joe called

Hit by any of these great tag lines? Read why they’re so good.

2011-09-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Some of these great tag lines are current. Some areclassics. All the great tag lines and brands below are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of their respective companies. Maybe you have some great tag linesof your own?

Love them back --CESAR Canine Cuisine. Begins with a verb – always a plus. Taps thatemotional connection people have with their dogs. And yes, people do look forways to give back to their beloved pets.

Good. Better.Behr. -- BEHR Paints. If you insist on saying that your product is thebest, this is a fine way to do it.

Click It or Ticket-- NHTSA’s seat belt communications program. It’s a bit clumsy -- IMHO,both parts should be verb phrases. But you can’t beat the rhythm and the rhyme.And you can’t argue with the results: According to the National Highway TrafficSafety Administration (NHTSA), Click It or Ticket is the most-successful seatbelt enforcement campaign ever, helping create the highest national seat beltusage rate of 85 percent.

Drive one -- Ford.Okay. Maybe I will.

Proud sponsor ofthe comeback -- MetroHealth System. My new favorite tag line. And it’s allin the great word “comeback.” After all, isn’t that what everyone is trying todo when battling an injury or disease?

We bring goodthings to life -- General Electric. A positive “feel good about us” line.Suggests that GE products and services have a “higher purpose.” Clever play onwords.

You’re in goodhands with Allstate -- Allstate Insurance. Using the word “you’re” (andputting it up front) makes this tag line intensely customer focused. Creates apicture in the minds of the readers -- nice. Stayed relevant for decades, whichis no small task.

Can you hear menow? -- Verizon Wireless. Verizon took a phrase commonly uttered by phoneusers and built a brand around it. Verizon stayed with the line (important),used it in good commercials, put massive dollars behind it, and the rest ishistory. And, when your tag line becomes a part of American pop culture, you’vereally hit it big.

Talk to Chuck --Charles Schwab. Makes a huge company sound like a buddy. Nice. Begins witha verb. Asks for the order. Three short syllables.

Be all that youcan be -- U.S. Army. And here it is: IMHO, the greatest tag line ever. Usesonly single-syllable words, six syllables total. Begins and ends with the sameword (not sure that’s ever been done in a tag line before.) Aggressivelychallenges the reader. Used from 1980 to 2001.

Why I love radio.

2011-07-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to receive and consume media these days. But here’s a toast to radio. May it never, ever go away. Why? Because radio is…

real time. Need to push something out to scores of people right away? Radio is ready.

best for multitasking. Listening to the radio requires just two ears. (And you can even close one ear if you want to be really efficient.) Every other sense, every finger, every thumb, every toe (not common, though) is available to work on something else.

wireless. And we all worship wireless, don’t we?

variety. No matter what you like to listen to, it’s somewhere on the radio. I even heard a show the other day where three people discussed an entire novel on the radio in one hour. Sort of like the audio version of CliffNotes. Interesting.

free. With few exceptions, radio doesn’t cost a dime. Want to listen? Just grab it out of the air.

national security. In the event of an emergency, radio can reach millions of people in seconds. No smartphone needed. No computer necessary.

emotional. Try finding another medium that has played such a personal and important part in your life. It has a history of being there during those best moments. Oh, and your 10 most-favorite bands? You probably discovered most of them on radio.

Okay, so radio isn’t very social. It’s a one-way communication (unless you’re calling in to win concert tickets, request a song, or butt heads with the on-air personality. But now you’ve added another medium: the phone. And that’s cheating.)

And radio falls big-time short when it comes to delivering images and video. But so what. Sometimes you need your eyes for other things.

Nine and a half ways to boost confidence.

2010-03-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

If you're a confident person, you'll likely be a confident writer. Or artist. Or musician. Or designer. But how can a creative person keep himself or herself thick skinned and feeling strong? Here are some interesting ways to feel powerful.

1. Do it yourself. Stop asking people so many questions. Go online and Google the answer. Or start an online discussion. Get fired up and fix it. The solutions are out there. And every task that you accomplish by yourself, large or small, is a win. And winning feels good.

