130 Fun Facts About Slogan

"Just Do It" is the slogan of which company?

Over the following decade the company's share of the North American sport-shoe market climbed from 18 to 43 percent.

Dan Wieden said Nike's "Just Do It" was inspired by the last words of which death-row inmate?

Wieden joked that he changed "let's" to "just" because otherwise he would have had to give Gilmore credit.

"Think different" was the slogan of which company from 1997 to 2002?

Steve Jobs rejected a rival agency's proposed slogan, "We're back", on the grounds that Apple wasn't back yet.

Who narrated the broadcast version of Apple's "Think different" television ad?

A version narrated by Jobs himself was recorded but shelved; he had also tried to recruit Robin Williams, whose wife refused to pass on the message.

Which fast-food chain introduced "Where's the beef?" in 1984?

The ad was titled "Fluffy Bun" and mocked the big-bun, small-patty burgers of a fictional rival.

Which actress delivered the line "Where's the beef?" in the original commercial?

She was in her 80s and later recorded a novelty single of the phrase with Coyote McCloud.

The "Got Milk?" campaign was created in 1993 for a dairy board in which US state?

People at the agency reportedly thought the phrase was lazy, not to mention grammatically incorrect.

The first "Got Milk?" commercial hinged on a radio quiz asking who shot which Founding Father?

The historian knows the answer, Aaron Burr, but cannot say it through a mouthful of peanut butter sandwich; Michael Bay directed the spot.

"A Diamond Is Forever" was coined in 1947 for which company?

Advertising Age named it the best slogan of the 20th century in 2000.

Which copywriter wrote "A Diamond Is Forever"?

She worked at N. W. Ayer & Son, and the line survived her by decades.

Which car did Doyle Dane Bernbach's 1959 "Think Small" campaign advertise?

Advertising Age named it the best advertising campaign of the 20th century in 1999.

Which brand's slogan is "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand"?

The black "M" was printed on each candy the following year and switched to white in 1954.

"Have a break, have a Kit Kat" was created in 1957 by an executive at which agency?

It first appeared on British television in 1958; the US got a different jingle, "Gimme a break", in 1986.

Which chain's slogan "It's finger lickin' good" was originally trademarked by franchisee Pete Harman?

Harman also introduced the bucket meal in 1957 and hired the sign painter who coined the name Kentucky Fried Chicken.

"Taste the rainbow" is the slogan of which sweet?

For Pride month the brand has repeatedly stripped the colours out entirely, selling all-white or grey candies.

Which cereal's mascots are Snap, Crackle and Pop?

The trio are the longest-running cartoon mascots in cereal history, though Woody Woodpecker fronted the TV ads before them.

Which sandwich chain used the slogan "Eat Fresh"?

The chain also branded its counter staff "Sandwich Artists".

L'Oréal's famous slogan was created in 1973 by copywriter Ilon Specht. What were the original words?

It became "Because you're worth it" in the mid-2000s and "Because we're worth it" in 2009.

"The Breakfast of Champions" is the tagline of which cereal?

Knox Reeves wrote it for a billboard at a Minneapolis minor-league ballpark; Lou Gehrig became the first athlete on the box in 1934.

"Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's..." which cosmetics brand?

CBS Outdoor found it to be the most recognisable strapline of the past 150 years.

Which paper towel is "the quicker picker-upper"?

The original line was "the quick picker-upper"; the extra syllable came later, delivered for decades by Nancy Walker as diner waitress Rosie.

"Betcha can't eat just one" is the long-running slogan of which snack?

It arrived shortly after the 1961 merger that created Frito-Lay.

Which razor brand used "The best a man can get" from 1989?

For the slogan's 30th anniversary in 2019 the brand briefly switched to "The Best Men Can Be", then switched back in 2023.

Which wireless carrier ran the "Can you hear me now?" campaign from 2001?

Marcarelli left in 2011 and in 2016 became a spokesman for rival Sprint.

Which theme park's slogan is "The Happiest Place on Earth"?

"Where Dreams Come True" is its other official slogan.

McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" campaign, launched in 2003, was created by an agency based in which country?

It was unveiled in Chicago on June 12, 2003 as the company's first global campaign.

