Lo's Corner welcomes spring with new clothes on! Due to the fact that some of the readers were unable to understand my articles as they were written in Romanian, I decided to make a change and switch to English. I want my information to be available to as many people as possible, especially if I notice an increasing interest towards what I write. Therefore, here we are, new and (hopefully) improved. Thus having stated the introductory and necessary clarifications, I wish a warm 'welcome aboard' to our new readers and I suggest we get to business.
Today's topic is concerned with creativity in advertisement, to be more specific, with the very words and slogans that manage (or not) to make us buy certain products. First of all, what is a slogan? It is a catchy phrase that intends to steal your mind and convince you that a certain product must become yours, because otherwise your life will be more or less miserable. Secondly, is creating advertising slogans an art? I dare say it is, because, from my point of view, one needs to possess a certain artistic affinity in order to write catchy phrases. I even use the game of writing slogans when I want to play with my English students, so in this case it is something else than mere advertisement, it becomes a way of teaching though stimulating the students' creativity. Of course, knowing how to play with words is not the only thing that matters here. Writing slogans is a very good instance of manipulating though words, and manipulation is definitely an art. I don't consider writing literacy as a must when it comes to talking about this sort of creation, but words are something that have to be juggled with, and good advertisers deliver to their customers the ideas these ones want to hear. The concept of being appealing is the basis on which every advertisement builds the success to come. Still, as in any domain, there are enough examples of faulty slogans. Some of the advertising slogans that have been brought to life throughout the years were successful, some were a failure, and below is a list with the best and worst of those that have attracted my attention:
I admit I like lots and lots of slogans, but I decided to choose some for my Top 5
1."It's the real thing." - Coca-Cola (This one is really catchy even without trying to comment on it. Too bad I do not drink Coke)
2."The Power to Be Your Best." - Apple Computers (People like to be given the impression they are powerful. I must buy an Apple Computer too!)
3."Keep Walking" - Johnnie Walker (To me, it implies the idea of perpetual progress)
4."The Breakfast of Champions" - Wheaties (The right food for champions and the right food for champions-to-be, it's encouraging, at least your dreams are safe)
5."There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard." - MasterCard (On one hand, there are priceless things worth more than all that money could get and let's say you have a chance of acquring them, and on the other hand there is EVERYTHING else that is left. Now, who is the master of the world?)
They had to be written here: some of the worst slogans I have ever read
1.“Doctors recommend Phillip Morris.” - Phillip Morris (I cannot imagine why doctors would recommend a certain brand of cigarettes or certain producers instead of warning about the unwanted effects smoking could cause)
2."Make 7-Up Yours" - 7Up (This slogan is actually funny -'up your ass'- but still bad)
3."So light and fluffy, it won't fill you up" - Milky Way (I cannot say I'd ever buy food which does not make me feel the difference after eating it)
4.'Probably the best beer in the world' - Carlsberg (As a matter of fact, I do not even like drinking Carlsberg, and these guys do not even know for sure whether they are the best in the world of not)
5.'You are what you drink' - Diet Coke (Coke has never been a healthy alternative to water, so let's not try to imagine what we are when we drink it)
Now, my question is: are you good enough to create a catchy slogan? Feel free to write to me about this, I am actually looking forward to reading your ideas.
Today's topic is concerned with creativity in advertisement, to be more specific, with the very words and slogans that manage (or not) to make us buy certain products. First of all, what is a slogan? It is a catchy phrase that intends to steal your mind and convince you that a certain product must become yours, because otherwise your life will be more or less miserable. Secondly, is creating advertising slogans an art? I dare say it is, because, from my point of view, one needs to possess a certain artistic affinity in order to write catchy phrases. I even use the game of writing slogans when I want to play with my English students, so in this case it is something else than mere advertisement, it becomes a way of teaching though stimulating the students' creativity. Of course, knowing how to play with words is not the only thing that matters here. Writing slogans is a very good instance of manipulating though words, and manipulation is definitely an art. I don't consider writing literacy as a must when it comes to talking about this sort of creation, but words are something that have to be juggled with, and good advertisers deliver to their customers the ideas these ones want to hear. The concept of being appealing is the basis on which every advertisement builds the success to come. Still, as in any domain, there are enough examples of faulty slogans. Some of the advertising slogans that have been brought to life throughout the years were successful, some were a failure, and below is a list with the best and worst of those that have attracted my attention:
I admit I like lots and lots of slogans, but I decided to choose some for my Top 5
1."It's the real thing." - Coca-Cola (This one is really catchy even without trying to comment on it. Too bad I do not drink Coke)
2."The Power to Be Your Best." - Apple Computers (People like to be given the impression they are powerful. I must buy an Apple Computer too!)
3."Keep Walking" - Johnnie Walker (To me, it implies the idea of perpetual progress)
4."The Breakfast of Champions" - Wheaties (The right food for champions and the right food for champions-to-be, it's encouraging, at least your dreams are safe)
5."There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard." - MasterCard (On one hand, there are priceless things worth more than all that money could get and let's say you have a chance of acquring them, and on the other hand there is EVERYTHING else that is left. Now, who is the master of the world?)
They had to be written here: some of the worst slogans I have ever read
1.“Doctors recommend Phillip Morris.” - Phillip Morris (I cannot imagine why doctors would recommend a certain brand of cigarettes or certain producers instead of warning about the unwanted effects smoking could cause)
2."Make 7-Up Yours" - 7Up (This slogan is actually funny -'up your ass'- but still bad)
3."So light and fluffy, it won't fill you up" - Milky Way (I cannot say I'd ever buy food which does not make me feel the difference after eating it)
4.'Probably the best beer in the world' - Carlsberg (As a matter of fact, I do not even like drinking Carlsberg, and these guys do not even know for sure whether they are the best in the world of not)
5.'You are what you drink' - Diet Coke (Coke has never been a healthy alternative to water, so let's not try to imagine what we are when we drink it)
Now, my question is: are you good enough to create a catchy slogan? Feel free to write to me about this, I am actually looking forward to reading your ideas.
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