2. Learn new things. It’s another way to get that intoxicating, winning feeling. I was taking adult learn-to-skate lessons a few years ago. One of my fellow students revealed that she learned something new every year. Learning to skate was her challenge that particular year (although from her attitude, I’m guessing it wasn't really a challenge.)

3. Revisit skills you already have. Why not do some of those things that you were really good at, but stopped doing as life got busier? There’s a reason you learned how to paint. Or picked up the guitar. Or worked on cars. Revitalizing those activities will make you feel good once again. And you’ll get a second, third, and fourth shot of confidence when others notice your talents and compliment what you do.

4. Avoid negative people. Avoid family members and friends who will -- and do -- steal your joy. I’m not suggesting that we abandon those who are having difficulty – in fact, helping others is often a feel-good for both parties. And I’m not suggesting that we hide from the real world. But there may be people in your world who are chronically negative – and that’s not good for anyone’s confidence.

5. Get outside. That’s where the real world is. A long hike, bike ride, jog, whatever, will energize your body, clear your head, give you some time to reflect on what’s good in your life, maybe even find answers to what’s not working so well. Besides, the natural God-given world is truly awesome and will bring a smile or two to your face. Guaranteed. Or your money back.

6. Surround yourself with positive media experiences. I used to be a big fan of TV crime shows – still enjoy them from time to time. But often times I’d go to bed thinking: “I just spent two hours watching people get terrified, dismembered, and murdered.” (And, when did red become my favorite color?) Studies have shown that these negative images and situations work behind the scenes to slowly steal our joy – and we don’t even realize it’s happening.

Interesting observation: One night my wife and I rented/watched two movies back to back. One was the violent The Departed followed by the overly simple and quiet Chocolat. Separately, we both commented on how that second movie made us feel so, so much better.

7. Engage people. Face to face, whenever possible. IMHO, there’s a simple reason social media is so popular: People want to connect with people, even if it’s a virtual connection. It’s what makes us human. Money magazine, November 2008 issue, published the results of a University of Michigan study that asked people: “Once you retire, which of the following is likely to have the biggest affect on your happiness?” Some of the choices were: “the size of your nest egg,” “your blood pressure,” “a hole in one….” But the most popular answer was: “The number of people who came to your birthday party.” Wow.

8. Adopt better eating habits. Besides the obvious health benefits, you just feel good when you get into a habit of, say, eating a wildly healthy breakfast every day, without fail. Even if you don’t start to lose weight or feel better immediately, you’ll feel stronger because (1) you’re doing the right thing, and (2) you’re taking a bit more control over your life.

9. Make every day a full day. Have you ever felt badly after realizing that you wasted a great day or a great opportunity? I have almost no trouble sleeping at night. Why? Because I can rest knowing that I've put in another honest, solid day of something.

9-1/2. So, what’s the half tip? Get yourself a nice pair of pajamas. Really. They don’t have to be expensive. Forget the lounge pants and the “sorta matches” NBA T-shirt. This is the gear you’ll wear more than any other. Every night, in fact. Might as well look as good as you can in the morning mirror. Start the day off right.

Author Joe Starin is an independent copywriter and owner of Hit by a Brick.

Too many promotional emails?

2009-04-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

People often complain about the number of emails they receive. Since I have a home-based copywriting business, I get a decent amount -- business and personal mixed. But, I'm careful. And I block nasty ones regularly. So the e-mail flood is manageable.

However, I'm amazed (and sometimes annoyed) at the number of emails I get from a select group of companies. I remember opting in for some of these companies. But I certainly didn't expect to get almost daily emails from The Cleveland Indians, Epson, Border's, CompUSA, and a few others. A big deal? Maybe not. But add them up and you're talking nearly 1,500 a year from this group alone. Now we're talking big numbers.

Here's a simple suggestion to online marketers: Ask us how many emails we want to receive per year. Or give us a chance to select from among various email frequency levels. For example, I could choose to receive: (1) only critical announcements, or (2) critical, plus important new product/service announcements, or (3) every email the company could possibly dream up. We'd all get exactly what we want. And no one could complain.

I hate to see otherwise fine companies turn themselves into spammers.

