FALL, 2003
Emergence interviewed more than 1000 consumers to test recognition of lines used by 22 of the nation's biggest marketers. The result? "Only six were recognized by more than 10% of those surveyed -- this for companies spending more than $100 million a year on ads." Wal-Mart's "Always Low Prices. Always." was the only slogan recognized by a majority of consumers. I think it registers with consumers because it is believable and applies more to Wal-Mart than any other store. At the other extreme, seven slogans were total duds, scoring recognition of 3% or less. See if you know which companies spent millions to promote them:
(a) "Imagination at Work."
(b) "The Good Life. Great Price."
(c) "Your Potential. Our Passion."
(d) "The Stuff of Life."
(e) "We're With You."
(f) "Yeah, We've Got It."
(Get all of the answers at the end of this article.)
No doubt, advertising "geniuses" worked overtime to create these losers. But is K-Mart the only store with "The Stuff of Life"? Is Circuit City really "With You"? Is Microsoft's passion truly "Your Potential"? These lines don't uniquely apply to these companies. Worse yet, they are just not believable. Why spend millions to push something that doesn't mean anything?
To be fair, it is tough to figure out what to say about K-Mart (for example). But if K-Mart management cannot pinpoint what makes it unique and why consumers should shop there, then it has bigger problems than its slogan! The same could be said for Circuit City. What makes it better than Best Buy? (I'm shopping for a new big screen TV and I need to know!)
Fortunately, radio has it all over these guys....
Radio managers have an easier time developing slogans than their counterparts in other industries. Stations can't be successful without defining what makes them unique, and delivering on that promise 24/7! That discipline is (for the most part) ingrained in radio. Many times, only the names of stations are needed to communicate their positioning. Names like "Country 101," "Rock 107" and "Oldies 95.5" may not seem creative, but use of a name to position a brand is a strong tactic.
And over the years, radio has devised some brilliant slogans to define stations....
Young Country was a major part of the early '90s Country explosion, typically used by "upstart" stations challenging an established leader. What makes it brilliant is the way it not only positioned the stations that used it but also instantly repositioned the competition as "old," out-of-date Country.
Classic Rock is evocative and elegant. It communicates an era, sound and the quality of music that resonates with its target audience....i.e., listeners get it!
Hot Hits -- the line Mike Joseph used for his CHR revival stations of the '80s -- says it all. Hot Hits communicates energy, excitement and (most importantly) the music those stations played.
All of these lines have something in common. They clearly, unambiguously describe stations that are themselves clear, unambiguous and highly focused. But not all radio lines have been winners...
Ideally, a positioning line should clearly communicate what a station is about and what makes it unique. These lines fall far short of those goals...
Musicradio. I was a fan of WLS and WABC in the glory days of AM Top 40, and the stations were obviously successful. Still, what did this line say about them (and their copycats)? It said that they play music. What kind of music? Duh.
(In contrast, Newsradio or Talkradio do not belong in the Hall of Shame! They are strong positioners, because having all news or talk is what sets them apart from most stations.)
The Best Music for All People. Unlike Musicradio, this one is still being used, and it is absurd. It doesn't provide a clue about the kind of music that is being played! In addition, this line just isn't credible...we all know that there is no best music for all people! More importantly, listeners know it too.
All-New Oldies. OK, I know of only one station that used this, and it was a client of ours! (Don't worry, I got 'em off it in a hurry.) This line didn't pass the "laugh test" in a focus group. As one respondent put it: "I'll believe in new oldies when Elvis starts recording them."
When evaluating a positioning line for your station, answer these questions...
DOES IT FIT YOUR STRATEGY? Don't be seduced by cute or trendy slogans that don't say what you need to communicate to be successful! If a line doesn't reinforce your positioning objectives, pass.
IS IT BELIEVABLE? Listeners reject claims that contradict their beliefs. For example, if listeners think your Country station plays little music and lots of commercials, a mere claim of "Non-Stop Country" won't change their minds.
DOES IT DESCRIBE A UNIQUE QUALITY OF YOUR STATION? Ideally, your line focuses on what sets your station apart from others in your market.
DOES IT COMMUNICATE CLEARLY? Listeners must understand what the line says about your station. To this end, it is better to be direct than clever or cute. And it is best to test lines before investing time and money to expose them. Often, they don't communicate what we think think they do! I don't agree with USA Today that "slogans are losers" (even though many are). The right line can help your station achieve its positioning objective, and that makes it very important!
Answers: (a) GE (b) Sears (c) Microsoft (d) K-Mart (e) Circuit City (f) Staples