About L'Oréal Paris Brand - Because You’re Worth It - Beauty Products Because You’re Worth It The Story Behind the Legendary Phrase Because I’m Worth It. These four words are bound to the time of their creation and yet they have proven to be timeless. They have become what the brand stands for. Written in 1973 when a social revolution and a new spirit of feminism was in full swing, it seems clear that the phrase could only have been written by a woman. Ilon Specht was a copywriter with McCann Erickson back in 1973. She was thought of as original, unconventional, creative and independent. Fortunately, she worked on the L’Oréal account! Specht was just 23 years old when she broke new ground with an ad that was strictly from a woman’s point of view. It famously ended with the signature phrase: Because I’m Worth It! Almost the minute the ad hit, it became clear that the last line - those four words - had struck a chord. For the first time, the message was all about what the woman thought. It was about her self-confidence, her decision, her style.

Over time, “Because I’m Worth It” has become part of our social fabric. So much so that it was the subject of a 1999 New Yorker article entitled True Colors by Malcolm Gladwell. In it, Gladwell acknowledged: “...”Because I’m Worth It®” has entered the language...and taken on a meaning well outside the stated intention.” Because I’m Worth It was on message in 1973, and today we know that an astonishing 80% of women recognize and respond to this positive phrase and powerful sentiment. And what makes it truly beautiful is that “Because I’m Worth It” is translated into action every day by L’Oréal Paris – in its philanthropy, its products, and its thoughtful celebration of women. Stay Because You're Worth It | Know Your Meme Because You're Worth It Updated May 08, 2016 at 09:07AM EDT by Asdfghjkl . Added Mar 12, 2015 at 11:14AM EDT by Onion Syrup . Like us on Facebook!

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry. Status Meme Generator Wikipedia About “Because You’re Worth It” is the slogan of the French cosmetics company L’Oreál. The slogan and its accompanying hair-swinging gesture has become the subject of parody. Origin L’Oréal was founded in 1909 by Eugène Schueller [1] and the L’Oréal slogan was written by Ilon Specht on 1973. [2] Early forms of its use as a joke can be found in Saturday Night Live transcripts as early as 1976. [3] Man: Mmm-hmm. The Vice-President of DataCorp, Bill Holding, told me about this place, a man and his wife turn their own home into a restaurant three nights a week. It got a four-star rating in Food Map magazine. Woman: Oh, wow! Man: They said it was real expensive, but I made reservations two months in advance, because you’re worth it. The first instance of the meme online is unknown.

Spread Sometime during the summer of 2011, Cheezburger released a series of LOLcat image macros featuring the tagline. Later instances would include the logo transposed onto the image in the fashion of a photoshop meme. Many examples quickly became available on other sites like Meme Center [4] and Quick Meme. [5] Deviantart has 1,939 results [6] tagged with the meme L’Oreál. While the tag #l’oreal is often used for cosmetic photography and images of the models of L’Oréal, the meme can be easily spotted on tumblr with the tag #because-you’re-worth-it. [7] L'Oréal's 'Because I'm worth it' slogan marks a milestone - The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail Friday, Dec. 02, 2011 5:00PM EST Last updated Slogans don’t generally celebrate birthdays. Largely, this is because they’re not around long enough to warrant milestone status. But “Because I’m Worth It” is not just any slogan.

Introduced by L’Oréal in 1971 as the Parisian beauty brand prepared to launch its hair-colour business in the United States, these four words came to represent a movement as much as a product range. Written by a female copywriter at the McCann Erickson agency in New York, the TV commercial featured a woman, Joanne Dusseau, rationalizing her purchase of a premium beauty product at a time when most ads were narrated by men or offered solely a male perspective. Today, L’Oréal is the largest cosmetics company in the world (selling approximately 50 products every second) and its slogan remains an internationally recognized catchphrase promulgated by its 30 ambassadors, a clutch of celebrities who span age, race, demographic and hair colour. I asked Jill Nykoliation, president of Toronto-based ad agency Juniper Park, to weigh in on the slogan’s success. “[Women]have innate inner strength and we have the desire to be cherished,” she wrote in an e-mail. “Both are true but we feel that they are at odds with each other.

L’Oréal’s tagline embraces this tension, which is what makes it so intriguing.” (Worth noting is that the slogan has been tweaked over the years, first to “Because You’re Worth It” and then to “Because We’re Worth It.”) “This is a celebration of self-esteem and confidence and what we think beauty is,” L’Oréal’s global brand president, Cyril Chapuy, said in Paris recently as part of a media blitz celebrating the anniversary and featuring several of the brand’s spokeswomen. “For us, beauty is not something that we like to think of as being superficial.” But it is, at least to some extent. What are lipstick, hair dye and mascara, after all, if not ad-influenced tools that we use to be perceived differently by other people? The counterargument, of course, is that makeup is a personal confidence booster, other people be damned. When the ancient Egyptians encircled their eyes with kohl, there were no TV commercials telling them to do so.

During the aforementioned media day in Paris, five L’Oréal faces – Jane Fonda, Inès de La Fressange, Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire fame, Chinese ingénue Fan Bingbing and athlete/actress/model Aimee Mullins – participated in a panel about the slogan’s endurance. “For me, [the slogan]was a defiant call to action for women,” Mullins said. “It was saying, ‘You know what, I’m not doing this so I can snag a man or get a promotion. I’m doing this for whatever my reasons are and that’s good enough.’” Mullins is a vision of perfection, all doll-like features and attenuated limbs. But her legs are actually prosthetics, the result of a medical condition dating back to infancy. She did not let this hold her back from becoming successful in multiple fields. “Confidence is a tricky thing,” she added. “Some days we really feel it and some days we don’t. I think any life well lived is about transformation and at the core of that is imagination.” Coming from her, this is genuine stuff.

