Making Sense: e-Digest of Brand Thinking: The right way to spice up a tag line

Sunday, November 27, 2005

The right way to spice up a tag line

With all the carping I do about tag lines, it’s nice to be able to say something good about one for a change. In this case it’s the new Spice Islands tag line used in their recent TV spots:

"What the World Tastes Like"

Established in 1941, the Spice Islands brand has always held the high ground on supermarket shelves. According to the Spice Islands Web site, they travel to exotic locales around the globe to find the best growing regions for the spices they sell. Rather than pack their spices in opaque tins, Spice Islands uses clear bottles so consumers can see the contents. Add to that an engaging illustrated label and you know on sight that Spice Islands is the leading brand.

So why do I like their tag line so much? First, it elevates the Spice Islands brand position, differentiating Spice Island spices from commodity spice brands. Second, it delivers the Spice Islands brand promise in a smart way. Third, and perhaps most important, the tag line is clever without being corny or awkward.

Just so you know, Spice Islands is one of many brands owned by Tone Brothers, Inc. Tone also owns Durkee, French's and DecACake, which occupy a Web site with Spice Islands. Unfortunately, nowhere on the site do the words “What the World Tastes Like” appear. That’s funny. Why would Tone mount an expensive broadcast campaign yet give no thought to integrating its message on their Web site?

# posted by Robert Roth : 11:19 AM