“Every little helps.”  “Work Rest Play.”  “Because you’re worth it.”  

Sound familiar?* While a logo can be a brand’s gateway to instant recognition, a tagline or slogan has the potential to go one step further. Just a few (well chosen) words can help your brand become part of common vernacular and even impact culture. 

KFC's "Finger lickin' good" is as important as the Colonel. Nike's "Just do it" is as iconic as the tick. Apple's "Think different" gets a mention in every blog on brand going (keep scrolling). That’s a pretty big deal for any business that can pull it off, but B2B organisations are often too scared to try.

You’re collaborating with your customers

Unlike the visuals, when you create a tagline you’re giving your customers something to play with from the get-go. They can utter the words themselves, taking your brand on a more personal journey. 

I'll never forget the time my 87-year-old Grampy, a little lost in the family conversation, quipped, "I'm confused.com". Cue a lot of laughter, an impressive position in the family story ranks and the rest of us repeating the joke at any opportunity. That was all down to the power of insurance website confused.com’s playful tagline.

When this cultural phenomenon happens, it’s often the only time a brand manager is happy for the copy to take on its own life, because in the mouths of your customers your brand feels more familiar. And familiarity is the ultimate brand goal.

B2B: business 2 boring?

People often talk about the power of words. It's a well-trodden cliché. However, in the depths of client-agency projects, the focus can get lost. Especially in B2B.

I know how quickly clients can forget how much words matter. Too often, copy gets diluted by clients insisting on shoehorning in extra ideas or “keywords”. Soon enough, they break the entire brand or campaign concept. Critically, some of the best taglines are only two or three words long.

I think B2B companies are missing a trick. Many believe that if you don’t have a consumer audience, there’s no need to worry about devising a catchy, imaginative tagline. But they’d be wrong. IBM’s “THINK” slogan still has legs today. As does Apple’s “Think different”, which, while not strictly B2B, was viewed by many as a challenger to IBM’s original.

It’s important to remember, your brand doesn’t have to rely on one enduring tagline. It often makes sense for big business to use temporary slogans that meet their shifting focus. But it doesn’t mean you can be lazy; any slogan needs to capture the minds – and tongues – of your audience.

Safe and… forgettable

Where do B2B taglines and slogans go wrong? Businesses play it too safe, failing to see the need for emotion.

Take Accenture. In 2020 it released a new slogan with the help of agency Droga5: “Let there be change.” Admittedly, it was a timely call to arms during the pandemic when interest in digital transformation had rocketed, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. Why? It’s too generic – any consultancy could run with it – saying nothing truly insightful about Accenture’s point of difference. 

In contrast, since 2020 digital transformation specialist UST has run with “Together, we build for boundless impact”. It’s a similar call to arms, but it stands out because it’s distinct to the DNA of the business, with its committed focus on the human impact of technology. This was the inspiration we used to shape UST’s award-winning Boundless campaign. 

Another good example is Tata.ev (FKA Tata Passenger Electric Mobility). It worked with agency Landor & Fitch to create something interesting in 2023: “Move with meaning”. The line flows (thanks to some trusty alliteration) and picks up on the emotional motivation behind choosing an electric car in today’s market. It’s simple but memorable. 

Good slogans actually say something

Ultimately, any effective slogan or tagline is built on real human insight; that’s what makes it resonate deeply with the audience. But it also needs to feel relevant to the business, instantly revealing a sense of your ethos and even personality. 

Undeniably there’s less appetite for dabbling in taglines in B2B. One of the most famous – “No one ever got fired for buying IBM” – was never actually the company’s official tagline. But any organisation can benefit from the recognition a bold slogan delivers. 

B2B and B2C businesses share a common goal: they’re selling to people. People are emotional, playful creatures – and the words you choose can help you connect with them. Or at least stay in their minds.

My advice? Spend time on your tagline or slogan – or, even better, get a good copywriter to come up with one for you. When you find the sweet spot of insight, relevancy and (just enough) fun, those few words have the potential to give your business a level of recognition that many only dream of. "Simples"**.

*If you didn’t recognise them: Tesco, Mars and L'Oréal.

**Not quite a tagline, but the meerkat catchphrase is just as powerful for Compare the Market.

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