The thing about iconic taglines is that you almost never realise they’re working at first. When Nike launched “Just Do It” in 1988, no one in the room was convinced it was necessary—nor the agency nor Nike. The same goes for De Beers‘ “A Diamond is Forever,” which was scrawled on paper almost as an afterthought in 1947.
These lines became iconic because brands kept repeating them, year after year, until the tagline and the brand were inseparable.
All these examples have one thing in common and that’s persistence. Some have lasted for decades. Some are so familiar that it’s easy to forget someone actually wrote them. Each one shows what a tagline can do if you let it grow. That’s worth keeping in mind, especially when everything else seems to change overnight.
Before we dive in, a quick note: taglines and slogans often get mixed up, and you’ll see some overlap here. The difference? A tagline stays with the brand for the long run. A slogan is usually short-term, tied to a product or campaign.
I’ve sorted these taglines into eight categories, based on what they aim to do. Each one works differently, and seeing the differences might help you figure out what fits your brand.
Many of these taglines could fit in more than one category, but I’ve only listed each one once to keep things organised.
If you’re not sure what a tagline is or how to write one, this is a good place to start.
Descriptive taglines
Descriptive taglines say exactly what they mean. They work best when the brand name is emotional or abstract. Think Airbnb, Apple, or any brand where the name alone doesn’t explain what it does.
Taste the rainbow (Skittles)
D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles wrote this line in 1994 for Skittles’ surreal ads. It works because it tells you how to experience the product, not just what it is. Thirty years later, it’s still going strong.
We’ll leave a light on for you (Motel 6)
Motel 6 has used this line since 1986. Tom Bodett came up with it on the spot during his first recording session for their radio ads. Within a year, it helped reverse five years of falling occupancy.
There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s Mastercard. (Mastercard)
This line came from the ‘Priceless’ campaign in 1997. The ads listed everyday items with their prices, then ended with something money can’t buy—followed by the tagline.
This tagline stands out because it includes the brand name. That’s been shown to boost recognition and make it easier to remember.
Belong anywhere (Airbnb)
Launched in 2014, this tagline shifted Airbnb from just room rentals to the bigger idea of feeling at home anywhere. It turned Airbnb from a functional brand into an emotional one.
All the News That’s Fit to Print. (The New York Times)
Adolph Ochs came up with this line in 1896, just after buying the struggling New York Times. It was his answer to sensationalist journalism. Since 1897, it’s been on the front page every day.
The best a man can get. (Gillette)
This tagline started with a campaign at the 1989 Super Bowl. It helped Gillette become the global leader in men’s grooming.
In 2019, Gillette changed the line to ask, ‘Is this the best a man can get?’ But the backlash was strong enough that they quickly returned to the original.
Broadcast Yourself (early YouTube)
YouTube adopted this tagline when Google bought the company in 2006. It captured the idea that anyone could share their own story with the world. The brand dropped it in 2012, when the focus moved from independent creators to advertisers and big media.
Inspirational taglines
These taglines focus less on the product and more on the promise. They give you a sense of how your life could change and who you could become if you choose these brands.
They work best for brands that sell a lifestyle or an identity, not just a product. Think sportswear, luxury, or personal care brands.
Just do it (Nike)
Written in 1988, it’s become one of the best-known taglines of all time.
It was inspired by the last words of a convicted murderer facing a firing squad. At the time, Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight didn’t think the company needed a tagline. His copywriter supposedly told him, “Just trust me on this one.”
Within ten years, Nike’s sales jumped from $877 million to over $9 billion. The tagline has never changed. That consistency is what makes it work.
Impossible is nothing (Adidas)
Strictly speaking, this is a campaign line rather than a tagline, but Adidas has used it so consistently that I’ll include it.
Inspired by a Muhammad Ali quote from 1974, Adidas first adopted it for a global campaign in 2004 and returned to it in 2021.
Because you’re worth it (L’Oréal)
The tagline first appeared in 1973. A 23-year-old copywriter wrote it in response to beauty ads that implied women bought products for men. At the time, it was a quiet act of rebellion.
More than 50 years later, it remains one of the most enduring taglines in advertising history.
