On Writing a Tagline (and Pitching It, Too)

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Peggy, Lou, and Daybreak are characters on Mad Males, the 60s interval drama about one in all Madison Avenue’s most prestigious, albeit fictional, promoting businesses. Peggy is among the agency’s copywriters, chargeable for writing (and pitching) advert copy. Lou is her boss, the inventive director. Daybreak, a secretary, retains everybody organized.

The trio are assembly a few new account, a watch firm known as Accutron.

“Oh,” says Peggy. She’s taking a look at Lou. “You didn’t choose a tagline.”

“Certain, I did.” Lou seems to be at his secretary. “Daybreak, what did I say?”

Daybreak flips by means of her notes. “You stated, ‘Simply In Time To Be On Time.'”

“That wasn’t one of many decisions—” Peggy interjects. “I believe that was a digression.”

“How about ‘Accutron Is Correct,’” Lou says. “That was one of many decisions, I’m constructive.”

Peggy lowers her chin. “I like ‘It’s Time For A Dialog,'” she says. She’s smiling, making eye contact. She’s promoting now. “I believe that one’s extra completed.”

The director seems to be again at her. He’s peering over his glasses now. “And I believe you’re placing me within the place of claiming, I don’t care what you suppose.”

Whenever you end writing a tagline, it’s not carried out.

It’s not carried out till another person reads it, nods, and says, “That’s the one.”

Certainly, each inventive individual is a salesman, too. In copywriting — or any promoting self-discipline, for that matter — the powers that be should purchase into your work, your thought or idea or flip of phrase.

“To promote work I may very well be happy with,” stated artwork director George Lois, “I’ve needed to rant, rave, threaten, shove, push, cajole, persuade, wheedle, exaggerate, flatter, manipulate, be obnoxious, be loud, often lie, and all the time promote, passionately!”

That’s one strategy, I assume. However what in the event you’re not ready to “threaten” or “shove” or “push” your boss? Or, what if performing this manner — aggressive and domineering — feels unnatural to you? Or uncomfortable? Or, erm … unlawful? Then maintain studying as a result of this Mad Males scene gives some different recommendation, some timeless knowledge I, as a copywriter, want I’d identified sooner:

Chicago, 2014.

I really feel nervous. I shake out my arms, take a breath, and knock on the door.

I hear my CEO’s muffled voice. “Are available in.”

I crack the door and peek by means of the opening. “Hey, Rick,” I say. “I’m a bit early—”

Rick is taking a look at his monitor, typing. “No downside.” He seems to be up and smiles. “Early is sweet.” He slurps some espresso. “Come on in.” He places the mug down with a thud. “Shut the door.”

I purse my lips, nod, and step into his workplace, closing the door behind me. Rick gestures at one of many chairs in entrance of his desk. “Have a seat,” he says. I sit down. “How’s your first week going?”

I’m a copywriter, 4 days into my first position at Rick’s advertising company. It’s a small, busy store, specializing in lead-gen web sites. I used to be employed on the again of my direct advertising expertise and advised I’d be specializing in writing conversion property — touchdown pages, electronic mail campaigns, banner adverts — however I may very well be tapped for different initiatives, too.

“Oh,” I say, “I like it right here. Everyone’s been so welcoming.”

“Nice to listen to.” Rick crosses his arms and leans again. “I’ve acquired a venture for you.”

“Certain.”

“I would like you to write down us a brand new tagline.”

He has some extra espresso. “Or would it not be a slogan?” He put the mug down. “I dunno.”

The distinction is nuanced however taglines and slogans aren’t interchangeable. Mainly, a tagline helps the objectives of a enterprise whereas a slogan helps the objectives of a particular marketing campaign. A tagline is a branding device. A slogan is a advertising device. A tagline ought to differentiate the model — and it’s there for the lengthy haul: may very well be years, and even a long time. A slogan ought to categorical the marketing campaign’s particular thought or message — and it has a shorter shelf life. A tagline is kind of perennial. A slogan will change with each marketing campaign.

