(Originally entitled How Slogans Can Make a Difference, for my Babble On column in the Sunstar Davao, January 18, 2008)
In a recent issue of Forbes Asia magazine, there was an article on “Slogans That Work.” It talked about how corporate catchphrases and mottos can be effective, provided that there is some substance behind it.
Meaning, they work only if the companies do actually support these mottos, and aren’t just using them as mere wordplay. For mottos to work, companies have to mean what they say, and essentially, say what they mean.
One example that the Forbes article cites is Nintendo. For years, the Japanese gaming company rallied around the motto of “The Blue Ocean.” Blue Ocean strategy basically says that companies shouldn’t battle it out in an already saturated market, but should instead develop uncontested market space with limitless potential.
And Nintendo did exactly that. Nintendo sidestepped the standard gaming market and aimed instead at people who never played videogames before. Uncontested market space equaled limitless profits.
Nintendo produced the Wii, which has attracted new gamers and is especially popular with women and older players. These were people who were never even considered part of the videogame market. Nintendo Wiis now outsell the products of Sony (the Playstation 3) and Microsoft (Xbox 360).
Nintendo’s Blue Ocean made a difference and succeeded because it wasn’t mere wordplay for them. It was their way of corporate life. It was a motto that became part of the corporate culture.
(Btw- In the Philippines, early advocates of the Blue Ocean strategy are Francis Kong and Josiah Go, who both teach seminars on the subject.)
In the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila prides itself in “creating men and women for others.” This is not mere wordplay either. One only has to look at the number of social entrepreneurs that make up the alumni of this school. For example, Harvey Keh created Pathways to Higher Education, which helps less-fortunate students from public schools receive quality university education.
Atty. Carlos Medina, a graduate of the Ateneo School of Law, went into alternative lawyering (where lawyers essentially work for free ) and became head of the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC).
The AHRC’s clients aren’t the top moneymakers. Instead, their clients are people like the Sumilao Farmers, poor and indigent, but in need of legal assistance.
Ateneo continues to mold men and women for others, because that institution supports its motto by believing in it, living it and breathing it everyday. Pathways and the AHRC are actively supported by the Ateneo leadership; both organizations have offices within the Ateneo campuses.
In the curriculum of the Ateneo itself, there are even classes which require immersion in poorer communities, in order to expose the studentry to those not so blessed in life. The Ateneo also actively supports and encourages the Jesuit Volunteer Program (JVP) among its students.
It’s no wonder that Ateneo continues to produce selfless graduates, men and women for others, such as Benigno Aquino, who literally came home to the Philippine from exile to die. He believed in his motto that “the Filipino is worth dying for.”
Mottos aren’t just mere words. They can embody an entire culture and lifestyle, provided the corporation, institution or person wants it, supports it and believes in it. Then and only then can the motto make a difference.
As a law student and writer, I know the power of words. I make my living off of them, after all. I believe in the power of words so much, I made my blog and column’s personal motto revolve around it: “Making a difference one word at a time.”
I try and stay true to that motto every time I write. It’s a heady responsibility, knowing that with each word I put down, I am trying to make a difference in the life of my readers. It makes me more careful of what I write, and of the thoughts I consider putting down on paper.
So I continue to write and try to make a difference — whether it is through expanding the political point of view of my readers, sharing a lesson I learned with them, or simply just blogging a random thought, I hope my words can make a difference, one way or the other.
Whether I succeed or not like Nintendo and the Ateneo did however, is another story entirely. But I keep trying. One word at a time.
Your motto and your words can make a difference – you just have to stay true to them. And most of all, you have to believe in them.
So what’s your motto?
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Interesting. I think Starbuck’s mission statement, which deals with excellent customer service, is a strategy they implement in their corporate procedure. As much as it’s difficult to side with big corporations like that, I believe that their ability to consistently give good customer service is a huge reason for their success. Thus, I’d have to agree, following through with a motto can be crucial to a company’s success. It gives them direction and challenges them to continuously strive for the best.
nice. i like it. and i think that it IS possible for organizations to stick to their motto to make their business better. most formally, I have as well seen mottoes really change to way schools market themselves to prospective students.
…you may have just inspired me to write a quick post about my stated blog motto, i still believe in it…
there are other good examples of blue ocean strategy.
One is IBM and HP’s strategy to redefine the server market by introduce ‘blade’ servers.
The other is the attempt now to introduce ‘thin clients’.
I put also my motto into my blog. For mine is I may be a learned scholar, a successful businessman, or a good father and husband, but until I am all three, I have not succeeded
I try to remind myself that business success cannot compensate for failure as a father and husband…and that it is important to continue to learn.
All the best, and congrats. Your new blog looks good, and the posts are thought provoking.
To Th rive, Wilson Ng and Todd S.
Thanks for the comments! I am glad that you found the post thought provoking, and am especially happy with the extra insights you all shared.
There are actually many examples now of Blue Ocean strategy, and i hope to one day write some more on the topic.
Thanks and take care all!
just want to state that Ninoy is also a product of UP, and is an Upsilonian as well.
The Upsilon has a doctrine called The Imperatives – Brotherhood, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership, and Service.
Marcos is an Upsilonian as well, but that’s a different story altogether.
Don’t monopolize the greatness of one man for the Ateneo. I’m sure the combination of Ateneo education and Upsilonian ideals helped shape him.
[...] How Your Motto Can Make a Difference – a column piece which talked about personal mottos or slogans which can define yourself, your work and even your company. [...]
My motto is simply ‘celebrate maternity’. So when I received a comment that one of the designs at Materni-Tee.com was negative and upsetting to a few mothers-to-be I deleted it.