Still, she proceeded to say something that simultaneously supported and refuted the “Because I’m Worth It” message: “We know anything is possible if we claim our own power. We can’t be polluted by other people’s ideas of what we think we should be.” So can a beauty brand ultimately deliver self-worth? “It’s a bit of a contradiction,” Fonda confessed in a brief one-on-one chat. “I think it’s stretching it,” she added with a contemplative laugh. “And yet, I think about the 1960s and seventies, when I was an activist on the barricades dayto- day, all day. I thought that it was bourgeois and superficial to even look at myself in the mirror. And it wasn’t until I was 48 years old that someone said, ‘I think you should go and get a facial'." As a coda, I met some friends for dinner following the slogan’s birthday bash. When dessert arrived – rich chocolate mousse – everything jelled. The fact is, a truly terrific slogan transcends its product and this, we agreed, was a L’Oréal moment. So we savoured each rich, caloric, heavenly spoonful. Worth it? Absolutely.

The History of "Because You're Worth It" - YouTube The History of "Because You're Worth It" Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Mar 8, 2012 Forty years ago, L'Oréal Paris revolutionized the advertising world with the phrase, "Because I'm Worth It", spreading the message of respect and recognition for women. Watch this video in honor of International Women's Day to learn about the evolution of this iconic slogan. Share your "Because I'm Worth It" story with us at: éalParis Find us on Instagram Like us on Facebook! Follow us on twitter! @LOrealParisUSA Category 22 Companies With Really Catchy Slogans & Brand Taglines July 20, 2016 // 8:00 AM 22 Companies With Really Catchy Slogans & Brand Taglines Tweet You know what's really difficult? Being succinct. Seriously ... it's ridiculously hard.

If you don't believe me, just grab your favorite copywriter and ask them. It's especially difficult to express a complex emotional concept in just a couple of words -- which is exactly what a slogan does. That's why we have a lot of respect for the brands that have done it right. The ones that have figured out how to convey their value proposition to their buyer persona in just one, short sentence -- and a quippy one, at that. So if you're looking to get a little slogan inspiration of your own, take a look at some of our favorite company slogans from both past and present. (Note: We've updated this post to include some suggestions from the comment section.) Before we get into specific examples, let's quickly go over what a slogan is and what makes one stand out. What is a Slogan? In business, a slogan or tagline is "a catchphrase or small group of words that are combined in a special way to identify a product or company," according to Entrepreneur.com's small business encyclopedia . In many ways, they're like mini mission statements . Companies have slogans for the same reason they have logos: advertising. While logos are visual representations of a brand, slogans are audible representations of a brand.

Both formats grab consumers' attention more readily than the name a company or product might. Plus, they're simpler to understand and remember. The goal? To leave a key brand message in consumers' minds so that, if they remember nothing else from an advertisement, they'll remember the slogan. What Makes a Great Slogan? According to HowStuffWorks , a great slogan has most or all of the following characteristics: It's memorable. Is the slogan quickly recognizable? Will people only have to spend a second or two thinking about it? A brief, catchy few words can go a long way in advertisements, videos, posters, business cards, swag, and other places. ( Take this quiz to see if you can guess the brands behind 16 memorable slogans.) It includes a key benefit. Ever heard the marketing advice, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak"? It means sell the benefits, not the features -- which applies perfectly to slogans. A great slogan makes a company or product's benefits clear to the audience. It differentiates the brand. Does your light beer have the fullest flavor? Or maybe the fewest calories? What is it about your product or brand that sets it apart from competitors? ( Check out our essential branding guide here.

) It imparts positive feelings about the brand. The best taglines use words that are positive and upbeat. For example, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups' slogan, "Two great tastes that taste great together," gives the audience good feelings about Reese's, whereas a slogan like Lea & Perrins', "Steak sauce only a cow could hate," uses negative words. The former leaves a better impression on the audience. Now that we've covered what a slogan is and what makes one great, here are examples of the best brand slogans of all time. If we missed any of your favorites, share them with us in the comment section. (Note: We've updated this post with several ideas folks have shared with us in the comments.) 22 Companies With Really Catchy Taglines & Slogans 1) Nike: "Just Do It" It didn't take long for Nike's message to resonate. The brand became more than just athletic apparel -- it began to embody a state of mind. It encourages you to think that you don't have to be an athlete to be in shape or tackle an obstacle. If you want to do it, just do it. That's all it takes.

But it's unlikely Kennedy + Weiden, the agency behind this tagline, knew from the start that Nike would brand itself in this way. In fact, Nike's product used to cater almost exclusively to marathon runners, which are among the most hardcore athletes out there. The "Just Do It" campaign widened the funnel, and it's proof positive that some brands need to take their time coming up with a slogan that reflects their message and resonates with their target audience. Source: brandchannel 2) Apple: "Think Different" This slogan was first released in the Apple commercial called "Here's to the Crazy Ones, Think Different" -- a tribute to all the time-honored visionaries who challenged the status quo and changed the world. The phrase itself is a bold nod to IBM's campaign "Think IBM," which was used at the time to advertise its ThinkPad. Soon after, the slogan "Think Different" accompanied Apple advertisements all over the place, even though Apple hadn't released any significant new products at the time. All of a sudden, people began to realize that Apple wasn't just any old computer; it was so powerful and so simple to use that it made the average computer user feel innovative and tech-savvy.