Think different (Apple)
Apple launched this tagline in 1997, when the company was close to bankruptcy. It didn’t just sell computers; it repositioned Apple as a brand for creative mavericks. That shift changed how people saw the brand, and you know the rest.
Humorous taglines
Wit is hard to get right in branding. But when it works, it creates a positive association and makes the brand feel like someone you’d actually want to spend time with.
These taglines work best for brands that don’t take themselves too seriously and have the confidence to be playful.
Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline. (Maybelline)
Introduced in 1991, the tagline was later named the most recognisable strapline of the past 150 years by CBS Outdoor. It plays on the duality of beauty—natural or enhanced—without taking a side.
It’s also one of the few taglines here that include the brand name, which is a clever way to drive recognition. In 2016, Maybelline retired it in favour of “Make It Happen.”
Nothing runs like a Deere (John Deere)
First used in 1971 for John Deere’s short-lived snowmobile line, this tagline almost didn’t make it.
Copywriter Bob Wright had written it down during a brainstorming session, only to see it rejected and thrown in the bin. The next day, he dug it out of the trash and presented it again. This time it stuck and has been part of the brand ever since.
Shave time. Shave money (Dollar Shave Club)
This tagline comes from their 2012 launch video, which cost just $4,500 to make and went viral within hours. The line is funny, but it also sells the benefit, which is why it works so well.
Finger lickin’ good (KFC)
KFC has used this tagline since 1956, and it was created by accident. A franchisee overheard a customer licking their fingers and said it out loud. Nearly 70 years later, it’s still going strong.
Red Bull gives you wiiings (Red Bull)
Red Bull introduced this tagline in 1997. The extra ‘i’s were added later, after a customer sued Red Bull for false advertising, claiming the drink didn’t literally give him wings.
Provocative taglines
These taglines challenge you and get your attention. Used carefully, provocation is a powerful branding tool because it shows a brand has a real point of view and isn’t afraid to express it.
They work well for brands with a values-driven position, ones that stand for something and aren’t afraid to alienate people who don’t share those values.
Designed to be deleted (Hinge)
Launched in 2019, this tagline does something few brands dare. It openly tells users that the goal is to stop using the app. It worked because it matched what people actually want from a dating app. Hinge became the fastest-growing app in its category.
Democracy dies in darkness. (The Washington Post)
Adopted in February 2017, it was the Post’s first official tagline in its 140-year history. After months of brainstorming and over a thousand suggestions, Bezos selected a phrase that had been in use internally for years.
What happens here stays here (Las Vegas)
Since its launch in 2003, this tagline has become part of popular culture. Instead of describing the city, it encourages people to act differently and embrace their adventurous side for a few days. It’s a great example of a tourism tagline that works.
We’re in business to save our home planet (Patagonia)
Patagonia changed their mission statement to this in 2022. It’s more of a manifesto than a tagline, but it’s so specific and committed that you can’t ignore it.
Betcha can’t eat just one. (Lay’s)
Created in 1963, this tagline turned a product truth into a dare, challenging people to prove their willpower. For the 2024 Super Bowl, Lay’s updated it to “Betcha can’t pick just one,” but the core idea hasn’t changed in over 60 years.
Brand essence taglines
These taglines get to the heart of what a brand stands for—its values, its promise, and its reason for existing. They’re often the hardest to write because they have to say everything in just a few words.
A diamond is forever (De Beers)
This tagline, written in 1947 by Frances Gerety, was later named the best advertising slogan of the 20th century by Advertising Age. Interestingly, before this phrase existed, diamond engagement rings weren’t even a cultural norm.
Good things come to those who wait (Guinness)
Created by AMV BBDO in 1996, the tagline turned a consumer frustration into a brand asset. Pouring a pint of Guinness takes 119.5 seconds, and people complained about it.
Rather than defending or apologising, AMV flipped the narrative: the wait was the point.
The famous Surfer ad, which followed in 1999, was voted the best TV ad of all time in the UK. The tagline has returned repeatedly ever since, most recently during COVID lockdowns when Guinness used it to acknowledge the wait for pubs to reopen.
