Advertising slogan

Advertising slogans are claimed to be, and often prove to be , the most effective means of drawing attention to one or more aspects of a product as being of the best quality, or being most suitable for the potential customer.

At the very beginning of advertising by slogans, a most famous poster called on young British men to heed the need, expressed by one of Britain's foremost soldiers, Lord Kitchener, to volunteer for the services in his "Your Country Needs You" slogan, at the start of World War I, and slogans are still to this day considered by industry and commerce to be the most important method of bringing their wares to public notice.

Advertising slogans often play a large part in the interplay between rival companies. They not only need to state the main benefits for the potential user of their brand, but if possible, imply a distinction between it and other firms' products - of course, within the usual legal constraints. They should make a crisp, but also apt statement; adopt a distinct "personality" of their own and give a credible impression of their brands. Above all, they should make the consumer feel "good".

Usually, slogans are created as advertising copy by professional writers among whom writers of serious literature, such as novellists may be found at times. On the other hand slogans often originate as tiebreakers created by "compers" or competition entrants as a means of elimination in trade competitions, often combined with a submitted proof of purchase of the company's product.

Advertising slogans are subject to ethical constraints and are often viewed with reservations, if not actual misgivings by official bodies, such as the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK, or the European Advertising Standards Alliance who claim to have a responsibility to the public good.

Similar organizations exist in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, as well as other countries.