How Not to Write a Tagline in 10 Easy Lessons

Thanks, Toyota!

Oh, those pesky taglines.

Get it right, and your brand becomes iconic, a resonant phrase that drives your brand’s message home. But miss the mark, and you’re left with messaging that’s vague, confusing, and completely backwards.

Which brings me to Toyota’s latest effort.

If you watched even a minute of the Olympics, you couldn’t escape it: Toyota’s ubiquitous—and ridiculous—campaign slogan was everywhere. The relentless repetition of "Start Your Impossible" left me speechless.

Given that it was a global campaign, it’s safe to assume that the company’s investment in these three words ran into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

I’m baffled.

"Start Your Impossible" implies that starting your car—specifically a Toyota—is a daunting task. It suggests that something as basic as turning on your RAV4 or Corolla is so difficult that you need a motivational jump start just to get it going.

Toyota, are you saying that starting a car is a Herculean task? Do I need to summon all my inner strength just to turn the ignition? Should I brace myself every time I get behind the wheel?

A big thank you to Toyota for the following unexpected gift: a foolproof guide on how not to write a tagline—presented in ten easy steps.

Lesson 1: Embrace the Cliché

Start strong by leaning into every tired, overused phrase you can think of.

Words like “empower,” “synergy,” and “innovate” should be your best friends. Why? Because nothing says “I didn’t try very hard,” like using words that have been drained of all meaning.

Lesson 2: Be Vague and Proud

Clarity is for suckers. Your tagline should be as vague as a politician’s promise. Think along the lines of “We make dreams happen” or “Transforming tomorrow.”

If your tagline could apply to a pet grooming service or a high-tech robotics company, you’re on the right track.

Lesson 3: Avoid Any Real Benefit

People love a mystery, right? So why spell out what you actually do or how you can help them?

Leave them guessing with taglines like “Imagine the possibilities” or “Your future, our passion.” It’s like playing a game of tag —except no one ever wins.

My current faves?

HSBC | "Together We Thrive"

What does this even mean? Thrive how? Together with whom?

BP | "Beyond Petroleum"

Considering BP is still heavily involved in the oil business, this is misleading at best and almost laughably out of touch.

Samsung | "Imagine"

Imagine what? This tagline leaves too much to the imagination and says nothing specific about the brand or its products.

General Electric | "Imagination at Work"

Another case of over-reliance on the word "imagination." It’s so broad it could apply to any company doing any kind of work.

Nestlé | "Good Food, Good Life"

Bland and generic. Could belong to any food company in the world. And really, Nestlé? What about the whole baby formula debacle? 

Intel | "Experience What’s Inside"

It is vague and lacks a call to action. What are we supposed to experience, and why should we care?

Accenture | "New Applied Now"

What does this even mean? Corporate jargon that doesn’t convey any clear benefit or message. If your tagline needs a decoder ring, you've nailed the art of being vague.

Lesson 4: Play It Safe

Edginess is overrated. Make sure your tagline is as non-controversial and safe as possible. Aim for something like “Committed to excellence.”

It’s bland enough to be universally ignored, ensuring no one will remember you or your brand.

Lesson 5: Forget the Call to Action

Urgency? What’s that? Your tagline should lull people into a comfortable state of apathy.

Avoid any phrases that might inspire someone to actually do something. “Join the revolution” is far too active; “Feel the difference” is much better—it’s passive and promises nothing.

Lesson 6: Overcomplicate Things

Who needs simplicity? Your tagline should be a mouthful, ideally requiring at least two breaths to say out loud. Go for something like “Innovating progressive solutions for a rapidly evolving marketplace.” If people need a dictionary to understand it, you’re winning.

Lesson 7: Ignore Your Audience

Your tagline isn’t about them; it’s about you!

Forget trying to appeal to your target audience or addressing their needs. A tagline like “Leading the way in excellence” doesn’t speak to anyone specifically, which is exactly what you want.

Lesson 8: Use Jargon Liberally

Everyone loves a good puzzle, right? So fill your tagline with as much industry jargon as possible.

“Leveraging holistic strategies for optimal outcomes” might not mean much to the average person, but who cares? It sounds impressive, and that’s all that matters.

Lesson 9: Skip the Humor

Humor is risky and subjective. Play it safe by keeping your tagline completely humorless.

Something like “Your partner in progress” is dull enough to ensure no one will ever smile when they read it.

Lesson 10: Make It Forgettable

Finally, aim for maximum forgettability.

Your tagline should evaporate from memory the second someone reads it. Aim for something like “Empowering excellence daily.” It’s the tagline equivalent of elevator music—inoffensive, unmemorable, and utterly ignorable.

My Rx for Tagline Inertia

Make them care, make them laugh, make them think—just don’t make them yawn. The goal is to be unforgettable, not muddled, not confusing. A good tagline should click instantly, making people think, "That makes sense."

When you nail it, your brand sticks the landing. (Sorry, still in an Olympics frame of mind).

So, aim for that balance where clear meets clever, and let your message do the work.

Go forth and tagline like a boss !

What tagline is driving you nuts? What taglines ring true? Tell me about it in the comments! I’d love to know.

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