Just do it
The happiest place on earth
The ultimate driving machine
Breakfast of champions
Finger lickin’ good
Think different
What do you feel when you think of each of those slogans? Read them again – and this time don’t do it so quickly. Pay attention to your body’s reactions as you read each one.
Maybe they all didn’t elicit a feeling for you, but I’m guessing at least one or two did (especially if you’re over the age of 30.)
At least one or two probably bring up an image, a memory or an emotion. At least one or two of them probably make you smile inside or make you determined. One or two may make you energetic or even hungry.
Each of the slogans above are powerful. They elicit feelings that are visceral.
That’s the power of a good brand – it harnesses a feeling or an intention and urges you to act upon it.
What’s even more powerful in the slogans listed above is that, within each, an entire story is told in five words or less.
Your Slogan in 5 Words or Less
In just a few words, each company has been able to completely define their vision, purpose and culture.
Let’s take “The Happiest Place on Earth” as an example.
Most people associate the slogan, “Happiest Place on Earth” with Disney’s theme parks. If you did that, you are correct, that is their slogan.
Let’s say I were a new employee at a Disney theme park. And let’s say I show up on my first day and the only direction I am given on how to do my job is to make it “the happiest place on earth”.
As it turns out, I’d be able to understand a lot about my job in those five words.
My job, I can deduce, is to make people smile and make them happy. How can I do that? Well, I can be happy and smile myself. I can proactively help people with problems, I can give customer support that’s above and beyond normal expectations, I can create a clean environment, I can make sure little kids see their favorite characters, I can listen and have empathy.
I’ve figured out all of that about my job from just a five words slogan.
The same exercise can be accomplished with each of the other slogans because each of the others defines both the user experience and the company vision.
Disney’s goal is to create happy
Nike’s goal is to inspire performance
BMW’s goal is to create a transcendent experience
And the list goes on.
What are these companies doing differently than others – and perhaps yours? That’s an important topic and one that you, as a leader, employee and consumer, should better understand. I will share that with you in this newsletter.