Bad Straplines = Bad Business
Ever read a company strapline and thought, “Wow, that sounds deep... but what the hell does it mean?”
"Innovating the Future."
"Unlocking Potential."
"Delivering Excellence."
Brilliant. But also, what do you actually do?
Why do businesses talk like this?
Somewhere along the way, brands decided that vague and inspirational sounded better than clear and useful. Maybe they thought it made them seem more premium. Maybe a branding consultant charged them £10k to say, “Transforming solutions for a brighter tomorrow.” Or maybe they just fell in love with buzzwords.
Whatever the reason, entire industries are now cluttered with straplines that could belong to literally anyone.
And that’s the problem.
Clarity beats cleverness
People are busy. They’re scrolling, skimming, deciding fast. Your strapline has one job: tell people what you do and why it matters.
That doesn’t mean it has to be boring. But it does mean it has to be:
Clear
Specific
Free of fluff
We’re not saying you should write “We’re plumbers” or “We fix cars.” But if your strapline gives zero hint about your service, audience, or value… it’s not doing its job.
The fear of being too simple
Brands often fear simplicity, like it makes them sound small or unsophisticated. But some of the most iconic straplines ever written are painfully simple:
"It does exactly what it says on the tin." (Ronseal)
"Probably the best beer in the world." (Carlsberg)
"Just do it." (Nike)
They work because they’re confident, memorable, and connected directly to what the brand actually does.
Stop trying to sound like a TED Talk
If your strapline could be copied and pasted onto a totally different company, and still make sense, it’s not a strapline. It’s filler.
If it sounds like something a robot CEO would say in a sci-fi film, it’s actively hurting your brand.
Here’s the truth: Good branding doesn’t hide behind jargon. It communicates. Quickly, clearly, confidently.
So stop chasing ‘clever’. Start being clear.
Author: Lance Corrigan
Creative designer with a passion for visual communication and brand development, and a vision to make a positive impact on the world through design.