Which brand's slogan is "You're in good hands"?

It was written by a sales manager, not an agency, and got its first network TV outing at the end of the 1950s.

Which singer-songwriter wrote the State Farm jingle "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there"?

Weezer released a cover of it in 2011.

"Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is" advertised which product?

The jingle was composed by Tom Dawes of The Cyrkle, and Sammy Davis Jr. recorded two versions in 1978.

Which coffee is "Good to the last drop"?

The company later claimed Theodore Roosevelt said it after a cup at Andrew Jackson's estate, a story never historically established.

"The best part of wakin' up" is which coffee "in your cup"?

Aretha Franklin, Randy Travis, Bonnie Tyler and Rockapella have all recorded the jingle.

Which car-rental company adopted "We Try Harder" in 1962 to make a virtue of being number two?

It lasted 50 years before being replaced by "It's Your Space" in 2012.

"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!" was written by which agency copywriter, who also created the rabbit?

His creative director sent an internal memo insisting Harris get all the credit.

Which greeting-card company's slogan since 1944 is "When you care enough to send the very best"?

The original index card is on display at company headquarters.

Which city's tourism slogan is "What happens here, stays here"?

The trademark was once sold to the ad agency for $1, a deal a federal judge later overturned.

Which insurer's jingle dropped its opening 'The Man from...' in 1972 once women became agents?

Jingle writer Steve Karmen composed it; Peyton Manning has sung it in more recent ads.

Which watch brand "takes a licking and keeps on ticking"?

Newsman John Cameron Swayze fronted live torture tests involving high-divers, jackhammers, paint mixers and a dolphin.

Which cigarette brand's rugged cowboy transformed a product once sold with the slogan "Mild as May"?

Leo Burnett conceived the Marlboro Man in 1954; the US campaign ran until 1999.

Which cereal mascot says "They're Gr-r-reat!"?

Thurl Ravenscroft voiced him for more than 50 years, and also sang "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch".

Which cat food is the one "cats ask for by name"?

The jingle's lyrics consist entirely of the word "meow".

"Have it your way" is a slogan of which fast-food chain?

A repetitive 2022 revival went viral on TikTok during the NFL playoffs and ended up on Spotify.

Which chain's slogan "Eat Mor Chikin" is delivered by misspelling cows?

The campaign was paused on January 1, 2004 during a mad cow disease scare so as not to seem insensitive.

Which slogan did the doughnut chain behind "Time to make the donuts" adopt in March 2006?

Michael Vale played sleepy Fred the Baker, the "time to make the donuts" man, for 16 years.

Which credit card's "Priceless" campaign began in 1997?

The full line runs: "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Mastercard."

American Express's "Don't leave home without them" campaign was fronted for 25 years by which actor?

The original line was for Traveler's Cheques; the card version dropped the "them" for "it".

The Energizer Bunny began in 1988 as a parody of which rival's drumming rabbit?

Duracell's trademark on the character had apparently lapsed by 1988, giving Energizer its opening.

Which chain's Chihuahua mascot Gidget declared "¡Yo quiero...!" from 1997 to 2000?

The dog, Gidget, was voiced by Carlos Alazraqui and died in 2009 aged 15.

Which brand's slogan is "The San Francisco Treat"?

The recipe traces to an Armenian immigrant's pilaf shared with the DeDomenico family in San Francisco.

Which cereal maker's jingle spelled out "K-E-double-L, O-double-good"?

The company's logo itself was designed by Ferris Crane under typeface designer Y. Ames.

Which slogan did Coca-Cola introduce in 1929?

"It's the Real Thing" followed in 1969, "Coke is it!" in 1982 and "Open Happiness" in 2009.

Coca-Cola's 2016 global slogan "Taste the Feeling" came with a song by which DJ?

Conrad Sewell sang the vocals; it replaced "Open Happiness", which had run since 2009.

Which slogan did the maker of Coke's biggest rival use most heavily from the 1930s to the late 1950s?

The jingle dated from when a bottle cost a nickel; a young Polly Bergen sang it on radio.

Which director shot Apple's "1984" Macintosh commercial?

Blade Runner had come out a year and a half earlier; the ad was filmed in England for about $370,000.