According to Forbes , Apple's stock price tripled within a year of the commercial's release. Although the slogan has been since retired, many Apple users still feel a sense of entitlement for being among those who "think different." Source: Blue Fin Group 3) Dollar Shave Club: "Shave Time. Shave Money." The folks at Dollar Shave Club have made their way onto quite a few of our lists here on the blog -- like this one on promotional product videos and this one on holiday marketing campaigns . In other words, it's safe to say that when it comes to marketing and advertising, they know what they are doing. And their slogan -- "Shave Time. Shave Money." -- is an excellent reflection of their expertise. This little quip cleverly incorporates two of the service's benefits: cost and convenience. It's punny, to the point, and it perfectly represents the overall tone of the brand. Source: TheStephenHarvey.com 4) L'Oréal: "Because You're Worth It" Who doesn't want to feel like they're worth it? The folks at L'Oréal know that women wear makeup in order to make themselves appear "beautiful" so they feel desirable, wanted, and worth it.

The tagline isn't about the product -- it's about the image the product can get you. This message allowed L'Oréal to push its brand further than just utility so as to give the entire concept of makeup a much more powerful message. Source: Farah Khan 5) California Milk Processor Board: "Got Milk?" While most people are familiar with the "Got Milk?" campaign, not everyone remembers that it was launched by the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB). What's interesting about this campaign is that it was initially launched to combat the rapid increase in fast food and soft beverages: The CMPB wanted people to revert to milk as their drink of choice in order to sustain a healthier life. The campaign was meant to bring some life to a "boring" product, ad executives told TIME Magazine . The simple words "Got Milk?" scribbled above celebrities, animals, and children with milk mustaches, which ran from 2003 until 2014 , became one of the longest-lasting campaigns ever. The CMPB wasn't determined to make its brand known with this one -- they were determined to infiltrate the idea of drinking milk across the nation. And these two simple words sure as heck did.

Source: Broward Palm Beach News Times 6) MasterCard: "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard." MasterCard's two-sentence slogan was created in 1997 as a part of an award-winning advertising campaign that ran in 98 countries and in 46 languages . The very first iteration of the campaign was a TV commercial that aired in 1997: "A dad takes his son to a baseball game and pays for a hot dog and a drink, but the conversation between the two is priceless," writes Avi Dan for Forbes . "In a sense, 'Priceless' became a viral, social campaign years before there was a social media." One key to this campaign's success? Each commercial elicits an emotional response from the audience. That first TV commercial might remind you of sports games you went to with your dad, for example. Each advertisement attempted to trigger a different memory or feeling. "You have to create a cultural phenomenon and then constantly nurture it to keep it fresh," MasterCard CMO Raja Rajamannar told Dan. And nostalgia marketing like that can be a powerful tool .

7) BMW: "The Ultimate Driving Machine" BMW sells cars all over the world, but in North America, it's known by its slogan: "The Ultimate Driving Machine." This slogan was created in the 1970s by a relatively unknown ad agency named Ammirati & Puris and was, according to BMW's blog , directed at Baby Boomers who were "out of college, making money and ready to spend their hard earned dollars. What better way to reflect your success than on a premium automobile?" The goal? To reinforce the message that its cars' biggest selling point is that they are performance vehicles that are thrilling to drive. That message is an emotional one, and one that consumers can buy into to pay the high price point. Source: BMW 8) Tesco: "Every Little Helps" "Every little helps" is the kind of catchy tagline that can make sense in many different contexts -- and it's flexible enough to fit in with any one of Tesco's messages. It can refer to value, quality, service, and even environmental responsibility -- which the company practices by addressing the impacts in their operations and supply chain .

It's also, as Naresh Ramchandani wrote for The Guardian , "perhaps the most ingeniously modest slogan ever written." Tesco markets themselves as a brand for the people, and a flexible, modest far-reaching slogan like this one reflects that beautifully. Source: The Drum 9) M&M: "Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands" Here's one brand that didn't need much time before realizing its core value proposition. At the end of the day, chocolate is chocolate. How can one piece of chocolate truly stand out from another? By bringing in the convenience factor, of course. This particular example highlights the importance of finding something that makes your brand different from the others -- in this case, the hard shell that keeps chocolate from melting all over you. Source: Platform Magazine 10) Bounty: "The Quicker Picker Upper" Bounty paper towels, made by Procter & Gamble, has used its catchy slogan "The Quicker Picker Upper" for almost 50 years now.

If it sounds like one of those sing-songy word plays you learned as a kid, that's because it is one: The slogan uses what's called consonance -- a poetic device characterized by the repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession (think: "pitter patter"). Over the years, Bounty has moved away from this slogan in full, replacing "Quicker" with other adjectives, depending on the brand's current marketing campaign -- like "The Quilted Picker Upper" and "The Clean Picker Upper." At the same time, the brand's main web address went from quickerpickerupper.com to bountytowels.com . But although the brand is branching out into other campaigns, they've kept the theme of their original, catchy slogan. Source: Bounty 11) De Beers: "A Diamond is Forever" Diamonds aren't worth much inherently. In fact, a diamond is worth at least 50% less than you paid for it the moment you left the jewelry store. So how did they become the symbol of wealth, power, and romance they are in America today? It was all because of a brilliant, multifaceted marketing strategy designed and executed by ad agency N.W.

