“Slogans”

8 February 2010 -- “Slogans”

The word slogan- (which by the way, is a word ad people never, ever use) derives from the Gaelic “slaugh gairn”, meaning “cry of the host,” or “battle cry.” Slogans were once an advertising staple- the brief, pithy line that embodies a brand and its promise- from “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya” to “Trust your Car to the Man Who Wears the Star,” to- dare we say- “Canada Lives Here.” But nowadays, as Terry O’Reilly explains, the slogan is dying out, as major brands turn from words to sentiments, emotions and icons.