Hello, my name is....

2009-03-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

Been networking lately? Of course you have. Almost everyone is doing it, whether to seek new business, find a new job, or for many other reasons. If we're going to do it, let's do it well. Some tips....

Arrive at the event early. It's a much tougher gig if you arrive when the room is already full and conversations are well underway.
Place your name tag on your right side. Most people greet by extending their right hands -- and that's the side where your name should be.
If you can get a list of attendees in advance, decide whom you want to meet before you even arrive. If not, walk the room, glance at name tags, and selectively introduce yourself.
Have a 60- to 90-second "elevator pitch" ready that explains who you are and what you do.
Be efficient. Don't spend too much time with any one person or group, even if that person is someone you absolutely, positively want to engage. Respect their time.
When handed a business card, show interest in that person and his/her card. Scan it quickly, but carefully. You may find some information that will trigger a good comment or question.
When introduced to someone, help yourself remember that person's name by repeating it out loud three times. No, not in a row. But something like this: "Denny? Hello, Denny. Pleased to meet you. Denny, it looks as though your company is in the logical security business...."
Be positive. Or, better put, don't be negative. It's okay to have candid conversation, but keep the whining in check.
Ask questions. Listen. Ask questions. Don't ramble. Ask questions. Be brief.
Offer to help people. If you do, it may lead to a positive outcome for you later.
Make sure your discussions are win-win events for you and for those you encounter. If a person provides you with key information, gives you a contact to call, etc. find a way to return the favor.
Follow up with a brief email or note -- you'll stand a better chance of being remembered.

Killer headline from BusinessWeek

2007-05-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Saw a creative banner ad the other day. The surprise: it was from the very conservative BusinessWeek magazine. I don't recall a visual. But the headline next to the logo was outstanding: "Repair the damage done by reality TV." Timely. Intelligent. And laugh-out-loud funny.

You'll love "Love."

2007-02-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

You will. Promise. And that applies whether you are a Beatles fan or discovering the group for the first time.

What is Love?

In collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, Sir George Martin (the Beatles' legendary producer) and son Giles Martin worked with the entire archive of original Beatles recordings -- slicing, dicing and combining many of the songs to create a beautiful and sonically charged musical journey of 78 minutes. (A second surround-sound version clocks in at 81 minutes.) The album is also featured in the Cirque du Soleil/Beatles collaborative production of the same name at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

The mixing is highly creative. And the sound is pristine -- Beatles music never sounded clearer. Looking for great tunes? All you need is Love.

Five proven proofreading tips

2006-12-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

A client once asked me for proofreading tips that she could share with her marketing staff. I decided to post them here for the blogging community, as well.

1. Have anyone with writing/proofreading responsibility acquire and use a copy of: The Associated Press STYLEBOOK and Briefing on Media Law. ISBN 0-7382-0740-3. Last version I purchased was a mere $17. A terrific and easy-to-use reference for making/confirming decisions on capitalization, abbreviation, spelling, numerals, usage and much more. An absolute must for every writer and proofreader.

2. Proof by reading text backwards -- end to beginning. This forces the proofreader to notice/read every word individually -- an especially great way to catch misspellings.

3. Create, update and use a "style sheet" that covers the details missing in most corporate ID or branding manuals.

Example: How do we consistently present our phone number? Do we use hyphens or dots to break up the numerals? Parentheses around the area code? Etc.

Example: Use a comma before the third item in a simple series? (The flag was red, white and blue.)

4. Use built-in spellcheckers last, not first. Consider them backups only.

5. Proofread in teams, when appropriate. Person A reads the text on the layout/proof/screen aloud, verbalizing everything that appears in the text.

Example: Take the sentence "I love dogs." Person A reads aloud the following: "opening quote," "capital I" "I love dogs" "period" "closing quote." Person B silently follows along, reading from the original word processing doc that was used to create the type on the layout, printer's proof or computer screen. This catches any differences between the two "documents," and puts two sets of eyes on the proofreading task.

Hope these help.

Joe

If it looks good in white....

