What is a Claim: Complete Guide to Creating Advertising Messages

What is a claim? Definition and fundamental concepts

A claim is a short, catchy, and memorable phrase that communicates the essence, values, or distinctive qualities of a brand, product, or service, with the goal of capturing consumer attention and creating a lasting emotional connection.

Translated into everyday language: it’s that phrase that makes people say «Oh yes! That’s the brand that…» when they hear it. It’s your emotional signature, your unique way of speaking to your customers’ hearts.

But here’s the secret: a good claim doesn’t describe you, it describes how your customer feels when they’re with you. It doesn’t say «we’re innovative,» it says «think different.» It doesn’t say «we sell hamburgers,» it says «I’m lovin’ it.»

A claim that is effective must fulfill three essential functions:

1. Create immediate identification with your brand
2. Generate a specific emotion in whoever hears it
3. Be memorable and easy to remember

Essential elements of an effective claim

To create a claim that truly works, you need to understand what makes it special. Not all catchy phrases become successful claims.

Extreme simplicity: The best claims are incredibly simple. «Just Do It» has only three words. «I’m Lovin’ It» has three. Simplicity isn’t coincidence, it’s strategy. Your brain processes and remembers short, direct messages more easily.

Emotional connection: A successful claim doesn’t inform, it moves. «Think Different» doesn’t tell you Apple’s technical specifications, but it makes you feel like you’re a creative rebel. Emotions stick, data is forgotten.

Universality with personality: It must be universal enough for many people to identify with, but specific enough to reflect your unique brand. «Because you’re worth it» from L’Oréal could work for many brands, but they made it theirs.

Adaptability: A good claim works in different contexts: in a TV ad, on social media, on product packaging. It must maintain its power regardless of where it appears.

Authenticity: It must genuinely reflect what your brand represents. If your claim promises innovation, but your product is basic, people will notice and you’ll lose credibility.

Differences between claim, slogan, and tagline

This is the biggest confusion in marketing. Claim, slogan, and tagline are used interchangeably, but technically they have subtle differences worth knowing.

The claim is what we’re discussing: that emotional and memorable phrase that defines your brand.

Examples of pure claims:

• «Just Do It» (Nike) – Motivates you to act ✅
• «Think Different» (Apple) – Invites you to be rebellious ✅
• «I’m Lovin’ It» (McDonald’s) – Connects you with pleasure ✅

The slogan is technically more descriptive and functional. It describes what you do or how you do it:

• «The Ultimate Driving Machine» (BMW)
• «Finger Lickin’ Good» (KFC)
• «Melts in your mouth, not in your hands» (M&M’s)

The tagline generally accompanies the logo and defines the brand in a more corporate way:

• «A Diamond is Forever» (De Beers)
• «The Breakfast of Champions» (Wheaties)

In real practice: Most brands use these terms interchangeably, and that’s fine. What matters isn’t what you call it, but that it works to connect with your audience.

The golden rule: If your phrase creates an emotion and is memorable, it’s a good claim, regardless of how you technically categorize it.

Claim in advertising: the power of the main message

The claim in advertising is where the magic really happens. It’s the moment when your phrase becomes the beating heart of all your communication.

Imagine your claim in advertising as the protagonist of a movie: everything else (images, music, colors) are supporting elements that make your claim shine brighter. In a successful advertising campaign, the claim is the star.

This is where many brands make mistakes: they create different claims for each campaign. Wrong. A powerful claim in marketing transcends individual campaigns and becomes the common thread of all your brand communication.

Think about Nike: they’ve had hundreds of different campaigns over the years, but «Just Do It» has been the constant. Every ad, every campaign, every communication reinforces that same central message.

The claim in advertising works on multiple levels:

• Rational level: Communicates something about your brand
• Emotional level: Generates a specific sensation
• Aspirational level: Connects with what your customer wants to be

How to choose the perfect claim for your campaign

Choosing the right claim in advertising isn’t coincidence. It requires strategy, research, and lots of testing.

Step 1: Know your audience deeply Before writing a single word, you need to understand:

• What really motivates them?
• What are their fears and aspirations?
• How do they talk among themselves?
• What values do they share?

Step 2: Define your brand personality Your claim must be consistent with who you are:

• Are you serious or fun?
• Innovative or traditional?
• Premium or accessible?
• Rebellious or established?

Step 3: Study your competition Not to copy, but to differentiate:

• What is everyone saying?
• What territory is free?
• Where can you stand out?

Step 4: Create multiple options Never fall in love with your first idea. Create at least 20 different options and then filter.

Step 5: Test everything A claim in marketing that seems genius to you might be confusing to your audience. Always test before launching.

Examples of successful advertising claims

Here are the claims in advertising that have made history and why they work so well:

«Just Do It» (Nike): It doesn’t sell shoes, it sells attitude. It challenges you to overcome your excuses and act. It’s universal (we all have excuses) but specific (about action and sports).