WeeklySA_AdminCATCHPHRASES: A diagnosis of some of the catchiest taglines by car manufacturers in the promotion of their brands and products
By Ali Mphaki
When it comes to the art of selling cars, it would seem the pen is still mightier than the salesperson’s word.
Whether it’s the real deal or mere sloganeering, fact is car manufacturers continue to outdo each other with their punchy and crispy catchphrases to promote their brands and entice the car buyer.
Competition is no longer strictly reserved to who has the best wheels on the road but who has a tagline that can easily resonate with the buyer.
Whilst the jury may still be out on whether a tagline has the desired effect to affect a sale, this has done nothing to reverse the fact that some of the slogans are sublime, while others seem to bor-der on the ridiculous. Talk of hits and misses!
Take Audi, for instance. Audi doesn’t stall (no tatazela) when it comes to their offerings.Vor- sprung durch Technik, or simply put, Progress through Technology. This is what Audi wants the buyer to keep top-of-mind when imagining their offerings.
For BMW, this is all hype. As if making a mockery of everybody else, BMW proudly state that theirs is “The Ultimate Machine”.
Linguists and purists may rant about the word ultimate, but few will demur the “sheer driving pleasure” of a BMW. going up the notch, Bentley punts their offerings as “The best in its class”. Going up the notch, Bentley punts their offerings as “The best in its class”.
To make such lofty claims, Chinese automaker BYD seems to suggest a step-by-step approach – Build Your Dreams, as the acronym suggests.
Another Chinese automaker Changan, never mind it’s local linguistic implications, marking its return to South Africa wants all and sundry to know their future-ready models are “Driven to Evolve”.
Then comes Ford. Moving from their previous tagline of “Go Further,” they now want their vehicles to be known as “Built Ford Tough,” taking a spin on the phrase “build for tough”.
Despite shaking the market in one way or the other, modesty seems to be the hallmark of brand Haval. They used to go with “Go With More”, now they say “Improving little by little everyday”.
Isuzu makes no bones about its intentions.
“With you for the long haul,” chants the Japa-nese warrior.. Although a relative newcomer in SA, nothing stops Jaecoo from coining the slogan “ From Classic, Begins Classic”. Jaguar is frank.
“Copy Nothing” says the former British-owned company now under Indian manufacturer Tata. Jetour wants the buyer to imagine their cars for those who want to “Drive Your Future,” while Kia insists they offer vehicles with “Movement that in- spires.”
Mercedes-Benz raises the bar – “The Best Or Nothing” – goes their mantra. Porsche would not take this lying down, extolling their offerings as be-ing “Driven by Dreams”.
Suzuki says they are “By Your Side,” as seen with their sponsorship of mobility needs for top soccer outfit Orlando Pirates. ”For Life” is how Volvo wants us to internalize their products.
Whether buying a Volvo means it will last you “For Life, that’s another matter. With all these mar- keting gimmicks and more from the various car manufacturers, one wonders if car buyers can de- cipher between fact and fiction. You be the judge
