The Best Ad Slogans Ever Written
Always wanted to do a video about copywriting, and specifically the art of writing "slogans". I know it's a bit of a niche subject, but it's something I have some firsthand experience in, and I think it's actually a fascinating subject. It's part of my ongoing exploration of "commercial storytelling". If this one isn't your thing, stay tuned for my next video, which is about a certain beloved nature documentarian...
On an unrelated personal note: I'll be in Japan for the rest of October, and yes I have some filming planned for a video there. If anyone has any recommendations for things to do, please let me know!
Comments (19)
Were you an advisor on "Mad Men", by any chance? 🙂
Adjacent to this: titles of media. ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ pretty much says it all … ‘The Art of _______” (fill in the blank) - akin to: ‘Hey insiders: dive deep into what’s at the very core of the story’. And probably my favorite: “A Morbid Taste for Bones” - since Halloween nears 😉
I recommend going to the grocery store in any new country. You can learn many things, and it’s fun.
I love that too!!!
Yes, marmite IS disgusting...
I grew up when we had many, many cigarette ads. The one that caused grammarians heartburn was "Winston Tastes Good, Like A Cigarette Should." "…AS a Cigarette Should" was correct. They finally asked the question, "What do you want, good grammar or good taste?" That was a campaign song, too! Or clever double negatives "Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee." Or to make more comfortable dress shirts, Van Heusen "Don't be a Stiff." I've appreciated this field for a long time.
Oh yeah, "Don't be a stiff" is genius. Makes me wonder if anyone has ever been fairly compensated for a slogan that lasts for generations. What begins as a clever line in a pitch could become a lasting brand identity with major value. I doubt the original writers are ever recognized or compensated.
Given that you dabble in music from time to time on the channel, I hope we get a companion piece on jingles eventually!
Seems like a natural next step for sure
Keep the commercial stuff coming man! I'm currently working as a copywriter so the videos you've made so far on the craft have given me a ton to chew on. Plus I just think more people outside the industry should have insight into how companies use language and narrative to warp public perception - both innocuously and perniciously. Would love to see another deep dive into a particular campaign or slogan (like the "Think Different" vid)!
Oh nice, glad the video is reaching someone in the field!
I would love to know your thoughts on Patek Phillipe‘s tagline “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.” If you’re into nerdy math stuff this might still be accessible in Japan: https://youtu.be/SYBRxqEE4XQ The town of Minakami outside of Tokyo was really cute and had a nice brewery and an artisanal glass blowing shop 👍 Also: https://mingeikan.or.jp/?lang=en
Yeah that's a great one – turns consumption into stewardship, transforms the act of buying one into a moral statement. Thanks for the recommendations. Would be hilarious to find that playground
Can you come up with a slogan for your Patreon? Something exclusive and elite I'd think ;)
Yeah, like us guys!!! ;-)
A cool! Japan! I went there for my honeymoon! Almost 20 years ago 😱 Enjoy your visit!
Yeah! I was hoping for a new AoS video today! And just like that, blue Monday is no more!
If you're going to Tokyo, I hear visiting Yodobashi Akiba (an enormous electronics store) is pretty fun, if you're into that sort of thing 😅 Also this is quite niche, but if you're into mechanical keyboards (which if you're not, you should be, given the beautiful typewriter in every video intro 😄) there are some incredible stores over there for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. Japanese tea is also supposed to be excellent too!
Yesss definitely want the “tech mall” experience in Tokyo. Thanks I’ll check it out. And yeah working at LTT gave me an appreciation for nice keyboards, though I dont own one of my own… yet.