Which athlete threw the hammer at Big Brother's screen in Apple's "1984" ad?

The closing line promised that 1984 "won't be like 1984".

Colgate's 1950s slogan "It cleans your breath while it cleans your teeth" was written by whom?

It helped the brand grow at a time when TV advertising was just taking hold.

Which brand's slogan "Whassup?" grew out of a short film called True by Charles Stone III?

It won the Cannes Grand Prix and entered the Clio Hall of Fame in 2006.

Which cereal mascot tells children to "Follow your nose"?

He was first voiced by Mel Blanc with an American accent, and later by Maurice LaMarche with a British one.

Which brand's slogan "Hungry? Why wait?" evolved into "You're not you when you're hungry"?

The 1980 version was "Packed with peanuts, Snickers really satisfies".

Which toilet paper brand's ads begged shoppers, "Please don't squeeze the..."?

Dick Wilson played the squeeze-policing grocer Mr. Whipple for decades.

The "Can you hear me now?" campaign was originally conceived by which New York agency?

Customer turnover fell from 2.5 percent to 1.8 percent in the campaign's first year.

Which copywriter wrote 'A Diamond Is Forever' for De Beers in 1947?

She worked at N. W. Ayer & Son and reportedly scribbled the line late one night before bed.

Which future blockbuster director made the first 'Got Milk?' commercial in 1993?

The agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners initially thought the phrase was lazy and ungrammatical; the milk-moustache celebrity ads followed from 1995.

Apple's 1997 campaign with the 'Crazy Ones' ad is read as a rejoinder to which rival's one-word slogan?

Steve Jobs insisted on 'different' rather than 'differently' so it sounded like 'think big'; the 'Crazy Ones' ad won an Emmy.

The 1959 "Think Small" campaign, Advertising Age's best of the 20th century, sold which car?

Doyle Dane Bernbach's Helmut Krone and Julian Koenig used a tiny picture of the car and acres of white space, the opposite of Detroit's ads.

L'Oréal's slogan 'Because I'm Worth It' was written in 1973 by which McCann copywriter, then aged 30?

It later became 'Because you're worth it' and, from 2009, 'Because we're worth it'.

'It's Finger Lickin' Good' was trademarked not by Colonel Sanders but by which first franchisee?

Harman opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in South Salt Lake in 1952; the trademark lapsed in the US in 2006.

'The Ultimate Driving Machine' was coined by the North American arm of which carmaker in 1974?

The rest of the world gets the German 'Freude am Fahren', 'sheer driving pleasure', standardised in 1972.

Audi's slogan 'Vorsprung durch Technik' translates as what?

It has been used since the early 1970s and even turns up in a U2 lyric.

Which company settled a $13 million false-advertising suit in 2014 over the claim it 'gives you wings'?

The Austrian drink, launched in 1987, was based on the Thai energy drink Krating Daeng.

'The Breakfast of Champions' was first written in 1927 on a sketch for a Minneapolis ballpark sign. Which cereal?

Lou Gehrig became the first athlete on the box in 1934; Michael Jordan holds the record with 18 appearances.

Maxwell House long claimed its 'Good to the Last Drop' slogan came from a remark by which US president?

The company later admitted the line was written by General Foods executive Clifford Spiller; the coffee is named for a Nashville hotel.

The five-note 'bong' that accompanies 'Intel Inside' was composed in 1994 by which Austrian musician?

The campaign began in 1991 with Intel paying PC makers to put the sticker on their machines.

The Nokia ringtone comes from 'Gran Vals', a 1902 guitar piece by which composer?

It debuted as a ringtone on the Nokia 2110 in 1994, alongside the 'Connecting People' era.

Which candy's 'Taste the Rainbow' theme was created by the New York agency D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles?

The surreal ads that followed became a genre of their own.

Verizon's 'Can you hear me now?' guy became a spokesman for which rival in 2016?

He returned to Verizon ads in 2025 in a spot with Buzz Aldrin.

Which insurer's ads feature a Cockney gecko and the claim its website is 'so easy, a caveman could do it'?

The company, whose name stands for Government Employees Insurance Company, spent over $1.1 billion on ads in 2012 alone.

