A few months ago Forbes Magazine coordinated with a group of chief marketing officers and advertising executives to compile a list of the 25 best-ever advertising taglines.  Not only are the results of their compilation memorable but it goes to show that the best taglines are those that truly span generations.

In reviewing the list of top 25 taglines, what struck me the most was how long ago some of the taglines were developed.  Here is a look at some of the most memorable taglines.  See if you can match the tagline with the year they were introduced (answers below):[column width="65%"]

1.  A Diamond is Forever (DaBeers)

2.  The Ultimate Driving Machine (BMW)

3.  Just Do It (Nike)

4.  We Try Harder (Avis)

5.  There are some things money can’t buy…(MasterCard)

6.  Can you hear me now? (Verizon)

7.  It takes a Lickin’ and keeps on Tickin’(Timex)

8.  Like a Rock (Chevy)

9.  Melts in your mouth, not in your hand(M&amp;Ms)

10. When you care enough to send the very best(Hallmark)
[/column]
[column width="30%"]
A.  1997

B.  1963

C.  1971

D.  1944

E.  1952

F.  1991

G.  1988

H.  1954

I.   2002

J.   1944
[/column]
[end_columns]
There is no simple formula, of course, for creating a powerful tagline but as you can see in almost every example above, it must be direct, authoritative and differentiating.  At Brand Iron, for example, we know it resonates when we tell people we do two things:  We Forge Brands and Drive Revenue.  It’s powerful, direct, authoritative and its sets us apart.
<h3><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/28/nike-bmw-amex-apple-cmo-network-best-advertising-taglines.html" target="_blank">Here is a link to the Forbes story</a></h3>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Answer Key: </span> 1. DaBeers – 1944; 2. BMW – 1971; 3. Nike – 1988; 4. Avis – 1963; 5. MasterCard – 1997; 6. Verizon – 2002; 7. Timex – 1954; 8. Chevy – 1991;  9. M&amp;Ms – 1954; 10. Hallmark - 1944