If you are thinking of running for political office at the local, state, or national level, one of the very first things that you need to do is pick your campaign slogan. You will want to come up with several and test market them with your friends, family, and voters to see which one they think will resonate best with your target audience that you need to influence.

Implementing a short 3-5 word campaign slogan can be influential to voters if done right and if you can capture your target audience's interest.

Campaign Slogans to Avoid

You should avoid using clichés as people will think you are incapable of having an original thought. Clichés also usually aren't very descriptive. For example, if I wanted my campaign slogan to be something cliché such as "For a Better Tomorrow," I better to a good job describing what a "better tomorrow" looks like. If I don't people will see it as a hollow statement with no true meaning. Many might see it as being in the pocket of someone who has gone ahead of you, and you do not want to leave that impression with voters. 

Be very careful about using funny campaign slogans. While they work well for some politicians, remember that everyone has their sense of humor. You do not want to take the chance of your slogan alienating voters because they fail to understand your sense of humor.

The Process of Creating Your Campaign Slogan

Start by creating your vision statement that explains why you are running for office. Then, compare yourself to your opponents. How do your strengths compare to your opponents weaknesses? Exploit key differences between you and your opponent. While you are brainstorming these ideas, you may discover that you find yourself using one or two phrases over again many times. While your vision statement may have many words, you should look at your campaign slogan as its thesis statement.

If you are struggling to come up with your campaign slogan, then think about the characteristics current voters are looking for in that position. For example, if you are running for sheriff, then voters may be looking for someone who is courageous and strong, or if you are running for the school board, then voters may be looking for someone who is smart and caring. Focus on a creating a campaign slogan that shows you have those characteristics.

Tips for Choosing the Right Campaign Slogan

Your campaign slogan should be well thought out and consistent with your campaign.

Must be Consistent With Your Vision

Your campaign slogan must be consistent with your vision of what you want to change if elected to the position. It needs to be memorable enough that when people hear it, they know what you want to accomplish in office.

If you look at history, then you can see some great examples of this. As the Civil War was closing, President Ulysses S. Grant used the campaign slogan “Let Us Have Peace” to symbolize his vision for the future.

In the aftermath of World War I, Warren G. Harding became president using the slogan, "Return to normalcy."

During the Great Depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt won the office using the campaign slogan, “Happy Days Are Here Again" He was running against Herbert Hoover, who used the slogan, “We are Turning the Corner.”

After the Nixon scandal and Ford’s presidency, Ronald Reagan challenged voters with the slogan, “Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?" Then, George H.W. Bush had American’s chanting, “Read My Lips, No New Taxes,” as they headed to the voting booth.

Campaign Slogans Need to be Self-explanatory

Regardless of the campaign slogan that you choose, your voters should be able to repeat it and understand how it represents your beliefs. Try picking one that is memorable at the same time by either playing off your name or what your goals are in the office.

Many presidential candidates have played on their name throughout history with campaign slogans like:

"We'll Buck 'em in '56" used by President James Buchanan whose nickname was Old Buck

“Honest Old Abe” used by President Abraham Lincoln

"Grandfather's hat fits Ben” used by President Benjamin Harrison in reference to his grandfather President William Harrison

"Keep Cool and Keep Coolidge" used by Calvin Coolidge

"Who but Hoover?" used by Herbert Hoover

"Forward with Roosevelt" used by President Franklin Roosevelt

"I like Ike" used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower

At the same time, be very careful that you do not pick a campaign slogan that forces you into a box. Voters have their list of issues that they see as important. Very few are single-issue voters, so be sure that you choose a campaign slogan that is broad enough that you can take it in many different directions depending on who you are currently addressing.

Be Authentic

Your campaign slogan needs to represent you as a person. If you are trying to use a campaign slogan that does not resonate deep inside of you, then you will hate it or find that you do not use it often. Voters will also see a disconnect between your messaging and your slogan which will cause confusion and lack of trust. Additionally, your campaign slogan must let people feel like they are getting to know you a little bit better.

Some great examples of this is Senator Steve Daines from Montana who used the campaign slogan "More Jobs, Less Government." This slogan resonated with Montana voters and was simple yet powerful. Daines centered his campaign around this message.

An effective campaign slogan conveys the campaign’s central message in just a few words. You should try to keep your campaign slogan to under five words for the best success.

They also highlight what sets you apart from other candidates. The best ones usually convey in the minds of voters what you have already accomplished, while aligning with what voters hope you accomplish if elected. They also make voters feel that you can be successful in delivering on your promises in the future.

Create an Emotional Connection

The best campaign slogans create an emotional connection with voters. As of 2020, the last two presidents have been pros at using campaign slogans that made an emotional connection with voters.

President Barack Obama used several campaign slogans that resonated with American voters who thought that America was headed in the wrong direction. Those campaign slogans included "Change We Can Believe In," “Change We Need," "Fired up! Ready to go!" He also used “Hope and Change.” You can see how each of these campaign slogans play on the voters’ feelings that they needed a change after the Bush administration.

President Trump also used the voter’s feelings when creating his campaign slogans as many felt that the country was headed down the wrong path. Almost everyone can quote Trump’s “Make America Great Again!” and his “Keep America Great" campaign slogans.

Where to Use Your Slogan

Creating your campaign slogan can be an excellent tool for deciding what you stand for as a candidate, but you should be sure to use it, or it becomes merely an academic exercise. All your campaign materials should use your campaign slogan. If your slogan is more than five words long, it may detract from the look of your signs, so you will want to try your signs with and without the slogan to see which one looks best.

You should use your slogan in all your other campaign materials, including:

• Signs at rallies
• Broadcasts and podcasts
• Radio and television ads
• Social media
• Website
• Billboards
• Editorials
• Newspaper reports
• Car stickers
• Campaign flyers

Campaign slogans are an essential part of your campaign because they symbolize what you want to do in the office in a way that is memorable to voters. They must be consistent with your vision for the future. They need to be self-explanatory while being broad enough to be useful when addressing different types of voters. They must sound like they come from you and that you believe them with your whole heart and are ready to put all your energy towards making them a reality. Finally, they must create an emotional connection with voters who should see them on all your campaign materials.

Are you running for office or considering a run for office? Poli-Site offers a comprehensive digital solution to host your professional campaign website, accept contributions, recruit volunteers, manage your contacts, and more! Click the button below for more information.