Sorority taglines, etc.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Leslie Anne

When did this happen? I'm not doubting you; I'm genuinely curious. And what happened to, "Making Great Things Happen"?

Still says "Making Great Things Happen" on your website.

[DoctorD]

Not seeing Alpha Gamma Delta's:

Tagline: Inspire the Woman. Impact the World.
Open Motto: None - Purpose is most prevalent and used, so I'll put it below.
Flowers: Red & Buff Roses and Asparagus Fern
Colors: Red, Buff, Green
Mascot: Squirrel
Jewel: Pearl

Purpose:
To gain understanding that wisdom may be vouchsafed to me.
To develop and prize health and vigor of body.
To cultivate acquaintance with many whom I meet.
To cherish friendship with but a chosen few and to study the perfecting of those friendships.
To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the worlds work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied.
To honor my home, my country, my religious faith.
To hold truth inviolable, sincerity essential, kindness invaluable.
To covet beauty in environment, manner, word and thought.
To possess high ideals and attain somewhat unto them.
This shall be my purpose, so that those who know me may esteem Alpha Gamma Delta for her attainments, revere her for her purposes and love her for her Womanhood.

[SWTXBelle]

My other problem with all the branding is I fear a few years down the road all the cool graphics and catchy taglines will look dated. I want to be a classic - like the original Coca-Cola logo. It has the weight of history behind it, and when you see it you immediately conjure up positive associations. The ad campaigns change - "The Real Thing", "Have a Coke and a Smile", etc., but the logo and colours stay the same.

On the other hand, campaigns that are limited can be effective. My father is the Grand Poobah-elect for TX Elks, and during his "reign" will use MAD - Make A Difference - as his tagline. He uses it in his speeches, pins, and other items. (He's clever that way - he used XIT (as in the ranch) for a campaign to raise funds for the Elks Foundation. XIT = Ten in Texas. He wanted every Elk in TX to pledge $10 to the Foundation, and those who did got a pin. It was amazing to see the response. A great many Elks really wanted those pins!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

And the four. words. with. periods. thing is getting old for me.

Originally Posted by 33girl

This sums up taglines and mission statements in general, as far as I'm concerned. If you have an open motto fine - if you don't that's fine too. You apparently have gotten along fine without one so don't feel peer pressured to put your essence in a cute phrase. But there have been so many groups biting off our and AST's open mottos that it makes me want to scream.

I figured this is what AlphaFrog was getting at she said

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I can't help but wonder if they got rid of the Imagine. Believe. Achieve. because it was too similar to mottos/taglines that other groups were already using.

After a while, the three or four verb or adjective taglines can start to sound like they were cut from the same mold, so to speak.

That's why I was really glad when our tagline didn't follow that mold. And like, SWTXBelle says about "Love, Labor, Learning, Loyalty," "Among Men Harmony" is very rooted in our foundational writings.

My only conclusion is that the same marketing/PR firm is making the rounds of all the sororities, the same way all the soap operas rotate producers and head writers.

Precisely why I noted that we were told that the agency that did our branding/visual identity had done work for over 25 GLOs. (Their website references work they did for Beta; I wonder who else.)

[Just interested]

You are totally right, Leslie Ann I didn't check the website. Knew it had great in it. I have a distaste for the taglines myself. But what do I know. I didn't even know the tagline for my own sorority, that's how much I've paid attention to it.

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It's only the past 10 years that I'm talking about when GLOs have felt the need to "brand" themselves as if they were a bottle of aspirin or a pair of sneakers. The ironic thing is that a key part of branding is having a Unique Selling Proposition - i.e. something that sets you apart from others in your category. Almost all of the mission statements and taglines (unless they come from a creed or other portions of sorority ritual) could be used for any of the groups. They do nothing to encourage women to join XYZ over BCD. So I guess I just really don't see the point of having them at all.

I very much agree with this. It's one thing to have an open motto or use key words from a creed/purpose/etc., but it's another thing to "brand" a sorority with buzzwords that really do not effectively communicate anything about the organization. Something about this new branding trend seems to almost cheapen and commercialize the experience.

[ta kala]

Kappa Delta's tagline is "making great things happen." Live Great is part of our values campaign:

Growth through lifetime learning
Responsibility for our own integrity and ethical actions
Engagement in social and civic interests
Altruistic service to others
Truth and loyalty to each other

The Norman Shield (new member manual) was updated for this fall and GREAT has been integrated into the program, with each letter corresponding to a week.

