The Make-or-Break Power of a Tagline: 4 Perspectives
In marketing, a few words can be the difference between a brand that sticks and a budget that’s wasted. I’ve always been a strong believer that the right tagline doesn’t just push your business to the forefront of audience recall—it anchors your entire identity. Done poorly, it’s a drain on your resources; done well, it’s your most valuable asset.
Recently, AdAge sat down with the CMOs of True Religion, Shutterfly, and Rambler to discuss how they use taglines to hook consumers. Their insights align perfectly with what we preach at Ad2, Inc. regarding brand stickiness and internal alignment.
Below, I’ve shared my own “north star” philosophy on taglines, followed by the highlights from these three industry leaders on how they are currently winning the “battle for the brain” in 2026.
The Internal Compass
Insights from the Front Lines: 3 Brands Leading the Charge
The recent AdAge report highlights how top CMOs are currently leveraging “stickiness” in 2026. Here’s the breakdown:
1. Meaningful “Double Entendres” at True Religion
CMO Kristen D’Arcy believes a tagline should represent exactly what a brand stands for in a specific season. For their “Wrapped in True” campaign, the brand played on a clever double meaning: the physical act of wrapping gifts and the emotional act of being “wrapped” in the brand’s core values.
The Takeaway: A tagline is most powerful when it works on multiple levels—functional and emotional.
2. Bringing Back the “Fun” at Rambler
At Rambler, CMO Dave Mead leans into the personality of the brand. Their “Chug Life” tagline isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a nod to 70s and 80s nostalgia and a direct instruction on how to enjoy the product. While they don’t strictly measure tagline “effectiveness,” they use it to keep the brand’s voice fresh and irreverent.
The Takeaway: Not every tagline needs to be a serious mission statement; sometimes, it’s just about setting a vibe.
3. Building “Stickiness” with Shutterfly
Shutterfly’s Bree Casart is a firm believer in the “emotional hook.” By sticking with the tagline “Make Something That Means Something” for two years and pairing it with a catchy jingle, they’ve created what she calls “stickiness”—where the brand lives in the heads of both the team and the consumers.
The Takeaway: Consistency and repetition are the keys to moving a tagline from “noise” to “memory.”
Why This Matters for Your Business
Whether you’re a global brand like True Religion or a growing local firm, your tagline is your first—and often last—chance to make an impression. As I always say at Ad2, Inc., if you don’t define who you are in two seconds, the market will do it for you.
The bottom line: In a world of noise, clarity is your greatest competitive advantage. Your tagline is the shortest path to that clarity.
I’d love to hear from you—what’s a tagline that has stuck in your head lately?
Does your own business tagline truly represent who you are today?
Share your thoughts, or if you are ready to start building a brand that sticks, schedule a Brand Strategy Audit today.