Clever or Clear? Create a Tagline That Works.

Based on its tagline, no one would guess that Apple sells computers (or anything, really).

Their tagline is clever: “Think Different.”

While this might rock for one of the most valuable companies in the world, the same strategy might not work out so hot for mom-and-pop’s ice cream shop.

Big companies get away with clever because everyone knows the brand already. No one has to explain what Amazon is or what it does—we all know.

Amazon's brand is so well established in our consciousness that you probably don’t even know their tagline (I had to look it up. It’s “Work Hard. Have Fun. Make History.”).

Neither of these taglines tell you anything about what the companies do.

For most of our customers, taglines need to be at least a little descriptive.

They need to be more clear than clever.

If you’re still breaking into a market or trying to eat up more than your small portion of market share, you need something that turns heads a little while giving potential customers an immediate understanding of what you do.

I like Cold Stone Creamery’s slogan: “Ice Cream, the Way You Want It.”

It’s clear—they sell ice cream. The word “creamery” in the title is a bit too clever and obscures the meaning of what they do. You have to think for a moment to figure out “oh… probably they sell ice cream.” The tagline clarifies it.

Why does this matter? Because those poor parents trying to figure out where to get ice cream for screaming kids have seen upwards of 5,000 ads that day. They’re being pulled in a million directions. They quite literally may not take the time to read all three words “Cold” “Stone” “Creamery.”

If you give them work, if you force them to figure out what the heck a creamery is, they might just pass on by.

The tagline makes it clear, the second half makes it clever. “The Way You Want It” entices and intrigues.

We can say the same for just about any small-to-medium-sized business. It’s better for people to understand what you do than to try to stuff so much personality into your tagline they become confused.

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