one's memory (whether one likes it or not), especially if it is accompanied by mnemonoic devices, such as jingles, ditties, pictures or film sequences on televised commercials
10. Sounds good

From Me...

An effective slogan usually:
1. Is both timely and timeless
2. Is universal -- retains its meaning in other cultures and translates well to other languages
3. Is not interchangeable with other companies or products -- a good litmus test is taking the name of the brand out of the slogan and asking, "Could this be any company?"
4. Makes you think, but not too hard
5. Defines a new reality or way of life
6. Inspires action
7. Creates a social identity or conveys status
8. Delivers the promise of transformation
9. Humanizes the brand

Top 25 Best Slogans Ever

Alka Seltzer: Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz, Oh What a Relief It Is!
Allstate: You're in Good Hands with Allstate
Apple: Think Different
Beef: It's What's for Dinner
BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine
Bounty: The Quicker Picker Upper
Budweiser: King of Beers
Burger King: Have it Your Way
Chevrolet: Like a Rock
De Beers: A Diamond is Forever
Energizer: It Keeps Going and Going...
FedEx: Relax, It's FedEx
Folgers: The Best Part of Waking Up is Folgers in Your Cup
GE: Imagination at Work
M&Ms: Melt in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands
Milk: It Does a Body Good
New York Times: All the News That's Fit to Print
Nike: Just Do It
Rolaids: How Do You Spell Relief? R-O-L-A-I-D-S
Skittles: Taste the Rainbow
State Farm: Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There
US Army: Be All That You Can Be
Visa: It's Everywhere You Want to Be
Wendy's: Where's the Beef?
Wheaties: Breakfast of Champions

Good Slogan Bad Slogan

Sunday, January 11, 2009