Sorority taglines, etc.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

That's why I love our "Love, Labor, Learning, Loyalty". It is our creed - in 4 words.

In other words - it has a foundation on something that has to do with your sorority that anyone reading your creed can see. That isn't really what I meant I didn't like.

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.

[Leslie Anne]

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 completely agree! I really have a distaste for these new taglines. As nice and clever as some of them are, they smack of retail.

[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.)

[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.

[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???

[Ch2tf]

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.)

When I first read the entries in the thread, a thought I had was that maybe because of the superficial (read surface and not unimportant) similarities between groups from an outsiders/non-members perspective, in conjunction with the way recruitment operates, NPC groups have felt the need to brand themselves to "set" a (national) identity to distinguish themselves from the other groups. It may not be working, because as Mystic Cat pointed out, many organizations may have used the same firm and as a result have ended up with similar identities. So the question maybe should not be are taglines/branding working, but if the tagline/branding that ABC org has chosen is working.

Personally, there are a few NPC brand identities that I am familiar with because of my contact with them (their existence on my UG and Grad campuses; knowing members of said org, etc.) Because I'm familiar with these organizations for a myriad of reasons, I am familiar with their identities. For example, Delta Gamma, whenever I see an anchor anywhere, I think of them, and I know they used the anchor well before branding, but specifically, I think of the current logo/set of related images when I think of DG (and the Gamma they often make in pictures). It may be that they chose a "brand" that had a strong foundation in their identity an this is why it "works", idk.

As members of an NPC org you'd have better insight into this than I would, but for well informed and/or mature decision makers, the brand might have an impact not so much in the first rounds of recruitment, but maybe when it comes to prefs and selecting a final group. If what they "feel" about the org comes from the brand, and I don't mean colors but how for example, "imagine.believe.acheive" vs let's say "connect.impact.shine" resonates with them, it "may" help. Particularly when paired with their experiences during recruitment. For me it would, but I come from a different "paradigm" if you will. But who knows if/how many women think like this when making their decisions.

[pbear19]

I think one of the benefits of branding and taglines is to present the group to its current members. It creates a theme that can be translated through all the materials that go out to both collegians and alumni.

That being said, I also think it's just a part of modern greek life. I personally adore the original version of the Gamma Phi monogram, but I don't think it's been used regularly for a good 30 years or more. It's all part of the evolution of marketing, love it or not.