Snap, Crackle and Pop, the mascots of Rice Krispies, were drawn in the 1930s by which illustrator?

A fourth brother, Pow, appeared briefly in the 1950s to promote the cereal's nutrition.

Tom Dawes, who wrote Alka-Seltzer's 'Plop, plop, fizz, fizz' jingle, was formerly of which 1960s band?

The brand's mascot Speedy, introduced in 1951, appeared in more than 200 commercials.

Which beer did the celebrated 'Tastes Great! Less Filling!' ads sell?

Launched nationally in 1975, it was the first successful mainstream light beer, and the ads paired ex-athletes with Rodney Dangerfield and Mickey Spillane.

Which voice actor delivered Tony the Tiger's 'They're Gr-r-reat!' from 1953 until 2005?

He also sang 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch'; Tony was named after an ad executive called Raymond Anthony Wells.

The Energizer rabbit that 'keeps going and going' parodied which rival's mascot?

Duracell's drumming bunny dated to 1973; ironically Energizer sales fell during the campaign because people still associated pink rabbits with Duracell.

'Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline' debuted in which year?

CBS Outdoor once called it the most recognisable strapline of the past 150 years; the brand is named after founder Thomas Williams's sister Mabel.

Gillette introduced 'The Best a Man Can Get' during which event in 1989?

It became 'The Best Men Can Be' in 2019 and reverted to the original in 2023.

Which carmaker has used 'Zoom-Zoom' since 2000 to describe what it calls the 'emotion of motion'?

It started in North America and went global, later joined by 'Driving Matters'.

In 2007 Walmart replaced 'Always Low Prices. Always.' with what slogan?

The old line had run since 1988; 'Expect More. Pay Less.' belongs to Target.

Budweiser's 'Whassup?' campaign of 1999-2002 grew out of a short film called 'True' by which director?

DDB Chicago spotted the film; the ads won the Cannes Grand Prix and a Grand Clio, and Scary Movie parodied them.

'Impossible Is Nothing', launched in 2004, is a campaign by which sportswear brand?

The company's name comes from founder Adolf 'Adi' Dassler, who registered it in 1949.

David Ogilvy's 1975 'Don't Leave Home Without Them' campaign with Karl Malden originally sold what?

The line was later shortened to 'Don't Leave Home Without It' for the card.

Which Coca-Cola slogan dates from 1969?

'Coke Is It!' came in 1982, 'Always Coca-Cola' in 1993 and 'Open Happiness' in 2009; the 1929 line was 'The Pause That Refreshes'.

Which soup company has used 'M'm! M'm! Good!' as its main slogan since 1935?

Andy Warhol turned its cans into pop art in 1962, and its Campbell Kids were drawn by Grace Drayton.

The chihuahua who said '¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!' from 1997 to 2000 was named what?

She was voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, and 'Drop the Chalupa' came from the same campaign.

According to its author Maurice Drake, the 1967 slogan 'Beanz Meanz Heinz' was written where?

The pub was The Victoria in Mornington Crescent, and the line became one of Britain's best-known.

When Google reorganised under Alphabet in 2015, which motto replaced 'Don't be evil'?

The original phrase is usually credited to engineer Paul Buchheit around 2000 and appeared in the 2004 IPO prospectus.

In May 2014 Facebook replaced its 'break things' internal motto with what?

Zuckerberg had earlier told developers 'unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough'.

The 'Just Do It' line was adapted from whose last words?

Gary Gilmore said 'let's do it' before his execution; Dan Wieden dropped the first word so he would not owe him a credit.

In which year was that slogan coined at an agency meeting?

Reebok was chasing the aerobics boom at the time; the reply was a deliberately hard-edged campaign aimed at everyone.

Which agency created 'Think different'?

BBDO had pitched a rival line, 'We're back', which Steve Jobs called stupid.

Who narrated the television version of the 'Crazy Ones' advert that Apple actually aired?

Two versions were cut, one voiced by Jobs himself; he chose the other on the morning of the first broadcast.

Whose families did Steve Jobs personally call to secure likeness rights for that campaign?

He also flew to New York to ask Yoko Ono in person.

Who paid for the dairy campaign of 1993 that asked a two-word question?

