Question

Topic: Taglines/Names

Evaluate University Of Maryland Slogan Please

Posted by Anonymous on 10/25/2009 at 6:15 PM ET 250 Points
Hey all, I would really appreciate just a quick thought on the University of Maryland's new slogan, "Unstoppable Starts Here."

The new tagline joins the already established "Fear the Turtle slogan," but university officials thought that particular slogan had become too associated with athletics.

Anyway, I would really appreciate a professional's appraisal of the new slogan, which cost $250,000. Is it impactful? Catchy? Potentially effective? THANKS!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by dpearson on 10/25/2009 at 7:19 PM Accepted
    Jonas - in the process of doing the same; initial reaction is that the slogan seems very internally focused. Who do you want the slogan to speak to? New students, staff, alumni? What type of an experience do you want the audience to have? What can they (whoever they is) come to expect? Fear the Turtle - hmmm. Depending on what route you take, best to only have one slogan and also think carefully about how you will intrduce internally, how will you get everyone on board to embrace and live.
    All my best,
  • Posted on 10/25/2009 at 7:33 PM Accepted
    I certainly don't respond initially with great excitement or immediate enthusiasm, but then I suspect I'm not in your primary target audience. Who is the audience?

    What is it you're trying to say (in plain American English)? It's hard to visualize what your new slogan means, and maybe that's a drawback in itself. If it means something to the people you're trying to reach, then maybe it's OK.

    As for the consulting fee you paid to get the slogan, did it include some provision for researching the communication value of what they created? If so, what did you learn about that? If not, maybe that should be the next step. Let me know if I can help with referral of a professional market researcher.
  • Posted by Mandy Vavrinak on 10/25/2009 at 11:39 PM Accepted
    "Unstoppable Starts Here."

    hmmm... Have to agree with the general consensus that it doesn't wow me. But, somewhat disagree that we aren't the target audience since alumni are often a target for any college/university branding initiative. I am NOT a U of M alum, but am "of an age" where my alma mater wants me to donate regularly. :)

    Could it be effective? Maybe. Depends on visuals, support, rest of brand identity... and I hope, for the price paid, that supporting materials, plans, research, etc., were included.

    Without knowing the project parameters, background, constraints, goals, etc., its tough to say any more than that.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 10/26/2009 at 6:23 AM Accepted
    Is it overpriced? Maybe... But...

    Would any of us love to sell a few words for $250,000?

    "INDUBITABLY!"

    As for whether it's effective - to me it is a little opaque. It takes some time to deconstruct any meaning from it. Is that good? Will it make it last longer than some glib, easily comprehended phrase?

    This article talks about university slogans. While this article talks about university slogans ranging from silly to absurd.

    I dunno. I'd never heard "Fear the Turtle" before, but I liked it. Question is, which Turtle were they talking about Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo or Raphael?
  • Posted on 10/26/2009 at 7:03 AM Moderator
    Mandy Vavrinak: If the primary target audience is University of Maryland alumni, then the vast majority of us are not in the target audience.

    There are undoubtedly words and phrases that would be meaningful to an alumnus that are meaningless to the rest of us. (Example: A campus myth/legend, fight song lyrics, on-campus building or landmark, team mascot, etc.)

    That's why it's important to be very explicit about who is in the primary target audience and what it is you're trying to communicate to them. If you can find an "in joke" or reference that will have special meaning to them, that's best because it not only communicates the right message, but also speaks directly and specifically to your target audience.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 10/26/2009 at 8:14 AM Accepted
    (Aside: for that fee, I would've run an internal (student) competition and awarded the winning student a year's tuition)

    I'm not a huge fan of the word "unstoppable" - it conveys once in motion, always in motion (no matter what). Also, while the University provides teaching and perhaps contacts, it's up to each student to internally generate their own motivation (to become an unstoppable).
  • Posted by BizConsult on 10/26/2009 at 10:16 AM Accepted
    My initial response (usually a good bellwether - esp. if you believe in Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" premise) was I like it since it implies that if you start your career/education with the University, that you go on to accomplish great things and can be whomever/whatever you want. Overall, it was somewhat catchy and has the potential to impactful.

    My other thoughts were that it was pricey and would also make a much better athletic slogan than "Fear the Turtle": I can't imagine that one is overly effective for recruiting athletic talent...has anyone ever researched that slogan?

    You could tie them together and just have an athletic slogan be "Unstoppable!" to create better University branding / a more cohesive ID.

    -Steve
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 10/30/2009 at 1:07 PM Accepted
    Reminds me of a car I once owned ..... and it almost cost me 250 k in repairs...

    Makes me curious about your reasons for asking us now that the money is spent?

    Are we to be ammunition in some I told You So Campaign?

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 11/8/2009 at 1:45 AM Accepted
    Dear Jonas,

    As your money has now been spent, isn't your question moot?
    If someone at the university signed off on this new slogan, why
    are you now seeking "a professional's appraisal"?

    What any of us think of your slogan is really neither here nor
    there, is it? Your question of effectiveness rather depends on
    what you want your effect to be and on whom.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA

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