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February 5, 2008
Taglines and Soulmates
I think I'm going to create a new Web site. It'll do for taglines (and corporate and product names) what eHarmony and Match.com do for mate-seeking (or so I've been told).
Think about it...you plug in your company profile, key differentiators, history, mission/vision/values, geography and other important "attributes" and out pops a list of available candidates ranked by how well they "match" you.
Absurd? Probably. But the similarities between finding a well-suited tagline and finding a well-suited mate are pretty significant. Here's what I mean...
- You've got to know yourself before you search. Emotionally immature people have a hard time finding a good long-term mate. Similarly, companies that can't get a handle on who they are and where they're headed will bounce from tagline to tagline in a never-ending quest of trial-and-error. Sort of like the girl I had a crush on in junior high.
- Know what you're looking for. Mothers are famous for telling their daughters that there are men you date, and men you marry. You need to clearly define what it is you want out of your tagline and what criteria are most important to you, and then BE SURE TO EVALUATE against those critera. Make sure you bring it home to the parents as well.
- You never know where you'll meet him/her. Don't let "the creatives" be the only ones to brainstorm on potential options. That's like seeking your mate solely through clubbing it on Friday nights. It might happen, but it's a bit limiting. Your next tagline is just as likely to come from an idea generated by an engaged employee or key customer as it is to come from your marketing department or your agency.
- Deciding if it's "the one." I think we'd all agree that Nike's "Just Do It" is the Keira Knightly of taglines (hey, it's MY blog posting - pick your own!) Some people spend their lives looking for the perfect soul mate, knowing it's "out there somewhere." They're content to pass on ones that are solid, but don't get the heart racing. Others, however, take a more realistic approach -- recognizing that there are likely to be several good options -- all of them flawed, but many of them workable. Ask my wife. If you have your heart set on finding "the one," then you need to be prepared to be disappointed, because chances are when you find it, it'll already be taken.
Summary: Know yourself, know what you want, be open to options, and don't fall in love with just one idea. You'll be more apt to find a tagline that's a suitable mate for your company. Gotta go. Keira's calling.
Posted by Matt Kucharski at February 5, 2008 9:29 AM
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