Ayer in the early 1900s for their client, De Beers. You can read all about the strategy here . The four, iconic words "A Diamond is Forever" have appeared in every single De Beers advertisement since 1948, and AdAge named it the #1 slogan of the century in 1999. It perfectly captures the sentiment De Beers was going for: that a diamond, like your relationship, is eternal. It also helped discourage people from ever reselling their diamonds. (Mass re-selling would disrupt the market and reveal the alarmingly low intrinsic value of the stones themselves.) Brilliant. Source: Sydney Merritt 12) Lay's: "Betcha Can't Eat Just One" Seriously, who here has ever had just one chip? While this tagline might stand true for other snack companies, Lay's was clever to pick up on it straight away. The company tapped into our truly human incapability to ignore crispy, salty goodness when it's staring us in the face. Carbs, what a tangled web you weave. But seriously, notice how the emphasis isn't on the taste of the product. There are plenty of other delicious chips out there.

But what Lay's was able to bring forth with its tagline is that totally human, uncontrollable nature of snacking until the cows come home. Source: Amazon 13) Audi: "Vorsprung durch technik" ("Advancement Through Technology") "Vorsprung durch technik" has been Audi's main slogan everywhere in the world since 1971 (except for the United States, where the slogan is "Truth in Engineering"). While the phrase has been translated in several ways, the online dictionary LEO translates "Vorsprung" as "advance" or "lead" as in "distance, amount by which someone is ahead in a competition." Audi roughly translates it as: "Advancement through technology." The first-generation Audio 80 (B1 series) was launched a year after the slogan in 1972, and the new car was a brilliant reflection of that slogan with many impressive new technical features. It was throughout the 1970s that the Audi brand established itself as an innovative car manufacturer, such as with the five-cylinder engine (1976), turbocharging (1979), and the quattro four-wheel drive (1980).

This is still reflective of the Audi brand today. Source: Cars and Coffee Chat 14) Dunkin' Donuts: "America Runs on Dunkin" In April 2006, Dunkin' Donuts launched the most significant repositioning effort in the company's history by unveiling a brand new, multi-million dollar advertising campaign under the slogan "America Runs on Dunkin." The campaign revolves around Dunkin' Donuts coffee keeping busy Americans fueled while they are on the go. "The new campaign is a fun and often quirky celebration of life, showing Americans embracing their work, their play and everything in between -- accompanied every step of the way by Dunkin' Donuts," read the official press release from the campaign's official launch. Ten years later, what the folks at Dunkin Donuts' realized they were missing was their celebration of and honoring their actual customers. That's why, in 2016, they launched the "Keep On" campaign, which they call their modern interpretation of the ten-year slogan.

"It's the idea that we're your partner in crime, or we're like your wingman, your buddy in your daily struggle and we give you the positive energy through both food and beverage but also emotionally, we believe in you and we believe in the consumer," said Chris D'Amico , SVP and Group Creative Director at Hill Holiday. Source: Lane Printing & Advertising 15) Meow Mix: "Tastes So Good, Cats Ask for It by Name" Meow meow meow meow ... who remembers this catchy tune sung by cats, for cats, in Meow Mix's television commercials? The brand released a simple but telling tagline: "Tastes So Good, Cats Ask For It By Name." This slogan plays off the fact that every time a cat meows, s/he is actually asking for Meow Mix. It was not only clever, but it also successfully planted Meow Mix as a standout brand in a cluttered market. Source: Walgreens 16) McDonald's: "I'm Lovin' It" The "I'm Lovin' It" campaign was launched way back in 2003 and still stands strong today.

This is a great example of a slogan that resonates with the brand's target audience. McDonald's food might not be your healthiest choice, but being healthy isn't the benefit McDonald's is promising -- it's that you'll love the taste and the convenience. (Fun fact: The jingle's infamous hook -- "ba da ba ba ba" -- was originally sung by Justin Timberlake.) Source: McDonald's 17) The New York Times: "All the News That's Fit to Print" This one is my personal favorite. The tagline was created in the late 1890s as a movement of opposition against other news publications printing lurid journalism. The New York Times didn't stand for sensationalism. Instead, it focused on important facts and stories that would educate its audience. It literally deemed its content all the real "news fit to print." This helped the paper become more than just a news outlet, but a company that paved the way for creditable news. The company didn't force a tagline upon people when it first was founded, but rather, it created one in a time where it was needed most.

Source: 4th St8 Blog 18) General Electric: "Imagination at Work" You may remember General Electric's former slogan, "We Bring Good Things to Life," which they initiated in 1979. Although this tagline was well-known and well-received, the new slogan -- "Imagination at Work" -- shows how a company's internal culture can revolutionize how they see their own brand. "'Imagination at Work' began as an internal theme at GE," recalled Tim McCleary , GE's manager of corporate identity. When Jeff Immelt became CEO of GE in 2001, he announced that his goal was to reconnect with GE's roots as a company defined by innovation. This culture and theme resulted in a rebranding with the new tagline "Imagination at Work," which embodies the idea that imagination inspires the human initiative to thrive at what we do. 19) Verizon: "Can You Hear Me Now? Good." Here's another brand that took its time coming up with something that truly resonated with its audience .

This tagline was created in 2002 under the umbrella of "We never stop working for you." While Verizon was founded in 1983, they continued to battle against various phone companies like AT&T and T-Mobile, still two of its strongest competitors. But what makes Verizon stand out? No matter where you are, you have service. You may not have the greatest texting options, or the best cellphone options, but you will always have service. (Fun fact: The actor behind this campaign -- Paul Marcarelli -- recently began appearing in new advertisements for Sprint .) Source: MS Lumia Blog 20) State Farm: "Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There The insurance company State Farm has a number of slogans, including "Get to a better State" and "No one serves you better than State Farm." But its most famous one is the jingle "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there," which you're likely familiar with if you live in the United States and watch television. These words emphasize State Farm's "community-first" value proposition -- which sets them apart from the huge, bureaucratic feel of most insurance companies. And it quickly establishes a close relationship with the consumer.

