The Dogs Trust ‘A dog is for life...’ slogan celebrates 35 years: is it the most ripped off slogan of all time?
As the Dogs Trust celebrates its 35th anniversary of its ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ slogan, the charity looks at how the trademark has been imitated by brands such as Asda, NHS and Ann Summers.
The slogan was first thought up by Clarissa Baldwin, then head of PR for the charity and now the CEO.
Baldwin discussed the creation of the slogan: “Thirty five years ago buying a dog as a Christmas presents was seen as totally acceptable and, unfortunately, rather commonplace. The National Canine Defence League (now Dogs Trust) was struggling to cope with the high numbers of stray dogs, and so as head of PR, I wanted to come up with a campaign to capture the imagination of the country and highlight the callous way in which puppies were being bought on a whim only to be abandoned, in a similar style to how other presents are discarded- both at Christmas and all year round. It also needed to highlight that a dog should be part of its owner’s life, for life. There was little money so the campaign had to be cheap, memorable, sustainable and relevant for the whole year, not just Christmas.
“I was discussing this dilemma with my husband one evening, scribbling various ideas down on a piece of paper and one sentence came to mind which encapsulated everything the charity was trying to say. That’s when “A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas” was born. We used the slogan in our PR campaign that November and I’m proud to say it’s still a huge part of our marketing strategy today.”
The slogan has since been used by a huge number of brands, such as Asda’s ‘a job is for life’ and ‘a diamond is for life’ from Rubinstein Keightley Goldsmiths.
Discussing the many similar slogans, Baldwin said: “It’s interesting that it has been copied so many times, and I take it as a compliment. I think the fact that it has been around for so long helps; it’s not a new fad, it’s something firmly placed in people’s consciousness from years of PR, advertising and marketing activity. It’s simple, memorable and easily customisable – not something I thought about initially, but in some ways I think that helps it stick in people’s minds.”
Does the fact that the slogan has been copied by so many add to its success?
- Here are a few slogans from over the years that bear a remarkable similarity to that of the Dogs Trust slogan:
A bag is for life….Taria LTD
A bathroom is for life…bathrooms@source
A Bichon Frise is for life….Dogs4Us
A bike is for life….Cycle Training UK Ltd
A cake is for life…Oliver Bonas
A car is for life….Bristol Street Motors
A child is for life…SOS Children
A diamond is for life…Rubinstein Keightley Goldsmiths
A goat is for life…FARM Africa
A Jaguar is for life…www.nathaniel
A job is for life…ASDA
A rabbit is for life….Ann Summers
Sprouts are for life…Sprouts Bite Back
Pussycat Dolls are for life….
You lungs are for life….NHS
Content created with:
Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust is an animal welfare charity and humane society in the United Kingdom which specialises in the well-being of dogs. The charity rehabilitates and...
Find out more