2006-12-08T08:14:00.001-08:00

I have a simple way to test the design of an object. Just strip away the color and see if that object can stand on its own. Let's use cars as an example. Pick any car. Does it look good in white? If it does, it's probably because that car was touched by a team of great designers. In my opinion, the Nissan Xterra looks terrific in any color, including white. That's simply because it looks terrrific period. It's a well-designed vehicle that doesn't need a specific color to make it sing. Any thoughts on your end? Colorful or not?

Is the Dunkin' Donuts brand back?

2006-08-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Long time since my last post. Busy workload. Let's catch up. Comments welcomed on the following:

9:35 Saturday morning. Quick stop at the local (new) Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins (combo store). Crap. No parking spots. Seven cars in the drive-thru. People everywhere, mostly buying wake-up beverages. I'm not angry. Actually, I'm impressed.

Dunkin' Donuts has not been shy about its desire to wrestle the coffee business back from Starbucks. Dunkin' Donuts used to be the king of coffee. Not anymore. But stay tuned. DD’s coffee is good. And inexpensive. (They wouldn't take my Starbucks Card, BTW.)

DD's new tag line is "America runs on Dunkin." At first glance, the line appears to be nothing special. But, look closer and you can appreciate the fact that Dunkin' Donuts wants to reclaim its turf. And that turf is America. All of it. It's reminding consumers that DD has played a major role in the caffeinating of America. It's a warning shot fired above the heads of Starbucks, McDonald's and other coffee purveyors.

The new stores are bright. Fun. Clean. And they're offering many of the same sophisticated coffee-based drinks as the upscalers. Yes, this is only one store. And Starbucks offers a different atmosphere. But I was stunned by the high level of activity. And coffee-to-go doesn't require an atmosphere. Maybe this is another success story of a dated brand being brought back to life. IHOP is another example.

I love Starbucks. But it's nice to have a less-expensive alternative. DD appears to be OK.

Better name: SBC or AT&T?

2006-03-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

You probably know that SBC Communications acquired AT&T in November. One of the new company's first important decisions was what to call the new entity: SBC or AT&T? Interestingly, they chose the name of the acquired company. Good idea? Why or why not?

I heard one reporter suggest that, “...no one has heard of SBC.” Another person felt that regional player SBC (13 states) did not have as strong a brand as giant AT&T.

Maybe. But even though the AT&T brand is big, it’s not bold. Nor beautiful. At least not anymore. I believe that the AT&T brand has eroded over the past decade to the point where there’s not much left of it.

On the other hand, the SBC brand is clear -- at least where it does business (or did business), including my state of Ohio. And it’s a brand that’s alive and growing. SBC is going beyond the call to deliver broadband, wireless and other technologies. I get it.

Big, old, tired brand? Or young, vibrant, relevant one? The second one rings my bell. How about you?

Enjoyed for nearly 250 years.

2006-01-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Classical is not my favorite kind of music. But it's a great background for writing. And for developing creative ad concepts for clients.

Was listening to a classical station the other day. The host of the show identified one of the just-heard classical pieces as being written in the 1760s. The 1760s. I paused. Then I smiled. This composer had created something that people were still enjoying almost 250 years later.

Wow.

A super dose of creativity.

2006-01-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

The game isn't always super. But the commercials usually are. At least the majority of them.

So, what are you waiting for? When this post was written, 85 percent of ABC's commercial time during the February 5th Super Bowl was already sold. Still wanna play? Just send me a check for $2.5 million. I'll see to it that your business gets its 30 seconds of air time during the world's premier sporting event. I'll also contact my favorite art director so we can begin to develop some creative concepts for your super spot (at an extra cost, BTW).

Actually, a Super Bowl spot is a decent buy. You'll reach about 80 million people. And they won't be passive viewers; they'll be absolutely, positively glued to their LCDs. And many of them will tune in primarily to watch the commercials, going to grab a snack when the game resumes.

I'll be one of those.

Thrive branding campaign is a gem.

2006-01-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

Had breakfast the other day with a few branding experts from Nead Brand Partners. The talk turned to the killer "Thrive" branding campaign of Kaiser Permanente. Phase two is in full swing and features TV, radio, billboard and print ads.