Often, customers need insurance when they least expect it -- and in those situations, State Farm is responding in friendly, neighborly language. Source: StateFarm 21) Maybelline: "Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline." Can you sing this jingle in your head? Maybelline's former slogan, created in the 1990s, is one of the most famous in the world. It makes you think of glossy magazine pages featuring strong, beautiful women with long lashes staring straight down the lens. It's that confidence that Maybelline's makeup brand is all about -- specifically, the transformation into a confident woman through makeup. Maybelline changed their slogan to "Make IT Happen" in February 2016 , inspiring women to "express their beauty in their own way." Despite this change, their former slogan remains powerful and ubiquitous, especially among the many generations that grew up with it. Source: FunnyJunk 22) The U.S. Marine Corps: "The Few. The Proud. The Marines." The U.S.

Marine Corps has had a handful of top-notch recruiting slogans over the decades, from "First to fight" starting in World War I to "We're looking for a few good men" from the 1980s. However, we'd argue that "The Few. The Proud. The Marines." is among the best organization slogans out there. This slogan "underscores the high caliber of those who join and serve their country as Marines," said Maj. Gen. Richard T. Tryon , former commanding general of Marine Corps Recruiting Command. In 2007, it even earned a spot in Madison Avenue's Advertising Walk of Fame. Source: Marines.com Do you have your own tagline? What other brands' taglines do you love? Editor's Note: This post was originally published in August 2012 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

Slogans as Trademarks – European and French Practice Slogans as Trademarks – European and French Practice April 2010 By Franck Soutoul and Jean-Philippe Bresson Businesses, constantly searching for unique ways to identify their goods and services from that of the competition, are registering ever more creative trademarks – from a specific color, shape, sound, moving image, taste or smell to slogan marks. This article, by returning contributors Franck Soutoul and Jean-Philippe Bresson, of INLEX IP Expertise, and reporters for IP TALK , France, highlights some of the difficulties of registering slogan trademarks in Europe and France. “Parce que vous le valez bien”™ (Because you’re worth it), “Just do it”™, “Le contrat de confiance”™ (the contract of trust)… These slogans grab attention and are sometimes better known than the branded products themselves. Slogans are a marketing and communication tool par excellence and directly impact consumers by encouraging them to choose certain goods or services over others. But legally speaking, slogans are at the intersection of several converging intellectual property (IP) rights and the source of many headaches. What is the best way to protect a slogan?

How can a slogan be registered as a trademark? If registered as a trademark, how is similarity with another slogan determined? How is a slogan combined with a verbal mark perceived in terms of comparing signs? What precautions need to be taken for slogans created by advertising agencies? As slogans are tools for gaining market share, involving creative, financial and commercial investment, choosing the most appropriate method of protection is key. Trademark and copyright protection can make a slogan an IP asset, and legislation against unfair competition may be used as a defensive approach. However, each of these means of protection involves a certain risk. L’Oréal, parce que je le vaux bien The famous l’Oréal slogan “Because you’re worth it,” registered at the USPTO in 1976, has evolved with the company’s customers over the years. “Parce que je le vaux bien” and its English translation “Because I’m worth it” became popular in the late 1990s.

In 2004, l’Oréal advertising started targeting the ever-growing cosmetics market for men with “Because you’re worth it too.” Then in 2009, their advertising started using “Because we’re worth it” and for kids “Because we’re worth it too.” The shift to “we” followed a psychology-based study of l’Oréal’s consumer base. "We" apparently creates stronger consumer involvement in l'Oréal’s philosophy and lifestyle and provides more perceived consumer satisfaction with l'Oréal products. As l'Oréal celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009, it continued to re-create itself, making ever stronger trademarks. A simple Madrid system database search yields 1,892 international trademark registrations for l’Oréal. The company also seeks to remain at the cutting edge of the cosmetics and beauty industry through research and development. It is reportedly the top nanotechnology patent-holder in the U.S. By Sylvie Castonguay, WIPO Communications Division Protection as a trademark A slogan is a separate category of sign, and is different from the standard trademark.

Slogans can, in principle, be protected under trademark law, although they are not explicitly listed among the signs likely to constitute a trademark. However, Article L. 711-1 of the French Intellectual Property Code provides for “combinations of words,” and Article 4 of Regulation No. 207/2009 on the Community trademark refers to “words” in a broader sense. Slogans must conform to the same requirements as any other trademark and, in particular, should not be generic in nature or describe the goods or services themselves, and must have their own distinctive character. The European Union’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) has been much stricter in assessing the distinctiveness of slogans than the French trademark office and courts. Community case law indicates that a more stringent procedure is used to determine slogan distinctiveness than that used for conventional verbal marks.

Among the slogans refused registration in 2008 and 2009 were: “Passion for wood” for building materials; “Leave an impression” for bar, entertainment and advertising services; “Everywhere on earth” for transport services; “Religieuse de Rêve” (A dream pastry) for pastries; “Play for your country” for services for arranging golf tournaments; and "Night of champions” in particular for entertainment services. Invariably, OHIM’s reasoning on refusals was that the public would be likely to understand those expressions as advertising messages, underlining the positive aspects of the goods and services, rather than as signs identifying the goods and services themselves (the function of a trademark). One of the few exceptions, the “Play with nature”TM slogan was accepted by OHIM to designate food and clothing supplements. The European Court of Justice also issued a decision in January that the Audi slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” (Advancement through technology) could mature into registration as it was not necessary for a trademark slogan to display “imaginativeness” or “conceptual tension creating surprise and thus making a striking impression.” On the other hand, the French Office is more flexible regarding slogan registration.

