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 considered one of Madison Avenue’s most prestigious, albeit fictional, promoting companies. Peggy is without doubt one of the agency’s copywriters, answerable for writing (and pitching) advert copy. Lou is her boss, the artistic director. Daybreak, a secretary, retains everybody organized.

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

“Oh,” says Peggy. She’s Lou. “You didn’t decide a tagline.”

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

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

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

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

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 assume.”

Once you end writing a tagline, it’s not performed.

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

Certainly, each artistic 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 concept or idea or flip of phrase.

“To promote work I could possibly be pleased with,” mentioned artwork director George Lois, “I’ve needed to rant, rave, threaten, shove, push, cajole, persuade, wheedle, exaggerate, flatter, manipulate, be obnoxious, be loud, sometimes lie, and all the time promote, passionately!”

That’s one method, I assume. However what for those who’re not able 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 supplies some various recommendation, some timeless knowledge I, as a copywriter, want I’d recognized 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.”

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

Rick is 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 could possibly be tapped for different tasks, too.

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

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

“Certain.”

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

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

The distinction is nuanced however taglines and slogans aren’t interchangeable. Principally, a tagline helps the targets of a enterprise whereas a slogan helps the targets of a selected 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: could possibly be years, and even many years. A slogan ought to categorical the marketing campaign’s particular concept 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 usually.”

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

Writing a tagline doesn’t need to be difficult.

It can be. That’s, you may make it so … but it surely can be easy.

You possibly can’t make it simple, sadly. It’s nonetheless artistic work, fraught with choices 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 jot down a tagline, merely begin by writing out your PS or USP in as many phrases as obligatory. Then, edit for brevity and concision: minimize the phrase rely in half as soon as, twice, thrice. Doing wonderful. Maintain 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 normally massive. And a giant phrase won’t ever impress The Reader as a lot as a giant concept, clearly expressed. Good copy, in the beginning, is known.
• Make it helpful. Throughout his profession, copywriter John Caples examined 1000’s of headlines. “The very best headlines attraction to folks’s self-interest,” he mentioned. So, act accordingly. Your tagline is the headline for your online business. Inform people 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.)

Achieved? Unbelievable! 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 could have,” mentioned screenwriter Scott Dikkers, “the extra weight every concept holds in your thoughts.”

Certainly, as a copywriter, fetishizing one “darling” tag is counterproductive. Stifling your ideation prevents you from doing all of your finest work. As a substitute, 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 narrow, the higher. Finally, you’ll begin chopping concepts you really like. That is the mark of true progress.

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

Sure, kill your darlings. It’s the one strategy to produce your best work, which can be the solely work you have to be placing in entrance of shoppers. When you’re requested to deliver “a couple of choices,” every one have to be viable.

When you wouldn’t need an concept to get picked, don’t deliver it to the desk. I realized this the arduous manner:

“Subsequent week is ok,” 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 evaluate.

“Nice work, Ed—” he says, flipping by 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 screen.

Rick’s face turns bitter. “Eh,” he says, “I favor this one.” He’s pointing elsewhere. “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 choices: 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 choice.

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

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

Copywriter’s Legislation tells us one thing related:

“Any concept that may be picked, will probably be picked.”

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

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

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