Marketer's ABC: What you need to know about payoff

Together with the logo and the claim, the pay off is one of the fundamental elements in the process of building a brand identity. Before proceeding to tell you about the life, death and miracles of the pay off, we would like to clarify one thing: the pay off is not a slogan, as many think, but something more. It is a phrase that remains imprinted in the minds of consumers and summarizes the brand's values, making it recognizable from any other competitor.

The pay off consists of a few simple words, about 3 or 4, and its value is inestimable.

What is a pay off for?

The payoff is the verbal element that accompanies a company logoor a product. In Italy it is sometimes called a tagline, and its goal is to immediately convey the message and mission of the business.

Famous examples: some analysis

Let's take a few famous examples before getting into the specifics of defining the term:

  • Barilla – “Where there is Barilla, there is home.”
  • COOP – “You are COOP.”
  • Nike – “Just do it.”
  • Redbull – “Redbull gives you wings!”
  • Adidas – “Impossible is nothing.”
  • McDonald's – “I'm loving it.”
  • Amazon – “And you're done.”
  • Apple – “Think different.”

And we could go on and on!

Let's start the analysis from that of Adidas: the brand invites you, with its payoff, to take action, and exhorts you to fight with vigor to achieve the set goal, both in sport and in life. After all, nothing is impossible. And if you wear an Adidas garment, you immediately feel like a spokesperson for this motto.

Barilla chooses a more intimate approach, and invites the consumer to strengthen the link between the brand, and therefore the famous pasta (but not only) to the place we call home. And here family values ​​come into play where, especially in Italy, the moment of food is one of conviviality and union, intimacy and sharing.

On the other side, Amazon invites you to rely on its practicality. "And you're fine like this." What does this payoff communicate? It sends us the message that you don't need to go to the store to choose a product, but simply go to their website and make your purchases with a click. Simple, fast, and from home. Simplicity is

Very few examples are enough to help you understand the importance of the payoff, an essential element in the brand identity construction process which absolutely cannot be underestimated. It is an indelible brand that sticks to you, and immediately influences the consumer and his approach to your product or service.

Create an effective payoff

create an effective payoff, or able to convey the thrill and power of the brand, a long reasoning based, in this case, in the branding strategy is necessary. Without the strategy, there is also a lack of the right creativity to produce an effective long-term result.

The substance is: avoid vague concepts and go straight to the goal. Enhance and distinguish yourself without belittling the brands of others. The others, when it comes to payoffs, do not exist. There is only you and everything you can do to create an authentic dimension for the product you sell. Honest, short, positive, pleasant, simple. A few words that look good anywhere and stick perfectly to the concept of your product or service, whatever it is, without strange flights of fancy.

The payoff summarizes the corporate values ​​and makes them easily accessible to the public. It must make it attractive, interesting and easily recognizable. Writing an effective payoff depends above all on the ability of the copywriter who implements it. Rely on a person who is precise, punctual and above all who shares your passion for the brand.

As already mentioned, tagline and endline are synonyms for payoff. In fact, the idea is to create a closing sentence that characterizes the entire advertising campaign, placing itself as an absolute triumph over the rest of the advertising. The payoff accompanies the logo.

Let us always remember that it is necessary to create an effective payoff starting from the founding values ​​of the brand. How do you figure out what they are? You know it, and if you are in doubt, you must contact a specialized person who can identify the strengths of his system. Deep ideas that are at the basis of the very action of the work performed. From a mental map of the brand identity, one can proceed to develop a deeper semantic analysis, which can combine simple and immediate sentences.

Remember that payoff should be one of the first marketing activities you'll do for your business. Spare no expense: it will be the latter that will give the right push to shape a winning brand, capable of communicating values.

Differences between payoff and claim?

Every copy knows perfectly the importance of a sentence designed to impress at the right time. And a difference that should not be underestimated is that between payoff and claim. We are talking about two minimal, very concise, short and immediate texts that must convey value.

  • The payoff is dedicated to the brand.
  • The claim refers to the campaign.

Do you want to create an effective payoff for your company? Let's talk about it together in the comments and, in case, contact us privately to find out more about the elements that really matter in its realization.