The following examples have been recognized as distinctive, and accepted as trademarks: “Le monde sans fil est à vous”TM (The wireless world is yours) for telephony services; “Quoi de plus naturel?” TM (What could be more natural?) for milk products; and “Vous avez le droit” TM (You have the right) for magazines and printed matter. Protection of slogans – the Madrid System The WIPO-administered Madrid system for the international registration of marks is an international procedural mechanism that offers trademark owners the possibility to obtain protection for their marks in several countries, by simply filing one application through their national office. The granting of protection in each country that is designated in an international registration, including those of marks incorporating slogans, is determined by the corresponding national trademark office, in the light of the applicable legislation. "We're talkin' serious" is a registered international trademark. The Madrid system allows for the international registration of various types of marks, among them, those resulting from the combination of letters or words, which – of course – include the possibility of registering slogans.

Slogans registered using the Madrid system include, for example, “Have it your way,” registered by the Burger King Corporation to distinguish hamburgers, steak and fish sandwiches and other related products; “Chesterfield: Être absolument femme,” (Chesterfield: Be absolutely woman) registered by DIM to distinguish, among others, ladies' lingerie; “We’re talkin’ serious”, registered by Ford’s Foods, Inc. to distinguish sauces and salsa used in cooking or with chips; “Style on skin,” registered by Lacoste to distinguish, clothes, footwear and head wear; “Longines l’élégance du temps depuis 1832,” (Longines, time elegance since 1832) registered by the Longines Watch Company to distinguish watches and chronometric instruments; and "Passionate about creativity,” registered by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton to distinguish various clothing and accessories products.

By Diego Carrasco, WIPO International Trademarks Registry Protection facilitated by copyright Even if slogans are not on the list of creations likely to constitute intellectual works (Article L112-2 of the French Intellectual Property Code provides a non-restrictive list of works), they are copyrightable in France provided they are original. For instance, the slogan “C’est trop d’la bulle” (It’s too much fun), could not be registered as a trademark by chewing gum company Wm. Wrigley Jr., as an earlier copyright claim was recognized by the court because: “introduceing a play on words into this expression, an expression well-known to young teenagers and particularly relevant to that audience, gives this slogan novelty and originality, reflecting the personality of its author.” But contrary to trademarks where the right stems from an easily identifiable registration, copyright systematically belongs to the creator of a work, and that may be a problem if the slogan’s creation was outsourced to an advertising agency. In France, to obtain copyright from an agency, a business must follow a formal path by which rights are assigned and an appropriate remuneration determined.

This is a required step to ensure sustainable use of the slogan, as well as the possibility to act against third parties and to file the slogan as a trademark. For instance, the company BuyCentral was only recognized as the right holder of “Comparez les doigts dans le net” TM (Compare fingers in the net) thanks to the assignment of the slogan rights in the contract binding them to Saatchi & Saatchi. Unfair competition claims It is also possible in France to defend slogan rights by filing an unfair competition claim, in which civil liability rules are applied to commercial disputes. A business can use such a claim to assert, for example, that an imitation advertising slogan aimed to benefit a competitor’s investments. Air France KLM successfully used such an approach against RyanAir.

The French Court of Appeal held that RyanAir’s slogan “Faire du ciel l’endroit le moins cher de la terre” (Making the sky the cheapest place on earth) – a slight modification of the Air France slogan “Faire du ciel le plus bel endroit de la terre” TM (Making the sky the best place on earth) – constituted unfair practice because it repeated and distorted the well-known Air France phrase, and that RyanAir thereby benefited from Air France’s substantial advertising campaigns. The three possible means of protecting slogans can be sought concurrently and may all be referred to in litigation. Owning a trademark should not prevent the holder from also seeking copyright protection of the slogan, which may prove useful, for example, if a trademark is canceled during a dispute. Assessment of risk The assessing of similarity between two slogans is not carried out using quite the same procedure as that for “conventional” verbal marks. In the case of slogans, it is rare, even exceptional, for signs to be devoid of rational meaning; that aspect therefore carries more weight than it does for other signs. Assessing the similarity of two trademarks comprising slogans depends largely on the estimated distinctiveness of the slogans.

The more distinctive the earlier filed slogan is considered, the greater its scope of protection. So, even where differences between slogans are significant, the risk of confusion can be qualitatively determined. Naturally, the level of distinctiveness (and therefore the possible similarity between two slogans filed as trademarks) depends on which court is hearing the case as demonstrated in the following: The French trademark office considered “Bien dans ma vie” TM (Happy in my life) and “Bien dans ma maison” (Happy in my home) to be similar, in that the structure of the phrase and the image evoked were comparable. The first slogan “Bien dans ma vie” was said to be distinctive. The slogans “Manger bien pour vivre mieux” TM (Eat well to live better) and “Bien se nourrir pour mieux vivre” TM (Eat well to live better) for foodstuffs were considered different, the first sign having been evaluated as weak in terms of distinctiveness and appearing to be a promotional slogan to encourage consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle. But as is the case with all trademarks, the better known the slogan, the greater its level of distinctiveness. When it comes to comparing translated slogans, assessment typically depends on the territories and consumer groups targeted.

