The Science Behind Great Slogans
Illustration by ChatGPT, prompt by Anthony Shore
Written By Anthony Shore
Do you want your slogan to be liked or remembered? You can only pick one.
Through a series of ingenious experiments, researchers uncovered how specific linguistic properties of slogans (and taglines) determine their ability to be remembered or liked. At the heart of their findings lies “cognitive fluency” — the ease with which a slogan is processed and understood.
A slogan that is easily understood, requiring no creative leaps or recognition of ambiguity — one with “high fluency” — is more likely to be liked. This aligns with the Zajonc effect, where familiarity breeds favorability. (I’ve explored this before here, and Nancy Friedman has written about it here.) In essence, a slogan using familiar words in familiar ways tends to be effortlessly likable.
But here’s the catch: Slogans that are easily liked are often forgettable. Why? Memorability demands cognitive effort. To remember something, we must think about it. Liked slogans, being simple and easy to process, don’t leave a lasting impression because they require little mental engagement.
In contrast, memorable slogans challenge the audience. They employ uncommon or concrete words, words that can be easily confused, or phrases that are longer or more complex. These features demand attention and deeper processing, making the slogan stick in memory.
The researchers examined five key linguistic factors that influence slogan likability and memorability:
1. Length
2. Use of common words
3. Use of distinct words (words that don’t resemble others in sound or spelling)
4. Use of concrete words (words tied to sensory experiences—sights, sounds, tastes, etc.)
5. Inclusion of the brand name
Here’s what they found:
“Consumers have more favorable attitudes towards slogans that use fewer words, omit the brand name, and contain words that are more frequently used, perceptually distinct, and abstract. However, the same linguistic properties that make slogans more likable also make them less memorable. … By investigating both slogan liking and memory, we demonstrate that the linguistic characteristics that facilitate liking hinder memory, and vice versa.”
In short, your slogan can either be liked or remembered, but not both.
So, what’s a marketer to do? It depends on your brand’s status:
For newer or lesser-known brands: A memorable slogan will increase brand awareness.
For established brands: A likable slogan will enhance how your audience perceives your brand, even if it’s not particularly memorable.
Here’s a quick reference table for the implications:
Source: Hodges, B., Estes, Z., & Warren, C. (2023). Intel Inside: The linguistic properties of effective slogans. Journal of Consumer Research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370789988_Intel_Inside_The_Linguistic_Properties_of_Effective_Slogans
As a tagline writer, I appreciate the specificity and strategic intent this framework provides. I’ve personally found this research offers actionable insights into creating slogans that deliver on my clients’ objectives.
Have you found any principles when creating taglines or slogans that would like to share? Do you have any tricks for how you’d make a tagline memorable or likable? Thanks for joining the discussion!