Manizesto

After my last post, I started wondering how useful taglines really are to a business. So I did a bit of research and low and behold, I was right. Many, if not most taglines seem irrelevant and forgettable. For example, how many of these companies can you name based solely on the tagline?

1. Save Money, Live Better!
2. We’re drivers too.
3. Human energy
4. Energy for tomorrow
5. Imagination at work
6. Let’s get it done
7. Keep the change
8. The strength to be there
9. A leader in global financial services
10. It’s the network
11. Stop talking. Start doing.
12. The energy to take you anywhere
13. You can do it. We can help.
14. Empowering Healthcare
15. Chasing Zero
16. World Wise
17. We make health care work better
18. More bars in more places
19. The pharmacy America trusts
20. Your potential. Our passion.
21. We make home possible
22. Let’s build something together
23. Living. Improved daily.
24. Expect more. Pay less.
25. We work with care.

A few of these certainly stand out, but the vast majority have little or no meaning to me. In fact, if you can name more than half of the corresponding companies, I’d say you’re well above average, which is why developing a tagline for your small business is, for the most part, a waste of resources.

People don’t remember taglines. They remember your prices, your customer service, your unique offers, your expertise, their experiences with you and even your company name, but not a tagline.

What will make your small business better is not a tagline but in getting to know your customers’ needs and finding a way to fill them better.

Do these taglines really add relevance to a company’s brand image? Maybe. But taglines should probably be reserved for larger companies that plan to do a lot of visual & audio marketing to consumers. If you’re a business to business (B2B) company, forget it.

BTW, these taglines belong to companies that made the top 50 of the Fortune 500 last year. Here’s what belongs to who:

1. Save Money, Live Better! - Wal-Mart
2. We’re drivers too. - Exxon-Mobile
3. Human energy - Chevron
4. Energy for tomorrow - ConocoPhillips
5. Imagination at work - GE
6. Let’s get it done - Citigroup
7. Keep the change - Bank of America
8. The strength to be there - AIG
9. A leader in global financial services - JP Morgan Chase
10. It’s the network - Verizon
11. Stop talking. Start doing. - IBM
12. The energy to take you anywhere - Valero
13. You can do it. We can help. - Home Depot
14. Empowering Healthcare - McKesson
15. Chasing Zero - Cardinal Health
16. World Wise - MorganStanley
17. We make health care work better - United Healthcare
18. More bars in more places - AT&T
19. The pharmacy America trusts - Walgreens
20. Your potential. Our passion. - Microsoft
21. We make home possible - Freddie Mac
22. Let’s build something together - Lowe’s
23. Living. Improved daily. -Dow Chemical
24. Expect more. Pay less. - Target
25. We work with care. - Marathon Oil