The French Court of Appeal held that French consumers were likely to make the connection between the expressions “Skin breakfast” TM and “Petit déjeuner de la peau” (Breakfast for the skin) and therefore judged them similar. On the other hand, OHIM considered that French and Belgian consumers would not confuse the two slogan trademarks “C’est prouvé. Clarins rend la vie plus belle” TM (It’s a fact. Clarins makes life more beautiful) and “Douglas – makes life beautiful” TM as only a small percentage of Belgian consumers would understand the meaning of the French expression. But businesses should be aware that while the French trademark office will register trademarks comprising slogans more readily than OHIM, the scope of legal protection remains limited when comparing two trademarks where only one of them includes a slogan.

For example, the French trademark office considered the following to be confusingly similar: "Oui” TM (Yes) and “Oh oui, oser d’autres plaisirs” (Oh yes, dare to try other pleasures) and Synergie TM and “SynergyGroup, le groupement de compétences” (SynergyGroup, the association of skills), as the expression added on “is of secondary importance and will be perceived more as a slogan.” Slogans – at crossroads Slogans do not directly designate a good or service but support it in commercial terms by enabling the public to link a slogan to a specific company. They are also the first line of communication with the consumer. Moreover, they represent significant investment and effort by companies to draw consumers to their products. They therefore form a specific category of signs, as is the case for three-dimensional marks. Their specific nature makes it important to ask the right questions regarding the substance of a slogan before seeking to protect or defend it. While there is no ideal, one-size-fits-all approach, existing tools and their use by the French courts and trademark office and OHIM, reveal emerging trends and call for a case-by-case analysis in adopting the most appropriate strategy.

Examination of Traditional and Non-Traditional Trademarks Three-dimensional (3D) designs, such as the shape of goods or their packaging, colors per se, moving images, or specific sounds or smells, are being increasingly used in marketing to individualize goods or services. WIPO has been responsive to these developments; the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks, which entered into force on March 16, 2009, sets out a multilateral framework for the definition of criteria concerning the reproduction of hologram, motion, color and position marks and of marks consisting of non-visible signs on trademark applications and in trademark registers. WIPO has followed up on the entry into force of the Singapore Treaty and a working group, established under that Treaty, will meet for a first session in April with the goal to further determine the details of the representation of such non-traditional marks. WIPO is also organizing seminars and workshops to assist trademark examiners who examine applications for such marks. For example, senior trademark examiners from 17 countries in the Asia and Pacific region received advanced training on the examination of traditional and non-traditional marks at a five-day workshop held in Canberra, Australia, in October 2009.

The 34 examiners were also updated on recent developments in the area of international trademark law, and given an opportunity to exchange views and share national experiences in administering trademarks. The workshop, jointly organized in cooperation with IP Australia, was the first of its kind carried out by WIPO in the Asia and the Pacific region, and responded to the growing need for capacity-building in the area of trademark examination in the region. Non-traditional trademarks are being used more frequently in the marketplace as businesses look for innovative ways to differentiate their products and services from those of their competitors. Ongoing discussions on issues related to non-traditional trademarks in the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT), such as work on agreed areas of convergence concerning the representation of non-traditional marks, make such workshops pertinent and timely for all IP offices.

By Sylvie Castonguay, WIPO Communications Division Acknowledgement Ye Min Than, WIPO Cooperation for Development Sector Acknowledgement Marcus Höpperger, WIPO Brands and Designs Division Top 10 Effective and Ineffective Advertising Slogans Top 10 Effective and Ineffective Advertising Slogans SumoMe My only frame of reference for how advertisers come up with slogans is from the countless hours of Mad Men that I’ve watched. With Don yelling at Peggy and her team, they don’t make it look easy (even if they do so while drinking aged scotch), so I can’t imagine being in charge of creating the next “Just Do It” or “A Diamond is Forever” campaign! Some advertisers I’ll mention here have gone above and beyond clever slogans (some of them even created jingles to go along with them). Others deserve a second chance to get it right because their first effort wasn’t exactly right on mark. We’ll focus on the positive before we get to the latter group. Who got it right: Verizon: “Can You Hear Me Now? Good!” "Yes!

I can hear you now!" I love this slogan because it’s easy to remember and it’s so basic and simple that it can’t be interpreted any other way. It’s also something that I’m sure we’ve all said while we’re moving to a place with better cell phone reception. Verizon summed up exactly what they can do for their customers: provide better reception. So even if you have to ask the person who called you if he/she can hear you now, you’ll know the answer. Visa: “It’s Everywhere You Want to Be.” In today’s world, it seems impossible to go anywhere without having your credit card work. Visa reassures their customers that no matter where they go, they’ll still be able to enjoy it to the fullest without worrying about cash. It follows the KISS principle perfectly (Keep It Simple, Stupid) and scores a 10 out 10 from me. L’Oreal: “Because We’re Worth It.” If beer commercials take 30 seconds to sum up what men are thinking, then L’Oreal has done the same for women.

They’ve changed it a few times in the past; it used to be “Because you’re worth it.” However, they have now landed on “Because we’re worth it,” which seems to create a stronger involvement from consumers. I’m not sure if this slogan still packs the same punch as it did when they first starting using it, but I still love hearing it. A little positive affirmation never hurt anyone! "Mmmm, mmm, yum!" Pillsbury: “Nothin’ Says Lovin’ Like Something from the Oven.” Who doesn’t love the smell of bread, pie, cookies, or cake baking in the oven? That same thought must have been what crossed advertisers’ minds when they came up with this slogan for Pillsbury. Bake a little love for your sweetheart, because nobody bakes something for someone they despise (unless they’ve got ulterior motives). Who missed the mark: AT&T: “Reach Out and Touch Someone.” "Are you there?" Alright, I understand what AT&T was trying to say, but it didn’t come across that way at all in this slogan. By reaching out (by calling someone), you’re able to touch them emotionally and reconnect with them.

