Powerlines: Words that Sell Brands, Grip Fans, and Sometimes Change History

Here's an interesting stuff published by Bloomberg Press in June 2008 entitled Powerlines. The hard-bound book tackles some of the most memorable slogans or tag lines of recent years, such as De Beer's “Diamonds are forever” and “Just do it” by Nike. Its author, Steve Cone, has been a marketing professional for more than 35 years, who has worked with global top brands like Apple, Citigroup and American Express. He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer for leading marketing technology provider Epsilon. In the book, Cone identifies the factors behind the slogans or tag lines that work. He explains how they can be made to stick in the minds of consumers and affect their purchasing behavior. If I have to give one tagline or slogan that creates an impact for me, I would say that Lexus' advertising slogan "Whoever said money can't buy happiness isn't spending it right" sticks to my mind the most. The tagline provides me another perspective about money and investment. The tagline further change my perception when it comes to car. Before, my top-of-mind brand for luxury car models was Mercedes Benz; but nowadays, it's already Lexus. On a personal note, I think there are some local brands that I think must be mentioned in the book. San Miguel Beer's (SMB) "Iba ang may pinagsamahan", which was first delivered by no other than the King of Philippine Cinema, the late Fernando Poe, Jr., in several SMB's TV commercials that he did during the '80s, is one tagline that embodies a Filipino spirit -- the bayanihan. No wonder, it became the leading and most well-loved beer in the Philippines, not even the best global competitors have succeeded to dislodge SMB on its No. 1 slot. Even today, after 20 years, the tagline is still associated with the Philippines' best beer. Another 100% Filipino brand that weathers foreign competition is Jollibee, whose "Langhap-sarap" slogan captures the heart of many Filipinos. To date, it is still the leading food and beverage firm in the country, and still growing. In the political arena, former Philippine president Joseph Estrada's "Erap para sa mahirap" proved to be a winning vehicle that landed his JEEP (Joseph Ejercito Estrada for President) campaign into Malacanang, the country's seat of power, in 2001. There are still many more successful taglines and slogans out there in the local industry that I won't mention anymore due to space constraints. But on a final note, it only shows that an effective powerline will outshine the competition every time.