So how do you emulate the shoe retailer, Clarke’s superb strapline – “enjoy every step”?

It is not easy – your strapline needs to convey a combination of customer awareness; competitive differentiation, and your internal aims in order to reinforce your brand in less than eight words.

Welcome Home – there’s no place quite like it.

Welcome Home is a retail shop in Worthing established in 1994 – last time I spoke to my ex on Facebook it was still trading.  This simple business name and strap line took about four months to come up with and hone.  

It was designed to reflect that the products were unusual home based gifts and accessories.  These ranged from elaborate statement pieces to a variety of nik knacks that reflect the buyers’ personalities turning their house into their home.  The fixtures and fittings were all saleable and unusual pieces of furniture.  Everything in the shop except the till and the cash desk was for sale and even then…

Finally we wanted to get across a ‘make yourself at home’ atmosphere. The strapline wasn’t just a marketing message it was le raison d’être; and a statement which was easily recognisable for its clichéd simplicity. 

I mentioned the four month search for the business name and strapline – this may be a slight exaggeration, nonetheless the hyperbole is just.  This is not a simple exercise; I expect it is why excellent copywriters are paid so well.

If you are struggling with a micro message, this is a method I have used with some success in the past.

Get a pad of post it notes.  Use one note for each of the following:

1. Write down five words that you think describe what your business does.
2. Write another five words that describe the benefits.
3. Write another five words that depict the business values you hold dear.
4. Recognise any words that have come up more than once. 
5. Discard the following five words: Quality, Value, Service, Caring and Integrity 
6. Now play around with the remaining words you have selected ….
7. Can you pose a short question?
8. Can you answer a rhetorical question?
9. Can you mirror key words, repeat or reflect?
10. Can you create a rhyming couplet?
11. Can you use alliteration?
12. Use a Thesaurus for alternative words to the ones you have chosen.

Most successful straplines sit between three and six words.  The longer the line the less memorable it becomes.  Here are some famous ones:

Just do it!

Never knowingly undersold

Reassuringly expensive

We’re no 2 so we try harder.

Every little helps.

Vorsprung durch technik.

Question – to which brand do they belong? 

Name other straplines can you recall – what about highlighting some local ones that are not famous brands … yet?

6.4

Published by thehiddenedge

I love words - they can say so much and say so little depending on how you use them. Come and explore them with me in this learning journal. View all posts by thehiddenedge