I used to take the public transport bus to school from Grades 3 to 5. As I stood waiting for my bus, number 11D, every morning, my eyes would often be drawn to the slogan of the quaint little shop beside the bus stop. It was a dyeing and darning shop, and its tagline read: “We dye for you!”

More than three decades later, it still remains my favourite corporate tagline.

Well, you could accuse me of having a soft corner for it, since it was the first tagline I fell in love with (what do they say about first love?) and therefore an integral part of my growing-up years. While that may be true, those aren’t the only reasons these four innocuous words have stayed so close to my heart.

“We dye for you” has all the elements that make for an effective corporate tagline:

a. It is short, catchy, and easy to remember.
b. It gives insight into the company’s values, attitude, and service offerings.
c. It reflects the brand’s position and personality.
d. It is specific, not generic.
e. It connects.

While every successful tagline may not necessarily satisfy the first four criteria listed above, one can safely say that ALL iconic taglines certainly manage to connect with their audiences… big time!

How many times has the phrase “Think Different” on our Apple computers inspired us to think out of the box when faced with a unique problem? How often have we pumped our fists and silently chanted Nike’s “Just Do It” mantra before venturing into uncharted territory? That’s the kind of “connect” great taglines have with our hearts and psyches. Over time, they attain legendary status and become part of society’s lexicon.

Here are some of my other all time favourites:

De Beers – A Diamond Is Forever
Nokia – Connecting People
GE – Imagination at Work
Adidas – Impossible is Nothing
Budweiser – This Bud’s For You
AOL – Where The World Meets Online

Now go ahead and recall the taglines that tug at your heart. Believe me, it’s fun!