The success of marketing, beyond resonating with your audience, is finding a way to remain memorable. Whether it’s a single image, word, or feeling, you want your brand to evoke a sensation that sticks with a person. This makes your brand instantly recognizable, in a way that is much more succinct than a blog post or email.
One of the most recognizable ways brands have achieved this over time is through the use of catchphrases and ad jingles. Yet, while they work, they’re not easy to create on the spot. Creating a catchphrase or ad jingle that instantaneously resonates can be difficult work, as it requires your company to distill your brand essence into a simple phrase and/or melody.
Whether you’re trying to create a catchphrase for an upcoming Instagram affiliate marketing campaign or a classic radio ad, you’ll have to take the time to work through a lot of creative fodder. If you find yourself stuck in a creative rut, it might be time to consider what the best brands have done, working from their exemplary work.
An Identifiable Brand
Slogans, catchphrases, and ad jingles can be as important to a brand as their logo — it’s a simple way to advertise, covering the audible space of a brand that a logo can’t. For instance, you may not remember what Old Spice’s deodorant looks like, but you’re most likely to remember the iconic whistle that closes out each of their commercials.
These advertising tools are little ways companies can present their brand message to consumers — like a compact mission statement meant to grab someone’s attention and tell them exactly what a brand is about. They tend to be simple and easy to remember. In some cases, they might even become ingrained in the public consciousness — like KitKat’s unexpectedly viral “Give Me a Break” song. But what makes them work so well, and how can they help your brand?
1.Make them memorable.
Slogans, catchphrases, and ad jingles should be short — something that can readily be printed on any object, memorized or sung in chorus with others. It’s a phrase that can be used in popular culture or worn on a t-shirt and will be instantly recognizable to whoever sees it, putting two and two together thanks to a simple reference.
2. Tell your story.
Part of a successful marketing campaign is selling what your business does, not just the product. While you’re trying to win sales, you’re equally trying to influence the customer, selling them in anticipation of what you have to offer. This tactic is giving them the idea of what’s to come, leaving them wanting more. In traditional marketing terms, it’s the idea of selling the sizzle, not the steak.
3. Resonate with an emotion and/or feeling.
Catchphrases and ad jingles that most resonate with audiences are ones that leave them with a positive feeling, evoking the image of an experience that will be pleasant and memorable. Whether it’s the idea of being whisked away into another world when putting on a new pair of noise-canceling headphones or experiencing pure bliss when biting into a piece of candy, you should let customers know they’re going to be given the best feeling imaginable.
4. Stand out.
Part of creating a strong catchphrase or ad jingle is developing one that will stand out. Whether you’re sharing it with affiliates through your affiliate management software or having your jingle shared in an Instagram reels video, it needs to be recognizable, standing out so not to be confused with another brand. Something simple and to the point can help you do just that.
Notable Catchphrases and Ad Jingles
- Nike: “Just Do It.”
The phrase that drives every athlete — and one, when printed on clothing or a piece of athletic gear, that is instantly recognizable to the brand it’s related to.
- McDonald’s: “I’m Lovin’ It”
A global catchphrase and jingle at this point, McDonald’s hit the nail on the head with this brand release. Push it to market with a Justin Timberlake single of the same name, and you’ve got a tune that will sell billions of burgers.
- Skittles: “Taste the rainbow.”
Paired with humorous, wacky commercials, Skittles’ catchphrase “Taste the rainbow” really stuck with audiences, both bringing to mind the comedic commercials accompanying the slogan and bags of the little, rainbow-colored candy.
- GEICO: “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.”
Similar to Skittles, GEICO used (and still uses) humorous commercials to get television viewers’ attention, while finishing with a short, quippy catchphrase that stays with you.
Capture Your Audience’s Attention
Developing the right catchphrase and/or ad jingle for your brand will take some time, but it’s worth the effort. You can expect to receive notable attention when deployed in the right marketing campaign.