Goodby Silverstein & Partners wrote it, and staff there initially thought the line was lazy and ungrammatical.

Which future blockbuster director shot the first 'Got Milk?' commercial?

The spot was called 'Aaron Burr' and turned on a man unable to answer a radio question with his mouth full.

What line replaced that campaign nationally in 2014?

The trademark survived and is still licensed for merchandise, and the campaign continued in California.

Which chain introduced the catchphrase about a missing patty in 1984?

The point was to compare its square patty with the giant buns of the Big Mac and the Whopper.

What longer version did the director originally want the actress to say?

An earlier version with a middle-aged man saying 'Thanks, but where's the beef?' had gone nowhere.

Which agency employed the copywriter behind that diamond slogan?

The campaign successfully tied a mined stone to the idea of lifelong commitment, and demand followed.

Who designed those three mascots in the early 1930s?

The first of them appeared on packaging in 1933; the other two were added afterwards.

What headgear does Snap wear?

Crackle gets the sleeping cap and Pop the drum major's shako, though the hats sometimes swap.

In which year did that cereal begin advertising at a Minneapolis ballpark?

By 1939, 46 of the 51 players at the baseball All-Star Game were endorsing it.

In which year did the M print on those sweets change from black to white?

The same year brought the peanut variety, which has never left the range since.

Which car rental firm turned being number two into the slogan 'We Try Harder'?

It was adopted in 1962 under CEO Robert Townsend and survived fifty years before being retired.

What replaced 'We Try Harder' when Avis rebranded in 2012?

The original line worked precisely because it admitted the company was second to Hertz.

Which brand launched the slogan 'Beanz Meanz' in 1967?

Its author, Maurice Drake, said it was written over two pints in a pub in Mornington Crescent.

Where did Maurice Drake say he wrote that famous British slogan?

It went on to become one of the best-known advertising lines in the United Kingdom.

Which cigarette brand did Leo Burnett rescue with a cowboy campaign from 1954?

Before that it was pitched at women under the slogan 'Mild as May'.

What slogan had that brand used before the cowboy arrived?

The rebrand from feminine to masculine took a matter of months.

Who created Tony the Tiger in 1952?

He named the tiger after a colleague at Leo Burnett, Raymond Anthony Wells.

Who voiced 'They're gr-r-reat!' for five decades?

He took over almost immediately after the first adverts aired with a different voice.

The Energizer Bunny began life as a parody of which rival's mascot?

The rival's drumming rabbit trademark had lapsed by 1988, leaving the door wide open.

What does the Energizer Bunny wear?

It also carries a bass drum with the battery logo on it, which is the whole joke.

Who trademarked the phrase 'It's finger lickin' good'?

The same franchisee introduced the cardboard bucket in 1957, which became the chain's signature.

From which year was 'finger lickin' good' used by KFC?

An earlier official line had been the far less catchy 'North America's Hospitality Dish'.

Which young actress fronted fast food's first attack ad, in 1981?

McDonald's was angry enough about the comparison to sue everyone involved.

Which slogan has McDonald's used since 2003?

The two older lines were its American mainstays for decades before that.

In the United States, what is a marketing catchline more often called?

Britain says strapline; much of Europe uses baseline, signature, claim or pay-off.

The word 'slogan' originally referred to what?

The commercial meaning is a much later borrowing of a battlefield term.

Which mascot was replaced by the tiger as Kellogg's cereal frontman?

Several animals were tried at once, and only the tiger survived the first year of adverts.

The wartime poster 'Keep Calm and Carry On' was rediscovered in 2000 in a bookshop in which English town?

Some 2.45 million copies were printed in 1939, yet the poster was rarely displayed and largely forgotten.

'Don't Mess with Texas' began in 1985 as a campaign against what?

Aimed at young men aged 18 to 35, it cut roadside litter roughly 72 percent between 1987 and 1990.

Which organisation used the recruiting slogan 'Be All You Can Be' for over twenty years from 1980?

Copywriter Earl Carter of N. W. Ayer wrote the line; Jake Holmes composed its music.

Milton Glaser sketched the 'I Love New York' logo in 1976 with a red crayon while riding in what?

He expected the campaign to last a couple of months and worked pro bono; the sketch is now in MoMA.