Business News

Are these the best advertising slogans of all time?

Lucy Handley, special to CNBC
WATCH LIVE
Souvenirs with the "I Love New York" tag line
Mladen Anthonov | Getty Images

The best advertising slogans are memorable and fit with the times.

And some brands have already jumped on the "fake news" bandwagon. Battery brand Duracell has just launched an ad campaign entitled "Trust is Power," saying in an online statement last week: "Into a world where things like trust, and facts, seem to have lost some meaning, Duracell has launched a timely message: Trust is power, and there's no power you can trust like Duracell." The launch included a printed catalog, sent to influential people – and battery enthusiasts.

While the meaning of Duracell's new slogan might be a little confusing, time will tell whether it shifts products. CNBC takes a look at some of the most memorable advertising tag lines of all time.


Adidas – Impossible is Nothing

Competitors race up the side of a Hong Kong skyscraper in 2004, the year 'Impossible is Nothing' was launched
Ted Aljibe | Getty

Adidas launched the line "Impossible is Nothing" in 2004, in a campaign that featured boxer Muhammad Ali, David Beckham and NBA star Tracy McGrady. The line "captures in one short phrase the essence of Adidas as a brand and the attitude that is known and shared by all athletes around the world," Adidas said on its website at the time.

Apple iPhone 7– Practically Magic

A still from Apple's 'Midnight' ad for the iPhone 7
Apple | YouTube

Apple highlighted the iPhone 7's low-light camera with an ad using the line "Practically Magic," in September 2016. While it might not be possible for something to be almost magic, reviewers praised the camera and more iPhones were sold than ever over the holiday period, according to chief executive Tim Cook in an earnings statement Tuesday.

Audi - Vorsprung durch Technik

Did anyone know what Audi's "Vorsprung durch Technik" meant when it launched in 1982? Audi says on its website that it is a brand "essence…which encompasses the brand values [of] sportiness, progressiveness and sophistication." It translates roughly as "Advancement through technology."

British Airways – The World’s Favourite Airline

British Airways launched its famous strapline in 1983, with a 1989 ad featuring dozens of people forming the shape of a face in a desert to the soundtrack of Delibes "The Flower Duet." It dropped the slogan in 2001 after Lufthansa gained more passengers, and in 2011 introduced the line To Fly, to Serve, with an ad harking back to its early 20th century origins.

Maybelline – Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline

Maybelline New Yorks' famous sung line "Maybe it's Maybelline" ran for 24 years, and was replaced by "Make it Happen" in 2015. Owner L'Oreal called it a "successful modernization" and claimed double-digit growth in the U.S. that year.

L’Oréal Paris – Because you’re worth it

"Because I'm worth it" was written in 1973 by Ilon Specht, a copywriter with McCann Erickson, and it eventually became "Because you're worth it." In 2016, L'Oreal Paris used "Because we are all worth it" in a campaign for foundation, focusing on diversity.

Empire State Development Services – I love NY

Souvenirs with the "I Love New York" tag line
Mladen Anthonov | Getty Images

The "I love New York" slogan has been used by the city's department of economic development since 1977 to promote New York State tourism and represents the state's 11 vacation regions. The iconic design, incorporating a red heart symbol, was created by designer Milton Glaser.

Nike - Just Do It

Nike's slogan celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013, with a new campaign, "Possibilities." It aimed to take Just Do It to another level, "showing people a new way to set goals and think about their own athletic potential," said chief marketing officer Davide Grasso at the time.

De Beers – A Diamond is Forever

Diamonds are now synonymous with engagement rings, but it wasn't always so. In the 1930s, the stones were seen as only something for the wealthy, and De Beers needed to create demand. In 1947 copywriter Frances Geraghty wrote the line "A Diamond is Forever," and by 1951 eight in 10 brides received a diamond engagement ring, the jewelry company claims.