When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight (FedEx)
Introduced in 1978, this tagline is longer than most, but it works because it shows the brand’s commitment. FedEx isn’t just promising fast shipping—it’s promising certainty.
The happiest place on Earth (Disneyland)
Disneyland has used this tagline since it opened in 1955. Walt Disney himself coined it to emphasise the family experience over the rides and attractions.
Vorsprung durch Technik (Audi)
Created in 1971 by Hans Bauer in Audi’s advertising department, the tagline means “Progress through Technology.” Audi never translated it for global markets, which is part of what makes it distinctive. It even found its way into pop culture, referenced in songs by U2 and Blur.
Sheer driving pleasure (BMW)
This tagline first appeared in a BMW ad in 1964, almost by accident. It became the official tagline in 1972, the same year BMW launched its Motorsport division.
In North America, BMW uses “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” created in 1974 for the US market.
Open happiness (Coca-Cola)
Used from 2009 to 2016, this tagline—maybe more of a slogan—continued Coca-Cola’s long-standing strategy of selling a feeling, not just a drink.
It replaced “The Coke Side of Life” and was part of a global campaign to connect the brand with optimism and shared moments.
What else? (Nespresso)
Launched in 2006 with George Clooney, this tagline was reportedly his idea. It ran for nearly 20 years and helped Nespresso become a global luxury brand.
Further (National Geographic)
Adopted in 2016 as part of National Geographic’s biggest rebrand, this single word captures everything the brand stands for: the relentless pursuit of exploration and discovery.
Connecting people (Nokia)
Introduced in 1992, when mobile phones were still new and expensive, this tagline captured the idea that technology could bring people closer together. Nokia dropped it in 2011, after Apple used the phrase “connecting people” to describe the iPhone 4.
Competitive taglines
These taglines position a brand directly, or sometimes less directly, against the competition. They work best when there’s a real, provable difference to highlight. An untrue claim just sounds desperate.
We try harder (Avis)
In 1962, Avis hired DDB to turn things around after 13 years of losses. Instead of claiming to be the best, copywriter Paula Green admitted they weren’t.
Within a year, Avis went from losing $3.2 million to earning $1.2 million—their first profit in over a decade. Avis eventually dropped the tagline after 50 years, by which time Hertz had fallen to second place.
Better sound through research (Bose)
In a category full of lifestyle branding, Bose chose quality over style. Its tagline positions the brand as serious and science-backed—a real differentiator in audio.
There is no substitute (Porsche)
This line emerged in the mid-1970s, inspired by a journalist who wrote that if you wanted a Porsche, there was no substitute.
The best or nothing (Mercedes-Benz)
The phrase is often attributed to Gottlieb Daimler, with its first recorded use in 1902. Mercedes officially revived it as their global tagline in 2010, when the brand’s quality reputation had taken a hit.
America like you’ve never read it (The New Yorker)
This tagline doesn’t attack the competition, but it suggests The New Yorker is playing on a different level.
Quality never goes out of style (Levi’s)
Levi’s has spent over 150 years proving this bold statement true, which is the only reason it works.
Probably the best beer in the world (Carlsberg)
Created in 1973, the genius is the word “probably.“ It’s an honest claim – and that makes it more convincing.
In 2019, Carlsberg replaced it with “Probably not the best beer in the world,” which is even more honest, given the rise of craft beer and what consumers actually feel today.
Rhythmic & rhyming taglines
Rhythm and rhyme make taglines easier to remember. Research on brand distinctiveness shows that taglines with a musical or rhythmic quality are more likely to stick and be linked to the brand.
There’s a reason we still remember nursery rhymes from childhood.
Melts in your mouth, not in your hands. (M&M’s)
Created in 1954, this tagline came from a real product truth: M&M’s were originally developed so soldiers could carry chocolate without it melting. The tagline simply said that out loud. Over 70 years later, nobody has found a better way to say it.
The quicker picker-upper (Bounty)
Created in 1965 by Benton & Bowles, this tagline came to life for 25 years through Rosie the Waitress, played by Nancy Walker, in TV commercials mopping up spills.
Have a break, have a KitKat (KitKat)
Written in 1957 by Donald Gilles at JWT London, this tagline first appeared on television in 1958 during the 11am tea break show for British factory workers. KitKat wanted to become part of that daily ritual. Nearly 70 years later, the tagline has never changed.