The campaign continues to emphasize total health and well-being. And, while the messages are clearly healthy, so are the ads and commercials themselves.

The creative is ultra-fresh. The design is lean and fat free. The pacing is definite, yet unhurried. And the simple words are easy to digest.

And, speaking of words, isn't "thrive" a winner? It hasn't been used (or abused) by many copywriters, including me. And everyone can warm up to it because we all want to thrive.

Good stuff. May it thrive for many years.

No one wants to read your words.

2005-12-28T08:11:00.000-08:00

Most people write for fun. And when you write for fun, you can generally say whatever you want. Plus you can say it however you want.

I write for a living. That changes things. When a client hires me, he or she is asking me to use my writing talent and experience to deliver that client's message to a given audience to effect a specific reaction.

Sometimes I'm selling a client's product or service with my copywriting. Other times a company wants me to deliver its news and information via an article or newsletter. Sometimes I'm writing a how-to brochure. Or a letter from a company president seeking a meeting with a large, potential client.

In every case, I have to first attract the reader's attention, then deliver the message or messages effectively. No small task these days. So much to see. And read. And hear.

So, how does a writer create effective writing? Here's how I start every project:

I assume that people do not want to read what I have to say.

It's good advice. Plus it happens to be true. Sorry, but people do not want to read my words. Or yours. But they will if we attract and hold their attention. We must make people take notice. Make them want to get involved.

Take this article's headline. Pulled you in, right? In addition to being powerful and a bit startling, the headline is also interesting and honest.

Next time you write something that you want others to read, really examine your final words. Pretend you stumbled upon them for the first time. Does the headline hook you? Is the intro interesting? Will the content resonate with your reading audience -- in other words, will people care?

If not, rewrite. Get tough. Make your words irresistible.

Need examples right now? Simply check out other blogs. See which posts draw you in -- and keep you there. You'll quickly discover which writers have it figured out -- and which ones need a little help.

Sixty-six words in one sentence?

2005-11-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

It was just too many words.

I was attending church yesterday. During one of the readings I stumbled over a big, chunky 66-word sentence. Counted them a second time. Yup, 66 words.

Now, this is not intended to be disrespectful to Saint Paul, the writer. And I imagine that long sentences in scripture are perfectly acceptable in church, where there's an eager, captive audience. But, don't try to duplicate this lofty word count on your own -- especially without divine intervention.

You see, short sentences are fun. They're active. They clip along.

On the other hand, long sentences such as this can drag on and on, lulling your readers into a semi-sleepy state -- allowing boredom to creep in almost unnoticed until too late.

Even worse? Stringing a bunch of long sentences together. This creates an unwanted rhythm -- a hypnotic effect much like the clickity-clack of a train going over a set of railroad tracks. Sleepy time isn't far behind.

A good writer will always vary his or her sentence length. Try starting a letter, for example, with a few powerful short sentences. Then slip in that longer sentence, if you must (but never 66 words). Then drop in a medium-length one. Mix 'em all up. Keep your audience a bit off guard. Don't let your readers get too comfortable as they're absorbing your masterpiece.

Next time you read an article -- printed or online -- notice how the better writers mix it up to keep you engaged. And entertained. And awake.

May be used with permission

Joe called

2005-11-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

Hey, I've been a copywriter for a zillion years, but just got around to blogging. (For the record, a copywriter writes text for ads, brochures, Web sites, commercials, etc. Some also write feature articles, newsletters, and other forms of communication.)

But, all forms of writing are interesting. And certainly necessary. The better you write, the farther you'll get in this world. The more you'll learn, too. And the more you'll enjoy life. (Pretty bold promise, huh?)

So, this blog will celebrate writing. Of all kinds. I'll occasionally go off topic and applaud some of the best creative ideas around. Even take a look at some powerful advertising concepts (which usually involve sharp writing and creative thinking.)

I promise you won't be bored. And you won't find me using the word "I" 25 times in every paragraph. Most of this space will be spent looking outside of my world and into the bigger one that surrounds us. Together, we'll find great writing that's funny. And entertaining. And moving. And motivating.

Thanks for looking in.

Joe