Every company has a slogan. “Think Different.” “I’m Lovin’ It.” “Just Do It.” They make a statement of what your company stands for, what kind of message you want to convey about your product or service, and most importantly, how you would like your customers to perceive your company on a daily basis. What does your slogan say about your brand?

When Burger King announced that it would be changing its 40-year-old slogan to “Have it your way” to “Be your way,” many thoughts came swirling into my mind. What does it mean? Did they not like their old slogan? What is the purpose of this new slogan that the old one was not accomplishing? But more importantly, how does this represent the company’s brand in a coherent, resonating way?

“Be Your Way,” it’s not even grammatically correct. It’s almost painful to say out loud. “Have It Your Way” speaks with reason and with good intent. It’s to the point, friendly, and says customer service. I would like to believe that “Be Your Way” is Burger King’s attempt to modernize themselves and be hip, but it has the same effect as if Nike were to say “Just Do.” It doesn’t fit into any lifestyle, it’s overly vague, and has nothing to say.

A slogan should fit naturally within your branding. It should be able to work throughout all marketing channels, unique to your brand, and easily identifiable by your target demographic. Think of a slogan as a one-sentence short story that people can create in their minds and relate it back to your company.

Slogan creation is no easy task. It may take some time to develop the perfect match between your company’s goals and ideals. But when marrying a slogan, be absolutely positive that it is the right message you want to have as the identity of your brand.

-Tyler