The work of creation should speak of time and place but yearn for timelessness. Straplines create a path along which brands can navigate their way to the world of timelessness.
The word strapline first appeared in 1926, originally as the last sentence spoken by an actor at the end of a performance. Within a decade, it had gained popularity in the world of marketing and advertising as a memorable phrase.
Various synonyms exist for the word strapline. In Britain, a strapline is also known as “endline” while in North America it is ‘tagline’. In the Germanosphere, the word “werbespruch” is the familiar parlance. In francophone countries it is “un slogan”. These are a few examples. The etymology of Strapline traces its roots from the USA.
In business contexts, straplines are broadly applied as an advertising tool. Its aim, primarily, being to sell a product or service to a target audience through the conveyed messages and information. From a strategic sense, straplines play a focal role in shaping a brand’s identity. Scholars such as Kladou Kavaratzis et al (2017) identify straplines as one of three pillars of a brands identity, the other two being the name and logo. Others suggest that while the name and logo of a brand may be transient and arcane, the strapline remains constant and unambiguous. For Rolls Royce Motor Cars, their strapline is “Inspiring Greatness”. Inspiring greatness is the guiding force from which Rolls Royce’s innovation, aspirations, and ongoing legacy unfold.
Straplines are important in emphasising a brand’s essence, providing insight to its strategy, personality, message, and standing in the market. Unlike the name and logo, straplines are what sets a brand apart from its competitors. It therefore requires to be well thought out, giving reasons for brand owners to think differently. For example, Mont Blanc has the strapline “A Story to Tell”. This is a positioning that elevates the brand from a functional perspective to a higher-level positioning. The brand talks about pen as a power to write one's own destiny.
We created our strapline in the early stages of our brand strategy planning. We wanted it to resonate with customers, embody the brand, be constant as time passes. The cognoscente are of the view that a strapline should never be more than eight (8) words, so it remains etched in the minds of all who hear or read it.
We took some steps to stay within the 8-word rule.
First, to give the strapline some oomph, we reminded ourselves why we embarked on this journey (our why). We did it to unburden men with poor underwear choices that readily lose shape, trap heat, untuck, roll up, and ripple under outer clothing. How? By using real life body sizes in the design process on which ultra-soft, wood-based fabric gives life and form to our undergarment designs. At Eustace Designs, we create male undergarment designs that are dynamic in sizing and close-fitting to the body (what). Combining all these makes our underwear perfect for all body sizes, providing longevity to your outer clothing, a feeling of protection, comfort and freshness, and a seamless movement whilst you go about your day. That’s the value we aim to give to our customers.
To expand on what our brand epitomises, the next thing we did was looked closely at the types of straplines there are. We wanted a strapline that was aspirational, personal yet specific, and in a language of the first person singular.
Lastly, to keep it short, memorable, and simple. Simplicity is difficult to achieve, even more so when fewer words are required. We found the words that summed up the way wearing our undergarments makes us feel and, in the end, we came up with a strapline which perfectly embodies our brand: One with Your Body