Here's to the real thing: The best slogans of all time

Most of the time, I tend to view advertising with the same level of appreciation that I reserve for bacteria, intestinal parasites, and Jessica Simpson. All four things are annoying, constant, and inescapable. Admittedly, they may be beneficial at times; after all, bacteria is responsible for the flavor of cheese, intestinal parasites can help one lose weight, and pop culture has kept Ms. Simpson off welfare. Still, given a choice, I'll generally choose to avoid them.

That having been said, there are times when advertising moves beyond annoying chatter and approaches transcendence. For example, anyone who was politically aware in the mid 1980's will probably remember the famous "Where's the Beef?" slogan that made its way from Wendy's commercials to Fritz Mondale's lips.

Similarly, the term "Breakfast of Champions," while a great message for Wheaties, was also a wonderfully surreal title for Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions. Some, like Miller Light's "Great taste, less filling," practically beg to be used as a punchline; others, like Clairol's "Does she...or doesn't she?" are redolent with double entendres.

Recently, looking over Inc.com's Ten Best Slogans of All Time, I began to think that, maybe, there's something to be said for the perfect slogan. After all, when it comes to latching on to emotional truth, you just can't beat the real thing!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. Apple's "Think Different" campaign inspired him to deface a lot of posters by adding the suffix "-ly." Is that "different" enough for you, Steve Jobs?!?