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COPYWRITING
Some of the greatest advertising lines have two things in common: they don’t sound like sales pitches, and they ring true. Some have entered popular culture. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” for the United Negro College Fund, has remained unchanged for more than three decades and has become part of the American vernacular. The tagline for the city of Las Vegas, “What happens here, stays here,” created by R&R Partners, helped drive tourism, inspired a song by Usher and the trilogy of Hangover movies, and has been quoted by former first lady Laura Bush, among many others. After Verizon debuted “Can you hear me now?” (written by Bozell Worldwide agency), you could hear people parroting the phrase often.
Not all catchphrases are dedicated to advertising branded products or services. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security states, “‘If You See Something, Say Something™’ engages the public in protecting our homeland through awareness-building, partnerships, and other outreach.” The Enough Project’s catchphrase embodies its mission: “The project to end genocide and crimes against humanity.”
Effective copy lines embody and convey a solid idea and do not sound like a sales pitch. Here are some effective catchphrases:
“Just do ...
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