“I believe a tagline,” I say. “If it’s for the enterprise on the whole.”

“Sure, a tagline,” Rick says. “Are you able to carry me a couple of choices by subsequent week?” he asks. “Is that sufficient time?”

Writing a tagline doesn’t must be difficult.

It can be. That’s, you may make it so … however it may also be easy.

You possibly can’t make it simple, sadly. It’s nonetheless inventive work, fraught with selections and self-doubt and, generally, agony. However having a course of — a sequence of clear, dependable steps — could make it easy, much less daunting.

For instance, most taglines are synthesized expressions of both:

So, to write down a tagline, merely begin by writing out your PS or USP in as many phrases as essential. Then, edit for brevity and concision: minimize the phrase depend in half as soon as, twice, thrice. Doing high quality. Preserve going till you’re left with a sentence, one line. Then, put down the ax. It’s time to finesse, to make your tagline engaging to the lots:

• Make it clear. No fancy jargon, please. Fancy phrases are often large. And an enormous phrase won’t ever impress The Reader as a lot as an enormous thought, clearly expressed. Good copy, at the beginning, is known.
• Make it helpful. Throughout his profession, copywriter John Caples examined hundreds of headlines. “The perfect headlines enchantment to individuals’s self-interest,” he stated. So, act accordingly. Your tagline is the headline for your corporation. Inform of us what’s in it for them.
• Make it amusing. Puns, rhymes, wordplay, metaphors. These items are enjoyable. Folks like enjoyable. (We keep in mind it, too.)

Finished? Incredible! Now, rinse and repeat. Go once more, and once more, and once more. High quality comes from amount as a result of quantity is illuminating: the extra you write, the much less treasured and extra goal you’ll be about every line, which is the purpose.

“The less concepts you’ve,” stated screenwriter Scott Dikkers, “the extra weight every thought holds in your thoughts.”

Certainly, as a copywriter, fetishizing one “darling” tag is counterproductive. Stifling your ideation prevents you from doing all your finest work. As an alternative, have many tags, many choices. Don’t begin with solely three or 4 or 5. There’s not sufficient there, not sufficient slack. You’ll be pressured to settle. Higher to begin with 20 or much more — and pare down. The extra you chop, the higher. Ultimately, you’ll begin reducing concepts you really like. That is the mark of true progress.

“Kill your darlings,” stated Stephen King. “Kill your darlings, even when it breaks your selfish little scribbler’s coronary heart.”

Sure, kill your darlings. It’s the one option to produce your best work, which can also be the solely work you ought to be placing in entrance of shoppers. If you happen to’re requested to carry “a couple of choices,” each should be viable.

If you happen to wouldn’t need an thought to get picked, don’t carry it to the desk. I realized this the arduous method:

“Subsequent week is okay,” I inform Rick. “I’ll flip it round.”

Per week later, I’m in his workplace once more. This time, I’ve a handful of tags for him to evaluation.

“Nice work, Ed—” he says, flipping by means of the deck I created. “What’s your favourite?”

I had one, the clear winner for my part. “This,” I say with out hesitation, pointing on the display.

Rick’s face turns bitter. “Eh,” he says, “I choose this one.” He’s pointing someplace else. “Let’s go along with this one.”

I decrease my chin. “I actually like this one,” I say. I’m smiling, making eye contact. I’m promoting now, explaining my selections: the readability of the message, the inclusion of a profit, the creativity of the phrasing. “It’s gotta be this one,” I say, pointing at my possibility.

Rick seems to be again at me. He’s pursing his lips now. “Yeah,” he says, pointing at his possibility, “it’s this one for me.”

Murphy’s Legislation tells us, “Something that may go flawed, will go flawed.”

Copywriter’s Legislation tells us one thing comparable:

“Any thought that may be picked, might be picked.”

“Why would you set one thing in entrance of me that you simply don’t need me to choose?” says Lou.

“Since you advised me to present you two concepts,” says Peggy.

Lou takes a beat. “You apparently solely gave me one.”