Know-How Exchange : Other

A slogan for a strategic planning meeting? Why? Is it going to result in better strategic plans? Get people to participate eagerly?

Why? Isn't that a little like coming up with a slogan for lunch?

Accelerate to Success
Getting There Faster
Improving Our Drive
Increasing The Speed Of Change

I'm with Michael (mgoodman) on this. I've seen too many companies plan and then do nothing because they're entrenched in corporate slag.

That said, if there is commitment then someone like "Release(ing) the parking break".


Michael

Hi, Writing a slogan calls for understanding the organization and the target audience better. I would recommend that it is time to be CREative.

The C stands for CONNECT. Mercedes Benz has the slogan: " Engineered to move the human spirit". Mercedes understood the need to have a word that translates into Precision. Engineering was it and they created a link to an emotional appeal: "human spirit." The first thing is to know how to connect the functional to the emotional.

R = RESONATE. An emotional and idea synch are critical too. Slogans can be a war cry, passionate and fiery or humorous or even understated like: "Have you driven a Ford lately?". Simple.

The third element is to EXCITE. It should fill people with an energy, give them a high. This is what ups the memorability quotient. The way Honda said it: "Honda. First man, then machine".

It is not easy to be Creative, if you cannot have these three elements. And for that, you need to understand your target group. Of course, after that, you can be whacky too. Use a language they understand and connect with. It can be a buzz word that makes them go WOW! All the best. A-Ha!

No Speed Limits
Yield to Success
In the Fast Lane
I Can't Drive 55

Guys, have mercy. The questioner has been asked to name the event; of course the issue isn't strategic, but, even so, it's a little task that has to be done, and this is a low-cost way to get help from some people who think more about marketing, and probably have seen more marketing phenomena, than average.

Terry, I don't have a name for your meeting, but I can suggest some ideational processes.

Does your "automotive division" supply products that are used in making automobiles (e.g., motor controls used in a factory), or components of automobiles (e.g., bumpers or brake assemblies)? If so, one approach is to think about how you can help clients accelerate their business. What do you do, or aspire to do, for clients? If they are to accelerate their business, what has to happen first, and how do you, or how might you, make that possible? Is there anything you do, or might do, that distinguishes your firm's abilities from those of its competitors, and thereby makes some measure of "business acceleration" (increased sales, time to market, new-product development, whatever) attainable for your clients?

If your automotive division makes things that are used in or with cars (car cleaners, accessories, or consumables such as additives or lubricants), an approach that might be more relevant is to focus on change in YOUR firm. If you have a lot of ground to make up, what strategic steps have you taken to address that issue? Look at those initiatives, and try to link one or more of them to the notion of business acceleration, however it might be defined.

Finally, you can try getting a few buddies who like cars together with a couple of six-packs of brain lubricant and just brainstorm ideas for fun ways to convey the idea of acceleration. I'd say this was no more than a 3- or 4-beer per person problem.

Have fun.

We feel the need. The need for speed.