Longevity of a Catchphrase
Think just for a second about an ad that is memorable to you. You know the one, the ad with the catchphrase that immediately comes to mind, that always springs up and even gets used in general conversation.
One of the most long lasting and memorable catchphrases from television advertising that I can think of is the “Not Happy, Jan” phrase used between 1997 and 1999 by the Yellow Pages here in Australia.
This phrase since use in the ad; has struck a chord with Australians and has no doubt been used by you or someone you know on a number of occasions. It’s been used to describe displeasure and sometimes, as in the ad itself, is used to articulate a person’s unhappiness with another person’s negligence or incompetence. It’s also used in a more casual way and seems to have become ingrained into Australian vocabulary and culture.
A catchphrase like this, which is instantly recognizable can create a household brand and it seems this is the case with “Not Happy, Jan” and the Yellow Pages. Take a look at the video below to see how this catchphrase came to be:
What’s the catchphrase you remember the most?
Yours in Brand Longevity,
Trish
