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A brand conscious
approach is important to the overall communication process. It is as a
result of this that brand slogans or catch phrases play key roles to
attract the attention of the audience. Slogans are very potent means of
generating attention to a brand. In essence, the slogans sum up the
personality as well as the benefits and values derivable from the
brand. They convey some extraordinary features of the brand to retain
strong attention in the consumer’s mind.

When a
communication campaign is highly rated by a consumer, it shows that the
brand is worth something to the consumer. This is done through simple
words or phrases that arrest the attention.

Slogans make
consumers have a strong attachment with the brand, and they excite and
stimulate their interest. They become memorable and make the brand
meaningful. Slogans stick to consumers’ memory and become a
“personality” on their own. They make the consumers feel good about
associating with such a brand. I remember “It’s all about you” of
Vmobile years back. It was one that made consumers have a sense of
belonging. The brand tells the consumers that whatever it does will
always be in their interest.

Ultimately, this translates to patronage for the brand.

However, it needs
to be emphasised that slogans should not appeal to consumers alone.
They should be meaningful to the internal audience too. This is because
they need to do a lot to ensure that the brand delivers on its promise.
The internal audience should have a strong commitment to brand
delivery, which makes the brand focused, and not deviate from what it
stands for.

Slogan is for life

In any communication campaign, the slogan is important in generating maximum impact amongst the target audience.

When President
Obama was campaigning for US presidency, his slogan was ‘Together We
Can’, which inspired Americans to believe in a new dawn for their
country. It tells them in succinct terms that “our collective efforts,
our desires, our dreams for a brighter and greater US can be achieved
if we are united with one resolve.” That, on its own, stimulated the
interest of Americans to believe in the Obama brand. The slogan
personified the Obama brand’s promise to make every American have a
sense of belonging.

The main purpose of
a slogan is for consumers to retain a compelling word or phrase in
their mind, even when the campaign thins out. It is a take-away for
consumers to hold on to. This, to a large extent, leaves a key brand
message in the minds of the target audience. It is also not good to
change brand slogans. Even when slogans are changed, they should still
be focused on delivering the brand promise.

When Etisalat
launched into the telecoms market some years ago, it came with some
inspiring and refreshing communication campaign that resonated with
Nigerians. The focus here is the slogan ‘Now You Are Talking’.

The question one
should ask is, have Nigerians not been talking before? However, the
truth is that while other networks have been in existence, Etisalat
created a platform to directly touch the minds of Nigerians. The
network was the first to give Nigerians the opportunity to book for
their line; it was the first to start SIM registration; and it is the
only network that delivers messages about missed calls when your phone
is switched off. With all these, it shows that the slogan, ‘Now You Are
Talking’ is very potent.

It is a strong
message to tell Nigerians that, ‘you might have been hooked on other
networks, but with Etisalat, you (the consumer) are now talking the way
you should’.

In essence, the
slogan encapsulates what the brand stands for. The brand resonates more
with Nigerians, and it is seen as a cheaper brand. Everything revolves
round the slogan, which is meaningful to the consumers. The slogan is
also derived from the overall creative strategy of the brand to connect
directly with Nigerians.

‘Eko Oni Baje o’ is a slogan that comes to mind as I conclude this piece.

Even though it is
written in Yoruba language, I have found out through dipstick research
that it is now popular amongst Lagosians. ‘Eko oni baje’ exemplifies
Fashola’s dream to transform Lagos and make it a destination of choice
for foreign visitors and even a mega city for residents.

Slogans give
credible impression about the brand and it is the responsibility of
brand managers to ensure that the brand remains true to its promise.

Ayopo, a communication strategist and public relations specialist,
is the chief executive officer of Shortlist
Ltd.,ayopo@shortlistprng.com