Red Bulls does not give you wings.

It gives you “wiiings”.

They made this distinction after a lawsuit in 2014.

Adding two more “i”s was their way of adding some playful distance from the literal claim. Not just clever, but genius.
EDIT: It appears this “change” to triple vowels is an internet myth, and they have always used it.

I think this is the greatest tagline in consumer goods. I’ll explain.

Today’s article is all about taglines, an episode I’m calling…

All the hallmarks of greatness

A good tagline must be:
- Short
- Unique
- Memorable

But in my opinion, a GREAT tagline is more about application than anything else.

And the number one thing to application is consistency.

Let’s go back a step.

The power of words as a distinctive asset

The purpose of a tagline is to make your branding and advertising more effective.

Think of it like the glue you use to stick your idea to someone’s head. Sure, you could change it up and apply new glue every 12 months, but if you want something to stick - don’t change it.

Taglines shouldn’t change every campaign, they should be ruthlessly consistent.

My thinking on this comes from reading “Building Distinctive Brand Assets”, by Jenni Romaniuk.

Romaniuk talks about 'distinctive assets,' which are the building blocks of brand identity— whether that’s a logo, colours, or, yes, a tagline. Her work shows that taglines are one of the most overlooked yet powerful distinctive assets when used with consistency. It’s not just about clever wordplay; it’s about using the same words over and over until they become synonymous with your brand.

Think about it. You hear “Gives me Wiiings” and immediately think of Red Bull. Not because it's flashy or new, but because they've hammered it home for decades. That’s the kind of power words have when they're treated as a distinctive asset, rather than something you change when trends shift.

In Romaniuk's view, the more consistent you are with your words, the more mental shortcuts consumers build to associate those words with your brand. And the beauty of a tagline, when done right, is that it becomes more than just a phrase—it becomes a trigger. When people hear it, they know what you're about without having to think.

So, if you’re swapping out your tagline every year because it feels “stale,” you’re missing the whole point. Repetition builds recognition. And that’s what we’re really after — brand salience. You want people to recall your brand at the right moment, and using the same words is one of the easiest ways to make sure that happens.

This is why I think the Red Bull tagline is so good - because even after being sued for millions of dollars, they didn’t back away and kept at it with ruthless consistency. 

With that in mind, here are some taglines I’ve collected recently that have the potential to be “great”.

5 taglines that stick (and 3 that suck)

Good taglines are underrated. Hard to come by.
Great (consistent) taglines are almost unheard of now.
Here are a few I’ve seen recently that have potential.

Chew it. Do it.

I love this.

It’s punchy and action oriented.

It’s got rhyme and rhythm and a natural flow. Pleasing and predictable.

Short, direct and active - the language makes me feel like I’m not just chewing gum but I’m fuelling action.

Yup, that’s it

Simple. Clear. Playful.

I like this because it has a voice - it’s incredibly distinct.

It conveys their point of difference, but it’s quirky enough to be memorable and ownable for the brand.

If ¾ of your drink is mixer, make sure you use the best

OK this one fails on the “short” front.

But it’s a great line because it’s about positioning.

They take something that is typically an after thought and flip it to make the shopper stop and think for a second.

It’s like milk, but made for humans

Oatly have been ultra consistent with this line since launching it around 10 years ago now.

I think it’s one of the best. Not just because it’s a clever line of copy, but because it’s provocative and intentional about evoking emotion.

Kick sugar, keep candy

It’s got rhythm that makes it catchy and memorable.

It’s clear and action oriented.

And they use it everywhere, with a trademark.

Here are a few that suck

Olipop - “a new kind of soda”

Poppi - “the future of soda is now”

Culture Pop - “feel good about soda”

If you’ve made it this far, you should know why these suck.

How are you thinking about taglines? Do you have one?

I’d love to hear from you. I’m working on a few at the moment. I need a good one for this newsletter. Taglines are hard! But hopefully this article sparks some thoughts.

If you liked this, send it to a friend or very distant relative.