Toss the Tagline

Taglines have a narrow, singular focus. And in the case of independent schools, very few taglines are unique. Cue “inspire,” “potential,” and “excellence.” A tagline becomes a generic crutch that is overused easily by communicators.

The education an independent school offers has so many more layers than a typical consumer product or service that employs a tagline. It’s more complicated to describe. You need to drill down further than a tagline and explain what makes your school stand out—because when positioned correctly, it does.

What’s the solution? Brand statements. A more descriptive and versatile approach.‍

Brand statements are:

• Tightly written phrases that authentically express who your organization is. They are you, in text.
• Powerful, inspiring groups of words that define you in a capsule. They are smart, meaningful — and most importantly and when done correctly — an absolute true reflection of your organization.
• Versatile in their unending number of uses. They can form the basis of ad copy; viewbook, annual report, and brochure headers; web copy; social media content; postcard material; banner and signage text; and more.