Define Your Company Slogan

A slogan can be like a magic wand for your team. It channels and drives their energy, and guides them towards the things that really matter.

Here are some of the most famous slogans from well known brands:

• Nike says, “Just do it.”
• Apple wants to “Think Different.”
• OnePlus is committed to “Never Settle.”

Each statement is proudly embedded in the organization’s branding and marketing campaigns, but the true value of the slogan is felt internally. The slogan guides behaviors. It frames the brand, and clearly articulates what the company represents.

In 1997 Apple launched its slogan, “Think Different.” The slogan became a battle cry for the brand, and it still guides the company twenty years later. A slogan is more than just a tagline. It has a deep meaning for the organization that transcends marketing and sales.

Focus On What Matters: Never Settle

OnePlus is a challenger brand in the mobile phone market. It designs and manufactures low cost Android smartphones, what it calls “Flagship Killers.” The goal is to deliver an uncompromising smartphone at a reasonable price.

OnePlus’s vision is captured in its slogan, “Never Settle.” Never Settle, as a slogan, empowers the brand and it helps the team to define what’s next.

A slogan provides certainty in a fast changing market. A startup business cannot compete and win by mimicking the giants of its respective industry. It has to take big risks, break rules, and find new ways to be recognized and eventually create success.

A slogan is more than clever marketing. It’s a matter of survival.

What’s Your Company’s Slogan?

The most effective slogan captures the vision and ambitions of an organization. It’s a simple, pithy statement that’s packed with meaning.

But before you start working on the words, shift your focus internally. The first step in developing an effective slogan is to clearly understand and articulate your organization’s vision and ambitions:

1. What does your organization believe?
2. Why do you do what you do?
3. What impact do you and your team want to achieve?
4. How do you want your organization to behave?
5. What will be your company’s legacy?
6. Developing a rallying cry is a process of exploration. As you explore your company’s vision and ambitions look for words and phrases that articulate those ideas.

It may take some digging, but you’ll know it when you have it. The phrase will vibrate. It will engage both your head and heart and it will demonstrate that you are speaking the truth about your company.