[littleowl33]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really don't mind the taglines. I think this whole thread is a testament to the fact that most NPC women only know their own sorority's tagline, plus maybe one or two others. I'm sure PNMs have no idea what everyone's taglines are. No one's going to go into recruitment and choose their house based on who has the "coolest" graphic or the catchiest tagline... unless they really do their homework and are having a hard time deciding betwen two great choices (and in that case, I would think things like Philanthropy, traditions, colors, etc. would be more of a selling point). I doubt any of the higher-ups in our sororities want to market our groups like "sneakers" or what-have-you, but I don't see any harm (or much benefit, actually) in sprucing up a logo. I guess I'm pretty indifferent because I don't think it makes any difference in how people view the group or how many women will join.

For example, I don't think any PNM in the world is saying, "Well, I loved Phi Mu when their tagline was 'Imagine. Believe. Acheive.', but I just don't think I can do 'Vibrant'. I'll just join XYZ instead." Or vice versa.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

For example, I don't think any PNM in the world is saying, "Well, I loved Phi Mu when their tagline was 'Connect. Impact. Shine', but I just don't think I can do 'Vibrant'. I'll just join XYZ instead." Or vice versa.

Ha! Probably not since that's GPhiB's tagline! You're thinking Imagine. Believe. Achieve.

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Ha! Probably not since that's GPhiB's tagline! You're thinking Imagine. Believe. Achieve.

Ah! Sorry! Kind of proves my point about no one knowing what they are... especially me. I'll change it

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

I think this whole thread is a testament to the fact that most NPC women only know their own sorority's tagline, plus maybe one or two others.

But doesn't that mean that the taglines are not fulfilling their intended purpose? Taglines are a component of branding/advertising. In the GLO context, that doesn't mean branding or advertising for the purpose of attracting new members per se, but for the purpose of having a consistent "brand" that identifies an organization and sets it apart from other, similar organizations so that when you see it, you immediately say "ABC." So if the taglines aren't helping identify the GLO in question, then they're not working, it seems to me.

It's like with any advertising slogan -- some will work and some won't; some will catch on and some won't; some last and some won't.

[33girl]

^^^Exactly what I meant - why are GLOs spending money on something so ineffective when it could be going to philanthropy or scholarships for members?

I was thinking about this, and maybe part of the branding is an effort to create a clear nationwide identity in the same way NPHC groups have among their intended membership (and therefore hopefully create the same degree of alumnae support). But until NPC and NIC completely change the way they rush - that just ain't gonna happen. Even if rushees go into rush saying they want to be a PQR, it's usually because they're a legacy or because of the group's reputation on that particular campus. It's usually not because they've researched the group or felt a connection to the philanthropy.

(The above statement may contain sweeping generalizations.)

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

^^^Exactly what I meant - why are GLOs spending money on something so ineffective when it could be going to philanthropy or scholarships for members?

I was thinking about this, and maybe part of the branding is an effort to create a clear nationwide identity in the same way NPHC groups have among their intended membership (and therefore hopefully create the same degree of alumnae support). But until NPC and NIC completely change the way they rush - that just ain't gonna happen. Even if rushees go into rush saying they want to be a PQR, it's usually because they're a legacy or because of the group's reputation on that particular campus. It's usually not because they've researched the group or felt a connection to the philanthropy.

(The above statement may contain sweeping generalizations.)

It's only a generalization because it's generally true!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I was thinking about this, and maybe part of the branding is an effort to create a clear nationwide identity in the same way NPHC groups have among their intended membership (and therefore hopefully create the same degree of alumnae support). But until NPC and NIC completely change the way they rush - that just ain't gonna happen. Even if rushees go into rush saying they want to be a PQR, it's usually because they're a legacy or because of the group's reputation on that particular campus. It's usually not because they've researched the group or felt a connection to the philanthropy.

I hadn't thought about it this way, but it's an interesting idea; you may be on to something.

And maybe that's why as best I can tell the visual identity thing does seem to be "working" for us -- since we're what might be called a "special interest" social fraternity, we're looking to attract guys who share that interest and who make a connection with us because of it. At the same time, we know that lots of guys looking for a social fraternity are not going to consider us along with the others (nor would we consider them) because they don't feel a connection to that special interest.

[SWTXBelle]

that NPC has "Grow. Give. Lead. Succeed." as its tagline???