Creative Review did a series looking for history's best logos in April. Now they're looking for the best slogans*.
It's the real thing.
I'm stuck on bandaid brand because Bandaid's stuck on me.
Think Different.
Just Do It.
Never Knowingly Undersold.
When the world zigs, zag.
Wassup**
Reassuringly Expensive.
The greatest show on earth.
We try harder.
Heard these? Of course you have! The series is about the slogans that have taken on a life of their own outside of advertising. The ones that we can't help but associate with the brands that made them famous.
Lines that even the non ad-obsessed know.
For me there is no greater testament to the skill of a copywriter than getting a line like this into the culture. I think It's what we all should strive for. It's what drives me to keep doing what I do. Narcissistic? Perhaps. But these lines work because they speak to people in some tremendously human way.
And that's our job as advertisers.
John Webster, legendary BMP Creative Director, used to say that he only wrote ads for the punters the street. He didn't care if it was just better than other ads. He wanted it to be better than the paper, or the magazine, or the TV show that the consumer was experiencing the ad in. That's why he not only won awards for his work, he also sold a ton of product.
Dave Trott discusses this (at much further length) in his brilliant obituary for John Webster. You should read it.
You should also give the article and the comments a once over. It's neat to see what people still remember from many years ago. And neat to think that one day a line of ours could be on that list. Feel free to add any lines you like, if you'd like.
Keep trying to make something legendary. One day you just might.
*Or taglines, or tags, or straplines, or endlines (the synonyms are numerous).
**Though "True" was the real tagline for this campaign. Wassup happened to become much more popular.