As marketers, we know that dreaming up short, punchy marketing slogans is just as difficult as churning out well-researched long-form copy. The fewer the words, the more impactful they need to be, which is why brand positioning can be so darn tricky. Slogan creation is an integral part of brand identity, so whatever you come up with, it better stick!

Not only do taglines and marketing slogans need to be short and sweet; they need to be immediately memorable, with an emotional element that connects consumers to the brand and communicates the unique value proposition. That’s a lot of pressure for a mere three to eight words.

No doubt, you can recognize many brands from their taglines alone, whether you’re being encouraged to “taste the rainbow” or reminded that “maybe she’s born with it.” (Need help? Answers at the end!) So how can you make a great tagline? Let’s look at a few examples to find out.

Nike: Just do it

Legend has it that Nike’s slogan creation was inspired by the last words of a death row inmate, but no matter how macabre the origins, “Just do it” is one of the most recognizable taglines there is. In fact, according to a study by Upwave, over 82% of consumers were able to name the brand based on the tagline alone.

And it’s no wonder why: “Just do it” is everywhere. Thanks to its brevity, Nike’s tagline fits right alongside the famed swoosh on clothing, packaging, and advertising campaigns galore. Not only are consumers saturated with this brand identity; the tagline is also vague enough to apply to anyone. Running the Boston Marathon? Just do it. Gearing up for your first yoga session? Just do it. No matter the athlete, Nike’s slogan taps into the pain and power of training to form an emotional connection with consumers.

Disneyland: The happiest place on earth

Coined by Walt Disney in 1955, Disneyland’s short and simple tagline appears on the park’s gates, Cinderella’s castle, various rides and attractions, and on park merchandise. It’s even inspired the taglines of other Disney Parks, including “The most magical place on earth” for Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Whatever riff on the original that Disney takes, the focus on joy and nostalgia remains consistent, and that’s why the tagline works so well.

Disney’s brand storytelling relies on childhood magic—recreating it for adults and bringing the next generation into the fold. “The happiest place on earth” invokes that magic and the unbridled joy of a visit to the park, whether it’s the first time or the fiftieth. The tagline hits on a powerful feeling of wonder and plays on consumers’ emotions in the best possible way.

Bounty: The quicker picker upper

The paper towel brand’s tagline may not have made Upwave’s list, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a millennial who doesn’t know it. Maybe it has something to do with the rhyme-as-reason effect, which posits that rhymes are both more trustworthy and more memorable than non-rhyming words. What “the quicker picker upper” lacks in emotion, it makes up for in pure catchiness, thanks to that memorable rhyme. 

It’s also exceedingly practical, relying on Bounty’s value proposition rather than emotional connection. After all, what do consumers want in a paper towel? Quick, easy cleanup is exactly it, and Bounty’s tagline communicates that clearly and concisely.

So, what makes these taglines great?

Brand storytelling is complex, and a tagline needs to express that story in just a few quippy words. Whether leveraging market saturation like Nike, emotion and nostalgia like Disney, or a catchy rhyme like Bounty, the best brand taglines are earworms that consumers can’t forget. So figure out what makes your brand stand out, attach some feeling to it, and then turn it all into a short catchphrase. A/B testing a variety of options will help you figure out what sticks.

As for those taglines above, the answers are Skittles and Maybelline—but we bet you knew that already. It just goes to show the power of a short, sweet, emotion-packed tagline.