On the Job: MU research shows the right slogans can improve brand recognition

MU research shows the right slogans can improve brand recognition

If you watch television or read magazines and newspapers, you’re inundated with logos and probably more than a few slogans. Some logos are unmistakable no matter where in the world you may be – think about the golden arches and how they are forever associated with McDonald’s or the swoosh that appears on every bit of Nike merchandise.

While rebranding is a strategy implemented by some businesses, most companies remain consistent with their logos and names. However, I recently read a news release about a new study at the University of Missouri that said young businesses can significantly improve brand recognition by changing their slogan.

Study findings revealed longer slogans that include the brand name and use uncommon words are likely to be more memorable among potential customers. The study also indicates that shorter slogans that omit the brand name and use simpler language are more likely to make potential consumers see the brand as more likable.

“It’s important for businesses to determine what stage of brand building they are in,” said Brady Hodges, an assistant professor in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, in the release. “Our research finds that having a memorable slogan may turn some potential consumers off, but it can help a newer brand make a name for itself.”

The study has an interesting example of branding efforts that Coca-Cola has made over more than a century of its existence. Back in 1905, longer slogans were utilized, such as “Coca-Cola revives and sustains,” followed in 1906 with “The great national temperance beverage.” The latter certainly doesn’t read effectively to me by leaving out the name and using such an obscure phrase as “national temperance.”

According to Hodges’ research, potential consumers must expend greater effort to read phrases like “national temperance” and “revives and sustains.” That may have turned off the consumers, but it would have been more likely that they remembered the brand, his research notes. Of course, Coca-Cola isn’t a company in need of capturing people’s attention or building brand awareness today. As a result, the research said it can use shorter slogans with more abstract and easier to read words to get the message across in an appealing way or to improve brand attitude.

On the beverage company’s website, I discovered it has used a staggering 46 slogans since 1906. Bet you’ll remember some of these: “Coke Is It!,” “Always Coca-Cola” and “Taste the Feeling.”

It also made me reflect on Springfield Business Journal’s slogan, “Your Business Authority,” which became part of the publication’s branding just before I started at the publication five years ago.

It’s in logos on our house-produced ads plugging events and awards, shortened to “Business Authority.” It also appears on backdrops we use at our monthly events, which are targeted to appear in photos, as well as the masthead of every issue.

Compared with Coca-Cola, our company is a spry 43-year-old, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say 45 more slogans are not in our future. We’ve got a great one now. Still, dozens of slogans aside, I’m certain the beverage behemoth, which had $43 billion in net revenue in 2022, needs no branding advice from me.

As I compile our publication’s Open for Business section, there are frequently some interesting details that don’t make the final cut because of space constraints, among other reasons. Here are a couple recent examples:

Ouch Skate Shop
It’s been just over six months now since Ouch Skate Shop’s Carwin Young opened his Nixa retail venture. Spending time with one of his sons and teaching him some tricks on the skateboard reignited a childhood passion in Young for the recreational activity, which also is an Olympic sport, as of 2021. Young said he saw the skate shop as a way out of the regular grind of his 15-year career in the software industry, but it also allowed him to devote time to something he loves and fill a retail void he noticed in the Nixa area. While the shop carries apparel like shirts, hats and pants, Young said the one thing he gets asked about the most but doesn’t carry is shoes. He said the shoe industry can tank small shops like his, so don’t expect those products to line his shelves anytime soon, if ever.

Joyride RV Rental
It’s safe to say transitioning from selling disinfectant and deodorizer products to operating a recreational vehicle rental business is not a common professional pivot. But that’s what Richard Williams and his daughter, Carley Joy, did upon opening Joyride RV Rental. And yes, part of the name is a reference to Carley’s last name. Aside from the trailers’ amenities, such as bunk beds and smart TVs, each rental includes camping chairs, a shade canopy, a kitchen kit with all essential cookware and utensils, and a cleaning kit. As RV owners and self-described outdoor lovers, the father and daughter said they saw an opportunity to shift gears coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and devote energy into helping others experience the outdoors affordably and conveniently.

Hiring Happenings

Employers are on tap to participate in some area job and career fairs:

• Springfield Public Schools College and Career Fair

Oct. 3
5-7 p.m.
Hillcrest High School, 3319 N. Grant Ave.

CoxHealth, FedEx Ground, Paragon Architecture LLC and Preferred Family Healthcare Inc. are among those planning to attend.

• KY3 Career Fair

Oct. 18
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-plex, 3001 N. Grant Ave.

Bass Pro Shops, O’Reilly Automotive Inc., Prime Inc. and Springfield Public Schools are a few of the companies expected to be in attendance.