Everyone loves a comeback, especially your favorite brands.
Looking to leverage the equity that many once-memorable slogans still possess, brands spanning a wide range of industries are resurrecting the words and phrases that once served as the backbone of their identities in hopes of recapturing the marketplace’s attention.
Don't believe me? Check out these former classics that are
back to living rent-free in the minds of today's consumers:
Precision Crafted Performance
[Acura]
Return date: 2016
Formerly: Advance. (2009-2016)
Why it works: Used by American Honda Motor Company to launch the Acura brand in the late 1980s, Precision Crafted Performance differentiates Acura products from their Honda brethren and German competition.
Maybe She’s Born With It. Maybe It’s Maybelline.
[Maybelline]
Return date: 2020
Formerly: Make It Happen (2016-2020)
Why it works: While other cosmetics brands are positioned as necessary for achieving a heightened appearance, this memorable slogan acknowledges that Maybelline customers use its products to enhance their own natural beauty.
Have It Your Way
[Burger King]
Return date: 2022
Formerly: Taste is King (2014-2022)
Why it works: While Taste is King was the perfect fit for the bold nature of the character-driven creative efforts of the time, Have It Your Way not only harkens nostalgia but also reconnects Burger King to its roots as a customer-centric brand known for putting customers in control well before other fast-food behemoths.
Is It In You?
[Gatorade]
Return date: 2024
Formerly: Win from Within (2012-2024)
Why it works: The Gatorade brand’s original slogan remains powerful because it recognizes that while every athlete has their own part to play in achieving victory, winners know what they need to help their body perform at its best. By pivoting from a call to action back to a soul-searching prompt, Gatorade looks to retain its edge in an increasingly competitive segment.
The Ultimate Driving Machine
[BMW]
Return date: 2012
Formerly: Joy (2009-2012)
Why it works: While the rest of the world gets Sheer Driving Pleasure, U.S. customers have always known BMW, or Bavarian Motor Works in English, as The Ultimate Driving Machine. After a brief hiatus, the beloved slogan returned for good in 2012, where it remains ever-present in the minds of American automotive aficionados from coast to coast.
Whether or not you’re a fan of the examples above, perhaps no other creative tool in the marketing toolbox has the ability to summarize a brand’s essence and present it in a way that audiences can relate to quite like a sound tagline.
Say it all with just a few words
While a great logo says a thousand words, taglines offer marketers the power to leverage a single short phrase to present consumers with the whole story.
Create a lasting first impression
Strong taglines have the power to stay with consumers like nothing else. While celebrity-filled campaigns and viral moments come and go, taglines have staying power.
Build a foundation for messaging
The best taglines aren’t just memorable; they anchor a campaign, support consistency across marketing channels, and keep your brand and audiences on the same page.
Stand out from the crowd
In a world where audiences are bombarded with dozens of varieties of marketing content from every direction, taglines can help your brand rise above the static while making some noise of its own.
Now, in no particular order, we present 7 classic
slogans primed for a resurgence.
Each is clear, aspirational, and most importantly, memorable.
The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection
[Lexus]
Current: Experience Amazing
Why bring it back: When it comes to cars with sticker prices the size of some fledgling economies, amazing is good, but perfection is better, even if the pursuit is ongoing.
We Try Harder
[Avis]
Current: It's Your Space
Why bring it back: Even though the rental car experience is now largely commoditized, and riding with Hertz is no more painful than booking with Budget, it can’t hurt to try and stand out in this space, can it?
There is No Substitute
[Porsche]
Current: Driven by Dreams
Why bring it back: Dreams are fantasy. Flying down the interstate at 127 miles per hour is very, very real, and, might I add, a lot better behind the wheel of a car engineered for speed versus one made to move preteens to and from soccer practice. Just saying.
Never Stop Improving
[Lowe's]
Current: Do It Right for Less. Start with Lowe’s.
Why bring it back: When it comes to big box stores, price wars are never-ending battles, just like the to-do lists that accompany homeownership. So, if buying your own place means becoming a “doer,” why settle for simply getting things done when you can make improvements in the process?
Impossible is Nothing
[Adidas]
Current: You Got This
Why bring it back: Like technology, the world of sports is a place where the impossible is only temporary, and no statement captured that better than the former Adidas tagline. In comparison, You Got This reads like the “diet” version. An empowering mantra that’s fizzled out to become mere encouraging words that fall flat in the face of the competition.
Taste the Feeling
[Coca-Cola]
Current: Real Magic
Why bring it back: No other blend of carbonated sugar water can elicit positive emotions and a sense of nostalgia quite like Coca-Cola. From its signature sweetness to its century-old advertising legacy, the taste of a Coke is something most adults can quickly recall, even if it’s been years since their last sip. Is it magic? Not really. A strong, lasting feeling that clings to your taste buds like it sticks to your keyboard after you spill a glass all over your laptop? Absolutely.
Make 7UP Yours
[7UP]
Current: New Get Up, Same 7UP
Why bring it back: Another carbonated classic, the Make 7UP Yours campaign of the late ‘90s and early aughts is seared into the minds of Gen Xers and Millennials from coast to coast. After catapulting comedian Orlando Jones to stardom, this clever bit of crass wordplay quickly faded into obscurity along with the 7UP brand. While the tagline was never meant to be an insult, the fact that it remains on the shelf is no doubt an affront to soda drinkers everywhere.
Did we miss your favorite poetic punchline? Let us know. Or, better yet, reach out and let’s get to work on writing your own sales-inducing battle cry!