Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Because You Love Your Dog More Than Your Child...

Planet Bark ...

Resort Living for Your Best Friend
Dogs Private Resort Rooms
Private Rooms, Pedigree Services
Private Rooms, Pedigree Care
Resort Care for Dogs
Resort Living for Dogs
We Keep Those Tails Wagging

There's a bit of a disconnect here. You say you're on the verge of franchising your business, yet you don't have a tagline (which you believe is crucial for the success of your branding). That doesn't make sense. If you are ready to franchise your business, you must have a successful prototype. And if your prototype is working and successful, why would you want to change something as important as your tagline?

Further, you are changing not only the tagline but the name of your business as well ... to a name that is still unproven in the "real world." Have you researched the new name (other than with a few friends)?

Finally you indicate that the tagline is crucial to the success of your branding. That's probably not right either. Your brand is a lot more than your name or your tagline, or even both of them. Maybe you mean that you fear that the new name you've chosen doesn't do a very good job of communicating your unique positioning benefit. If so, that's a legitimate concern ... but may be more related to the name you've chosen than the fact that you want/need a tagline to "save" it.

So let's start by understanding (a) why you want this tagline, (b) whether the name you've picked (Planet Bark) has been thoroughly researched among your target audience (or in the real world), and (c) how you expect to franchise a business that hasn't been proven successful in at least one location using a total marketing mix (including the name/tagline).

We'll be glad to help you, but this question (and your additional information) raise more questions than we can answer. Can you explain more clearly?

What's wrong with your current tagline: "Playful day. Cozy stay."

What's driving the need for a different tagline?

Thanks. That really does help.

I guess I question the wisdom of trying to make the business seem more sophisticated. After all, even sophisticated folks like to think their dogs are having fun and staying at a place that's comfortable for them -- kind of like home.

If you make the advertising and logo more sophisticated, I think it might be important to include a knowing "wink" in the tagline to let your target audience know that while you're a serious business, you still recognize that what the dog wants is a "Playful Day" and a "Cozy Stay."

Somehow "sophisticated" isn't an adjective I'd think of when I'm wondering where I'd like to board my dog. I'd want a place that would give my dog a welcoming atmosphere and be fun (for the dog). I'm feeling guilty enough for having to leave the pet with someone else to begin with.

Am I your typical customer? I don't know. (I've owned at least 8-9 dogs over the years, and stressed out many times when I had to leave them at a kennel.) Maybe this is something to ask your customers. I certainly wouldn't change the brand image of my successful company without some reason to think that what I'm changing to is going to be better than what I'm giving up.

I'm admittedly a skeptic, but I can be convinced by reliable research among your target audience.

And if it helps, I'm less than an hour away from you in Connecticut. (Former owner of several Great Danes, a terrier, and a mutt or two. Now an "empty-cager.")

OK. I just did some market research for you. I asked 4 different friends (3 female, 1 male ... all with at least one dog) what they thought of your [current] website, positioning, name, logo and tagline. Then I told them that your target audience is quite sophisticated and upscale.

Their reactions unanimously: Don't change a thing. You have a winning positioning/image right now. And they love the tagline.

FWIW, all of them live in upscale communities (2 in Westport, CT, one in Fairfield, CT, one in North Shore suburbs of Chicago) and all have graduate degrees of some kind ... 2 MBAs, a JD and a PhD. Add me and you have 5, all in agreement.

Does that make us right? No. But it suggests that you really need to be sure that you're moving the right direction before you make this kind of change.

P.S. I didn't load the dice at all. I just wanted to satisfy myself that I'm not the crazy one here.

I agree with Michael that your current offering, position and tag-line are in the upper quintile of good. “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” comes to mind.

If you really want to do something extra, try appealing to the users rather than the owners. My boxer, Prince suggested the following tag line:

“Woof, woof. Woof-woof-woof-woof. Growl! Grrr-woof, grrr-woof. Woof”

Apparantly the last Woof is very important as it gives the whole line impact and differentiates it from the one which say’s (In our language) “I like greeting postmen, enthusiastically”

Hope that this helps


Steve Alker
Xspirt

Here are some taglines for you to consider, Myra:
* We Think The World Of Your Dog
* Every Day Revolves Around Your Dog
* Activities That Revolve Around Your Dog

Myra,
Sirius, Your Dog's A Star With Us!

Myra,

I agree with Michael's comments -- if you have a successful business model why would you want to change it if your research/cirumstances don't show a need to. I like your tagline.

All the best.

Corpcommer - MC