The Power of a Claim

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Today, we're focusing on a vital Distinctive Brand Asset: The Claim. In just three minutes, we'll explore what makes a good one and why it's crucial for even early-stage startups.

Claims, also known as Taglines or slogans, like Nike’s “Just do it”, Netflix’s “See what’s next”, McDonald's “I'm Loving it”, or Airbnb's “Belong anywhere” are often neglected in the branding process for startups. This is a mistake, as the claim for your company and its offerings is as important as the logo, if not more so.

What are Claims? Claims are short phrases that suggest or brand your offering and startup to your audience. They encapsulate the unique benefit your company provides, the problem your offerings solve, or the desire your product, service, or message fulfills.

Let's examine some well-known examples and one lesser-known one.

Airbnb: “Belong anywhere.”

Airbnb perfectly uses its slogan to convey the experience it aims to give its customers. Just two words were more than enough to deliver that message. The word “belong” captures the feeling of being at home, exactly how Airbnb wants its customers to feel in a rented property. “Anywhere” implies that Airbnb offers services worldwide. It's concise and effective.

Netflix: “See what’s next.”

This slogan perfectly captures the spirit of watching Netflix. It's simple, yet it manages to articulate the company's goals and the customers' needs. Watching Netflix, you always find yourself wanting to “see what’s next”, whether it's another episode or a new movie. Netflix invites you to discover what the next big show or movie will be.

FANtium: “Let US Rise”

At FANtium, we connect fans with athletes through investment opportunities, creating a unified team. When the athlete wins, the fan also wins. However, the claim isn't just used for marketing or community engagement, it's also used internally as part of the company's DNA. Every meeting concludes with the call to action (CTA) “Let Us Rise”.

Why are Claims a powerful marketing tool?

Claims communicate a real or perceived benefit of your offering and uniquely position your product and company for launch and beyond. They can also revitalize a company's brand. Instead of rebranding the entire corporation, which can be costly, simply changing the tagline can reposition your offering and/or company to encapsulate its uniqueness and differentiate your startup from competitors.

How to write your Claim:

• Use a sequence of two to five words (the shorter, the better)

• Have a clear call to action

• Connect it to your unique startup benefit

• Ensure it's memorable so it's easy to remember.

💡Takeaway → The best claims are always a call to action. This is because a call to action engages the consumer with the brand, while a creative description often leaves out the consumer.

Disclaimer → Distinctiveness alone does not constitute a great brand

While distinctiveness is important, it is not a substitute for creativity, imagination, wit, and empathy for the audience. It is valuable only as a means to ensure that all the credit for such creativity and quality is attributed back to the brand.

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