Car Slogans Case Study

Highlights:

• A slogan is not a brand. A brand is a feeling, not a phrase.
• The goal of a slogan is to trigger an emotional response about the product.

What’s the goal of a slogan? To compress the brand into one moving and memorable point. There are product-focused slogans like this Mazda “zoom zoom” ad that sell a product feature.

This slogan is primarily about the car features, and boils down the brand to one point – Mazda is the zippy, fun car. But other slogans are not about a product feature. Their sole goal is to trigger a feeling.

McDonald’s “I’m loving it,” isn’t selling food. It’s selling a lifestyle.

Harley-Davidson has had numerous slogans throughout the years – everything from “live by it” to “screw it, let’s ride.”

But the words don’t really matter, because Harley’s brand isn’t a product, it’s a feeling. Any slogan will do, as long as it triggers the essence of their brand – bad boys who are respected and feared.

 

Sometimes it takes a second to get this ad. That’s the husband in the closet. So remember, don’t fall into the trap of picking a slogan that’s clever, but meaningless. Sell a product, or sell a feeling, but have a clear purpose.