I’m lovin’ it. (McDonald’s)
Created in 2003 by German agency Heye & Partner, this was the first McDonald’s campaign developed outside the US. The supporting jingle was produced by Pharrell Williams and performed by Justin Timberlake.
Snap! Crackle! Pop! (Rice Krispies by Kellogg’s)
First used in a radio ad in 1932, this is one of the earliest examples of a brand building a personality around a sensory moment. It went along with three sketched characters by artist Vernon Grant.
Got milk? (California Milk Processor Board)
Created in 1993 by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the line almost didn’t make it. Creatives thought it was lazy and grammatically incorrect.
But the first real campaign ad was aired in the same year and became an immediate sensation. Within two years, the campaign reached 90% awareness in the US.
As a vegan, I’m not a fan of the brainwashing it did, but it’s impossible to deny it’s one of the most effective lines ever written.
Call-to-action taglines
These taglines inspire action. They’re often built around a verb. The best ones are barely a sentence, but they carry a clear instruction and enough emotion to make you want to follow it.
Live to Ride, Ride to Live (Harley-Davidson)
Harley owners aren’t just buying a motorcycle. They’re buying into a way of life, a community, and an identity. This tagline doesn’t sell the product; it sells the feeling.
Eat fresh (Subway)
The tagline was introduced in the late 1990s to differentiate Subway from standardised fast food. At a time when fast food meant pre-made, processed food, two words repositioned an entire category. Subway retired it in 2018 and then brought it back.
Have it your way (Burger King)
Written in 1974, BBDO wanted to help Burger King stand out from McDonald’s. Telling customers they could customise their order was radical at the time. The tagline resonated so strongly with the individualistic spirit of the 1970s that it ran for decades and still resurfaces today.
Let’s go (Hertz)
These two words feel like an invitation. This short, energetic tagline is exactly right for a brand whose purpose is to get you moving.
Don’t leave home without it (American Express)
Created by Ogilvy in 1975 for traveller’s cheques, the tagline later moved seamlessly to credit cards and was one of the few lines to survive a complete product pivot and still make perfect sense.
Think Small (Volkswagen)
The line was created in 1959 by DDB, with a near-impossible brief: sell a small German car to an American market obsessed with big Detroit sedans. Instead of hiding the Beetle’s quirks, they leaned into them.
The campaign was later ranked one of the greatest advertising campaigns of the 20th century by Ad Age.
Tagline examples from New Zealand
I know, this stands out a bit, but since I’ve lived here for over a decade, I’d like to include a few local examples, too.
100% Pure New Zealand (Tourism New Zealand)
Launched in 1999, it’s one of the most successful destination marketing campaigns ever run. The tagline positions New Zealand not just as a place to visit, but as something untouched and rare.
World famous in New Zealand (L&P)
The soft drinks company L&P launched this very Kiwi and self-aware line in 1994. It was an open acknowledgement that no one outside New Zealand had heard of them and this honesty made it work.
What all these taglines have in common
If you look across all these tagline examples, a few patterns stand out:
They’re short. The average across the 50+ examples in this article is around 4 to 5 words. That matters because long taglines don’t fit on billboards, and people won’t remember them in two seconds.
They have a point of view. None of these taglines is neutral. Each one takes a stand, makes a claim, or sparks a feeling—and they’re often tied to campaigns to reinforce this.
They’ve been used consistently. This is the one most people underestimate. None of these taglines became iconic overnight. They became recognisable because brands kept repeating them for decades, until you couldn’t tell the tagline from the brand.
They work without the logo. Cover the brand name, and most of these taglines still point back to the brand. That’s a good test of whether a tagline is doing its job and has become a distinctive brand asset.
A thought on newer taglines
You’ll notice this list focuses on classic, well-established taglines, not recent ones. That’s intentional.
It’s hard to know if a tagline is great until it’s had years, sometimes decades, to prove itself. Many taglines that feel fresh and clever today will be forgotten in five years. The ones on this list have already passed the test of time. That’s what makes them real taglines.
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Title image Kaboompics via Pexels
