Imagine you are building a privacy-focused client-side encrypted cloud storage for individuals. Sounds sexy, huh? Maybe to a few, but certainly not to the majority.

So how do we make people notice our great product? We decided to find a catchy slogan for Unio and hope that it works.

Setting the goal

A slogan should quickly get your message across, so we first had to understand what’s the one thing we want people to know about Unio. It is hard. You have so many things to say. Nonetheless, we distilled the value proposition to this:

Unlike regular cloud storage, we don’t have access to your data. That’s why we wouldn’t be able to sell to advertisers (as some tech companies do) or reveal it to authorities, even if we wanted to.

Ok, message defined. Let’s fire up those neurons and brain some storms (or storm some brains?).

Coming up with options

Telegram of cloud storage

Ok for a first attempt. Describes the product rather well - as long as you know Telegram, that is. Eye-catching? Not really.

We have therefore decided we wanted something punchier, something you would tell your friends and colleagues about.

Unio is like a Black Hole. What goes in, never gets out

Cool. Relevant. Black Hole is a hot topic. Situational marketing. A bit too long though and requires an image of a black hole to go with it, so rather hard to transmit the message in a conversation.

Back to the drawing board. Well, we don’t really have a board. So, back to a piece of paper. Part 2 of the brainstorm brought several “Have they really said it?” ideas. So here it comes…

What Jennifer should’ve used

Ouch. If you don’t remember, there was this scandal a few years back with leaked celebrity images — Jennifer Lawrence was one of them. The story is too old though, but luckily there’s a newer one, so how about “What Hillary should’ve used”? Next…

Why is this NSA agent crying? Cause he couldn’t access your data.

Quite a funny one. Too long for a slogan, but maybe we could later use in another context.

Let’s go from government and politics to tech. Maybe that’s more relevant for the product?

The day Zuck cried

Mmmmm.

Cloud storage that Google doesn’t want you to use

Will we get sued for that?

For stuff you wouldn’t put on GDrive

Describes exactly the kind of files you could store on Unio, but still not catchy enough.

Pay with your money, not your data

Now we are getting closer. Let’s add more punch to it. Let’s make it bolder. Let’s make people stop for a moment and think “Whaaaaat? Aahh, I get it”

We want your money, not your data

That’s it. Aha moment. Celebration. Cheering. Everyone talking about us. Sorry, getting ahead of myself (and ahead of time).

Kidding aside though, did that make you go: “Whaaaaat? Aahh, I get it”. Please, say yes. If no, here’s what we wanted to say with this.

We are honest. We say upfront, that as a company we have costs. But we find it unethical to make money by selling your data, so we think it’s fair to charge a subscription fee.

Conclusion

Is this slogan “a bit too much”? Maybe. But what’s the point of being boring and average?

Will this slogan work? We don’t know, but it certainly does transmit the message we want people to hear.

Will it go viral? Well, if you share this story with your friends, it might ;)