Even the smallest brand can take off in a big way with the simplest of slogans. Here we look at a few of the most famous slogans used by Irish brands to keep their products on the tips of our tongues over the years.

“So fresh its famous.” – Pat the Baker

It always helps if you can roll your slogan into a catchy little song. That’s just what Pat the Baker did way back in the 80’s along with a colourful animated TV spot. The tune still rings in our ears today, bright and early every morning…

“Guinness is good for you.” – Guinness

Guinness have become the masters of marketing over the years but this early slogan established the beginning of their marketing mastery. Later slogans would include other Guinness classics like “Good things come to those who wait.”

“The fillet of cheddar.” – Kilmeaden Cheddar

This one is a little left field but it comes from the kind of creative thinking that produces the best slogans. Not only is it simple enough to be catchy it manages to give what could be just a plain old block of cheddar an air of sophistication.

“Every day should have it’s golden moments.” – Barry’s Tea

Barry’s first ever TV commercial hit us with this snippy little number. It had to be good because it was up against Lyons tea’s “Extra quality, extra flavour, Lyons the quality Tea” jingle.

“Today’s bread, today.” – Brennan’s Bread

Between Pat the Baker and this one from Brennan’s, bread manufacturers seem to have the lions share of the slogan market in Ireland. Nothing could be simpler than this slogan, it’s only two words.

What Makes a Great Slogan?

Brevity is obviously an important ingredient in a successful slogan. No one is getting a paragraph of text stuck in their head. Like the chorus of a catchy pop song the slogan needs to be short enough that it can roll around in your head over and over again without getting too annoying or tiring.

Alliteration is a technique that helps phrases to stick in people’s minds. “Guinness is Good for you” and “So Fresh  it’s Famous” use this well. Its not just about having the same sound repeat, it must also  have its own rhythm.

What makes creating a successful slogan so challenging is not only do you need to make it short and memorable, you also have to speak to the qualities of your product that you want to promote.

Brennan’s slogan is a great example of this. At face value it is almost nonsensical, what other type of bread are you going to have today? But the implication of freshness is obvious. It tells its audience that their bread is delivered fresh everyday, freshness being the ultimate selling point of any bread.

However the tone and pacing of the the two words and their repetition creates a sense of comfort and familiarity. “Today’s bread today.” doesn’t just tell you that the bread is fresh, it suggests the feeling of warmth and reassurance we get from eating that most nourishing and essential of foods.

So finding that perfect slogan to promote your brand might take weeks or months of trying out ideas and reflecting on the qualities and characteristics of your brand, but once you get it it comes in a flash. And its potential value to your company could be priceless.

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 1. Simplicity

As the saying goes “less is more”, so avoid overly complicated or highly detailed logo devices where possible. A simple, clear execution that reproduces well in all applications and formats is always preferable. A logo is an emblem and not a sales brochure – that means if you ask it to do too much it will ultimately fail in its primary function. If you’re lucky and succeed in creating something really distinctive, then it may be possible for the icon/logo device to be used without any type i.e. your audience recognise your company by its logo icon alone. Think of McDonalds golden arches, the Nike swoosh or the Adidas stripes.

2. Avoid following trends

A good logo will stand the test of time. Following the herd and copying the style of the day will leave you with a logo that dates far quicker that it should. Gimmicky typefaces, “cool” effects or cutting-edge design might be ok for a design agency but most likely not for your businesses. Controversial design may win awards but it usually only appeals to a minority and therefore alienates the majority. Your logo must seek to be both inclusive and appropriate in terms of its look and feel for your target audience.

3.  Versatility is key

In its lifetime your logo may need to be used on websites, brochures, signage, clothing, cards, billboards or promotional products. That’s no small task. How will your logo look in single colour? How will it scale down? How will it embroider? How will it look on screen? How will it look on a solid background? Being versatile and creating primary and secondary versions of your logo will keep your brand looking its best no matter where it’s encountered.

4. Be Different

It sounds like an obvious goal for a logo but more often than not we fall into the trap of mirroring our competition, crediting them with some insight into logo design that they don’t deserve. This is where the skills of a professional creative are invaluable. The ability to combine sound branding logic with fresh creative ideas will be what makes you logo into a real winner. Be willing to invest in good design. It’s not a service you should select based on lowest price or quickest turnaround – in most instances you get what you pay for (or don’t pay for!!)

5. Tell a story

What does your logo say about your company? Is it simply a one dimensional design with no logical or emotional link to what you do? Does its design execution work on something more than just a superficial level? Does it credit the viewer with a level of intelligence that may be required to “get” the logo and its deeper meaning? That doesn’t mean you set out to be deliberately vague of overly clever, just that you put some thought into the various elements of the design and how it fits with your business. It could be a compelling slogan or a logo device with a clever twist. Endeavour to create a hidden/second meaning to compliment the more obvious one on the surface?

6. Easy to remember

Remember when Royal Mail rebranded themselves as Consignia at a cost of 1.5 million pounds? Only to revert back to Royal Mail soon after for an additional cost of another million pounds. Why? Simply because the swooped a brand that the public could remember for one they pretty much couldn’t. The lesson being that obscure titles and/or complex logos make life hard for your customers. Keep it snappy, succinct and relevant and you’ll be rewarded with increased brand awareness.

7. Always employ a PRO

You wouldn’t fix you own car so why is it that so many of us think we are a dab hand at logo design? Rule No. 1 – only employ an experienced design professional and when you do, don’t attempt to do their job for them. As the old adage goes…”If you have a dog, let it bark”. By all means give the designer a detailed brief and as much insight as possible but leave it at that. Remember there’s a huge difference between mere opinion and actual expertise.

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/horatiu-curutiu/3402069345/”>Horatiu Curutiu</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>cc</a>

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