| A commercial copywriter’s job is to be succinct. A voice over’s job is to understand the message behind the brevity. One of the succinct messages you’ll find in a commercial is a tagline and/or slogan. Are they the same thing? Even though they’re often used interchangeably, they’re different. Here’s the difference between a tagline and slogan. Both a slogan and tagline are short and identify a brand but… |
| A SLOGAN = is often temporary and used for a specific product or marketing campaign. A TAGLINE = A catchy quip that evokes an image of a brand in the mind of your audience. This is about permanent brand awareness. An example would be “I’m Lovin It!” from McDonalds. Another great example of a company’s slogan and tagline is Nike. You know what their TAGLINE is, right? “Just Do It” encompasses their brand. But check out this Nike commercial: https://youtu.be/JW5OR1TszzU For this commercial Nike uses the slogan “You Can’t Stop Sport.” NOW…using this example, how would it help us as voice talent? Well…our job is to determine WHY Nike would spend hours and countless meetings determining that “You Can’t Stop Sport” is the message they want to share. |
For your next audition, look for any tagline or slogan and make sure you don’t just skim over it. Really take time to think about the message behind it. We’re, after all, the messengers. Have a great week! |
-Mike and Heidi |