Introduction
Jennifer's marketing team spent six weeks crafting the perfect slogan for their new fitness app: "Revolutionize Your Wellness Journey."
They loved it. It sounded aspirational, empowering, and premium. They printed it on everything—business cards, banners, website header, app store listing.
Three months later, they asked 50 customers: "What's our company slogan?"
47 couldn't remember it. The three who did couldn't explain what it meant. One thought they sold travel insurance.
Meanwhile, a competitor launched with a simple slogan: "Get fit in 15 minutes a day." Everyone remembered it. Everyone understood it. Everyone shared it.
The difference? One company tested their slogan with real people before committing. The other didn't.
Your slogan isn't what sounds good in a boardroom. It's what sticks in a customer's mind. And the only way to know what sticks is to test it.
This guide shows you exactly how.
Pre-Launch Testing (Before Fully Adopting)
Test 1: Recall Test
What: Can people remember your slogan after exposure?
How to test:
- Show 20 target customers your slogan
- Tell them about your brand
- Send them away
- Follow up 1 hour later via email
- Ask: "What was our slogan?"
Success threshold: 70%+ remember it correctly
If they don't remember: Slogan isn't memorable enough. Go back to brainstorming.
Test 2: Clarity Test
What: Does slogan immediately communicate what you do?
How to test:
- Show 20 target customers your slogan alone (no company info)
- Ask: "What do you think this company does?"
Success threshold: 80%+ accurately identify your industry/offering
If they don't know: Slogan is too abstract or clever. Make it clearer.
Test 3: Relevance Test
What: Does slogan resonate emotionally?
How to test:
- Show slogan to 20 target customers
- Ask rating (1-10): "How much does this slogan resonate with you?"
- Ask open-end: "Why did you give that rating?"
Success threshold: 7+/10 average score
If score is low: Slogan doesn't emotionally connect. Try different angle.
Test 4: Differentiation Test
What: Is your slogan unique from competitors?
How to test:
- List top 3 competitors
- Show your slogan alongside competitors' slogans
- Ask: "Which slogan stands out most?"
- Ask: "Which slogan is most unique?"
Success threshold: Yours is selected 40%+ of the time
If competitors' slogans are selected more: Your slogan is too similar. Need more differentiation.
Test 5: Believability Test
What: Does slogan ring true to actual brand experience?
How to test:
- Show slogan to existing customers (people who know your brand)
- Ask: "Does this slogan accurately represent this brand? (Yes/No)"
Success threshold: 80%+ say yes
If many say no: Slogan doesn't match actual brand. Either change slogan or change brand.
Post-Launch Testing (Measuring Impact)
Measurement 1: Brand Recognition
What: Do people recognize your brand by slogan?
How to test (Ongoing):
- Monthly survey of 30 customers
- Ask: "What's our slogan?"
- Track % who remember correctly over time
Healthy trend: Should increase for first 6-12 months, then plateau
What to do if flat: Slogan isn't sticking. Increase usage/visibility.
Measurement 2: Search Mentions
What: Are people searching for your slogan?
How to track:
- Google Trends: Track search volume for your slogan
- Google Analytics: Track site visitors coming from searches for your slogan
- Social media monitoring: How often is slogan mentioned online?
Goal: Slogan appears in searches, social mentions, customer referrals
Measurement 3: Market Perception
What: How has slogan influenced brand perception?
How to test (Quarterly):
- Survey 50 customers
- Rate your brand on attributes (innovative, trustworthy, affordable, etc.)
- Compare to pre-slogan ratings
Success: Should improve on attributes your slogan emphasizes
Measurement 4: Advertising Performance
What: Does slogan improve marketing effectiveness?
How to measure:
- Run ads with slogan vs. without slogan
- Measure conversion rate difference
- Measure cost per lead
Success: Ads with slogan should outperform (30%+ better CTR, 10%+ better conversion)
Competitive Comparison
Map Competitor Slogans
Create a table:
| Company | Slogan | Benefit | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your Brand | "Your Slogan" | Speed | Empowering |
| Competitor A | "Their slogan" | Quality | Professional |
| Competitor B | "Their slogan" | Ease | Friendly |
Ask:
- Do I occupy unique positioning?
- Is my benefit unique?
- Is my tone different?
Customer Perception Map
Ask customers: "Rate each slogan on uniqueness (1-10)"
Plot each competitor's slogan.
Your slogan should be in the unique quadrant (high score).
If everyone clusters together, need more differentiation.
Adjust and Refine
When Testing Shows Issues
Low recall (people forget slogan):
- Make it shorter (fewer words = more memorable)
- Make it catchier (better rhythm, rhyme)
- Use it more consistently
Low clarity (people don't understand what you do):
- Make it more specific (less abstract)
- Align with your actual value prop
- Test alternative slogans
Low relevance (people don't like it):
- Try completely different angle
- Different emotional appeal
- Different benefit focus
Low differentiation (sounds like competitors):
- Change words to be more unique
- Change tone/style
- Change emotional positioning
When to Keep Testing
Don't change slogan based on one bad test.
Retest if:
- One test was inconclusive
- Small sample size
- Unusual sample (not target customer)
Change if:
- Multiple tests show problems
- Large sample size confirms
- Trend over time is negative
Using Feedback to Refine
The Feedback Loop
Test slogan → Gather feedback → Analyze results →
Adjust if needed → Retest → Launch/Implement
This cycle ensures you launch with confidence.
Documentation
Keep records:
- Test date
- Sample size
- Key findings
- Adjustments made
- Retest results
You'll refer back to this later.
Building Brand Slogan Momentum
Once slogan launches:
Consistency:
- Use everywhere (website, ads, packaging)
- Same slogan across all channels
- Not changing every quarter
Repetition:
- Mention in marketing
- Include in social media
- Feature in presentations
- Use in conversations
Reinforcement:
- Tie slogan to brand values
- Show how slogan reflects company mission
- Celebrate when customers quote it
Your Slogan Testing Checklist
Before finalizing:
- Recall test completed (70%+ remember)
- Clarity test completed (80%+ understand)
- Relevance test completed (7+/10 rating)
- Differentiation test completed (unique)
- Believability test completed (matches brand)
- Trademark check completed
- Team alignment secured
- Launch plan documented
- Measurement plan created
- Ready to go all-in
Conclusion
Jennifer's team eventually tested a new slogan: "15-Minute Workouts That Actually Work." Simple. Clear. Memorable.
This time, they tested it first. 80% of people remembered it after one viewing. 85% correctly identified what the company did. Customer acquisition costs dropped 30% because the message finally resonated.
Here's what they learned: the best slogan isn't the cleverest one. It's the one that customers actually remember, understand, and repeat.
Don't make the same mistake Jennifer did. Don't fall in love with a slogan before customers do. Test early. Test often. Listen to what sticks.
Your slogan will live on your website, your ads, your business cards, and in customer conversations. Make sure it's saying what you think it's saying—and that customers actually care.
Test first. Launch second. Your brand will thank you.
Ready to Create and Test Your Slogan?
Use our Slogan Generator to create options, then test with your audience.