I personally didn’t read it that way when I first saw it. Instead, I imagine a hand reaching out through a telephone and eerily touching the person on the other line. It sounds more like a plot for a horror movie than a nice and wholesome telephone company’s slogan! US Cellular: “Believe in Something Better.” If this were a slogan for a different product, then I’d say it was uplifting and inspirational. But it’s a cell phone company. Come on, you’re not exactly saving the environment or creating a better world for today’s children! This slogan sounds like a better fit for a renewable energy company or some other eco-friendly company. Unfortunately, it’s sort of wasted in this case. Frito-Lay: “Take a Cheetos Break with Cheetos.” This isn’t a bad slogan. In fact I liked it because they tied in with a contest for people to literally “ take a break with Cheetos .” So why did it miss the mark? My only complaint, and the thing that keeps it from being a great slogan, is the “with Cheetos” part. Seriously? What else are we going to take a Cheetos break with? Cheez-Its? Pringles? Goldfish?

I’m not sure if they’re insulting our intelligence or just trying to drop their name as many times as possible in six words. Exxon Mobil: “We’re Exxon, We Do It Right.” While I applaud Exxon’s efforts to revitalize the fuel industry by doing things right, I think their somewhat vague slogan could have been more creative. What exactly are they doing right? Safer drilling techniques? More efficient transportation? They could highlight one of these aspects and really market that to stand out from their competitors. Here lies Garry the Grub: 2011-2011 Raid: “It Kills Bugs Dead.” I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “kill” I pretty much assume that whatever it is will end up dead. Repetition can be clever if it’s executed properly, but it misses the mark here. This might be pessimistic of me, I know, but the extra clarification in this slogan is not needed. “It Kills Bugs” (period) would’ve done the trick and I would still trust your product. The only time I’ve ever had to create a slogan was for an advertising class in college.

It wasn’t easy, so I can appreciate the amount of hard work that these teams did in creating them. With a few minor tweaks I think all of them could’ve hit a bull’s eye by being effective slogans! Have you recently heard a great slogan that you really liked? What about one that you didn’t like? Sound off below! You might also like: L'Oreal Fetes 40th Anniversary of 'Because You're Worth It' in Paris | Hollywood Reporter International L'Oreal Fetes 40th Anniversary of 'Because You're Worth It' in Paris Jane Fonda, Aimée Mullins, Ines de la Fressange, Fan Bingbing and Freida Pinto celebrate with the brand’s execs at the Place Vendome on Monday, Nov. 14. November 14, 2011 by Rebecca Leffler Jane Fonda put on her best French accent to host a celebration of the 40th anniversary of L’Oreal Paris’ legendary slogan “Because I'm Worth It” in Paris on Monday night.

Fonda’s fellow brand ambassadors Aimée Mullins, Ines de la Fressange, Fan Bingbing and Freida Pinto joined L’Oreal top execs to toast the timeless catchphrase at a luxe soiree at the Hotel d’Evreux at the Place Vendome. “If you really think about it, there are very few great slogans and ‘Because I’m Worth it’ is one of them,” Fonda said. The “Because I’m Worth It” tagline originated in 1971 when L’Oreal needed to convince consumers to spend more on their products than then-competitor Clairol. Today, the slogan has been translated into 40 languages, and still represents the brand’s image across the world. Female empowerment was on the menu as the ceremony kicked off with the evening’s host Fonda and her fellow beauty ambassadors complete with a video montage of the brand’s history then continued with a cocktail. “In 1971, it was revolutionary. Women weren’t used to feeling like we were worth it.

Even though I was successful and famous, I did not feel like I was worth it,” Fonda said, adding: “All of us have been changed because we’ve been able to say those words thanks to L’Oreal.” Since it’s creation, the slogan has changed to “Because You’re Worth It” to today’s current tagline “Because We’re Worth it.” “For me personally, it’s a statement of absolute self confidence and empowerment,” Freido Pinto said of the slogan. The actress currently stars in Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Black Gold that hits French theaters next week. Chinese actress Fan Bingbing said: “For me, it is also a language of love.” L’Oreal Paris global brand President Cyril Chapuy kept the evening festive as he left the stage to L’Oreal’s leading ladies who each talked about what the tagline has meant to them and their visions of beauty.

“It’s a very personal thing to say that you’re worth it,” Aimée Mullins explained, adding: “We have the power to create and recreate who we are every day.” For French beauty icon Ines de la Fressange,“Beauty is the exterior manifestation of what happens on the interior,” she said, adding: “Beauty isn’t just about what we’re wearing on the outside, it’s about how we feel on the inside.” The night’s theme of female empowerment extended to several video montages that featured old L’Oréal commercials and interviews with the brands first beauty spokesmodel, the woman who coined the phrase and several past L’Oreal spokesmodels. L’Oreal continues to make its worth known among the global film industry with not only a strong media presence at the Festival de Cannes, but also through it’s 25 a-list spokespeople. Current faces of the brand include musicians Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani, actresses Eva Longoria, Milla Jovovich, Andie MacDowell, Laetitia Casta and Rachel Weisz plus beauty icons Claudia Schiffer and Ines de la Fressange.

Question: """Because you're worth it"" was the slogan for which company?"
Answer: L'Oréal