November 1, 2017 / by Squat New York
So what have the Squatters been cooking up these days? Most recently we’ve been in cahoots with a hospitality brand that required a few unorthodox taglines with some flavor – the kind that would set them apart from the billions of other luxury resorts in Belize. Take a gander at what we’ve come up with and soak up some helpful tidbits you can use to spruce up your own one-liners.
Located on an island in Belize called Ambergris Caye, Mahogany Bay Village is a community of Belizean locals and travelers with a 4-star resort, private homes and a burgeoning village. They’re a brand that allows travelers and residents to experience luxury and yet feel intimately connected with the rustic beauty of the traditional local culture. This is what led us to their main tagline – Old World Belize meets New World Luxury. Why we love it: it’s clear, balanced, rhythmic, and speaks to the core essence of the brand. On Behance.
For other headlines used throughout their website and marketing collateral, we incorporated a selective mix of English and the local language, Belizean creole. While discussing activities and food, for example, we used fun and simple, action-oriented lines like “Lego fishing (Let’s go fishing)” and “Try dis, i’ tasty (Try this, it’s tasty).” These kinds of word antics add authenticity and a truly unique style to the brand – the staples of effective, mind-blowing, smile-inducing brand assets.
Now for some of our “dos” and “don’ts” in the tagline creation process:
Dos
- Make what you do crystal clear. Sometimes the meaning of lines that are too clever or complex is lost. No one likes a smarty pants.
- Tie emotion into your tagline. Emotional reactions make lasting impressions.
- Test it out on target audience members before committing to one. You may hold a different opinion than the people you’re selling to. Sad, but true!
- Keep your tagline within a 7 word limit. Generally, the less words, the better, but we’d have to say somewhere between 2-4 words is the sweet spot.
Don’ts
- Unless you’ve got a creative twist, avoid the kinds of trendy words you see everywhere. They act like camo.
- Try not to imitate other brand styles. This is the same issue as above. We’re striving for revolutionary here.
- Inconsistency will set you back. Make sure all your taglines are within the same tone and style. You might also want to avoid changing taglines once you’ve launched with one. They’re like a radio hit – they catch on and they stick.
Be sure to leave us a line if you’re interested in some extra help with your taglines or any other copy issues. Our wordsmiths are here at your leisure!
