Writing for Slogan Competitions

Follow the Rules

It should go without saying, but if you don’t follow the rules to the letter you stand no chance — they’re not just for other people. Pay particular attention to your word count. Don't try to squeeze in few extra ‘little ones’ — they will get noticed.

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Hit the Three Ps

The product must be at the heart of your slogan. If possible also include a reference to the prize and/or the company sponsoring the competition. For example, in the Charter Ham contest every one of the winning slogans manages to make a connection between ham and cruising: ‘Captain’s table’, ‘first class ticket’, ‘plain sailing’.

 

The killer slogan will hit all Three Ps:

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• Product;

• Prize; and

• Promoter.

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Remember to rhyme

Many winning slogans rhyme, usually in the form of a couplet:

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‘Those snowy peaks are a beautiful sight,
Alpine fresh and Ariel white.’

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‘This novel Pyramid brewing technique,
guarantees a flavoursome cuppa unique.’

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Occasionally there might be an opportunity to experiment with a longer verse form (such as a Tercet or Quatrain, see Writing poetry) but considering the small word count a Couplet is likely to be your only option.

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Use puns

Another route to success is to base your slogan on a pun of a well-known expression or saying:

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• ‘The taste that launched a thousand sips.’ (The face that launched a thousand ships)

• ‘Richer for the pourer.’ (For richer or poorer)

• ‘Success reigns when it pours.’ (When it rains, it pours)

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However, teeth-clenching, tortured word play of any description is likely to get you noticed:

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• ‘Footballers willing, transport lacking, could ‘ketch up’ opposition with Heinz backing.’

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Establish connections

Try to establish a connection between the different elements in a competition — common ground between the prize, product and promoter that will focus your attention on fruitful associations. For example, in the Ariel Alpine competition three of the winners make connections between Austria, the Alps and snow, and the concepts of freshness and cleanliness.

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Brainstorming a slogan

Your first step in creating a brilliant slogan is to brainstorm a list of relevant words and phrases to use as raw material.

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In the PG Tips/Safeway competition the subject was Brooke Bond PG Tips and their pyramid tea bags. In this case the dedicated slogan-writer would write down everything they could think of connected with tea-bags, PG Tips, the pyramids, Egypt (the prize) and tea-drinking in general. Since we’re also trying to charm the company by saying how great their tea tastes we’d also think of words that conjure up thoughts of flavour and quality.

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The following is a selection of words and phrases extracted from the winning PG Tips slogans (‘ape’ is a reference to the famous PG Chimp adverts). This is the sort of list you might have created yourself through a brainstorming session.

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Ape — ‘Infusiasm’ — Sphinx — Best — Infusion — Sphinx’s smile — Brew — Leaf movement — Square — Brooke Bond — Leaves — Stir — (James) Bond — Loose tea — Stirred — Choice — Success — Circle — Novel — Taste — Cleopatra — PG Tips — Tastebuds — Tasted — Cup — Pour — Tea drinking — Cuppa — Pyramid — Tea-bags — Flavour — Quality — Tender — Flavoursome — Rich — Tea-Leaf — Gold — Safeway — Tops — Great — Shape — Sip — Triangle.

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How many more could you have thought of? One obvious word that’s been left out is ‘teapot’. Could we have done anything with that? How about…

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‘No flavour worries when you drop, a pyramid bag in your teapot.’

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Could have been a winner?

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Before you start crafting your slogans, devote at least twenty minutes to thinking up key words and phrases. The more effort you put into gathering your raw material and the more exhaustive your list, the easier your job will be. You’ll find more tips on brainstorming and word lists in the chapters Writing comedy (under How to write gags and jokes) and Coming up with ideas.

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If you want to give your brainstorming a head-start try Winspiration. This website has a selection of winning slogans and comprehensive word lists on a variety of subjects.