Story vs. Slogan

Posted on December 11th, 2008 by Kindling Spirits and currently 6 commenting.

In this month’s Fast Company, the authors of the column (and book) ‘Made to Stick‘ ” Dan and Chip Heath ” talk about ‘Killing the Slogans Dead.’ I gotta say, while we’ve talked about the dangers of taglines before, Chip and Dan make some great points in light of the ever-changing landscape of communications.

The message goes hand-in-hand with their book, which if you haven’t read it, is all about the power of stories and how to make them ‘stick’ in people’s minds. Let’s face it: very few slogans stick in your head. And how could they when so many companies tire of them and change them with the seasons?

So let’s compare:

Stories live forever. Slogans live until the ad agency gets tired of them.
Stories are real. Slogans are made up.
Stories pull you in. Slogans try and push out a message.
Stories are deep. Slogans are shallow.
Stories are personal. Slogans are impersonal.
Stories are passed on by word of mouth. Slogans are passed on by ads.

Stories are a part of who we are. You don’t tell slogans about your grandfather, or how your parents met, or even how you were treated well at a restaurant. You tell stories.

Some folks feel the need to have slogans. And if it helps them sleep better at night, then that’s great. But I’d rather hear a story about them and make the decision in my own head about what that company means to me instead of a company (that I don’t trust) try and force their ideas of who they are on me.

Would you rather LOVE146.org tell you that they are out to end child sex slavery in the world, or experience a story of how they came to be?

Would you rather hear a slogan for the Park Angels for the Charleston Parks Conservancy, or engage them in a conversation to talk about their own stories?

Would you rather IndieBound cram a slogan down your throat or hear their story told through a manifesto?

Look, slogans are a part of the ad world’s history. And I’m not saying that they are the worst thing that’s ever happened. I’m just agreeing with the Made to Stick guys:

How do you know if you’re inadvertently sloganeering? Here’s a take-home test: If you can envision two exclamation points at the end of your idea, it’s a slogan. If you can see it on a mug in Comic Sans font, it’s a slogan. Toss it and start communicating.

When you have a big idea, make it come alive with a story. Make it real, color in some details, let it be something people can care about. Just don’t make it snappy.

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