That Hannah Jones

The Power of the Sluagh-Ghairm

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Did you know the word “slogan” comes from the Scottish Gaelic term sluagh-ghairm? In English, it’s pronounced /SLOO-uh gahr-um/ and, it was the literal battle cry used to rally the clans into combat. It was a fierce, focused declaration that shouted: This is who we are.

The O’Neill clan would shout “Lámh‑derg abú” (“Red Hand to victory”) to rally warriors. While The O’Donnell clan used “O’Donnell Abú” (“To victory, O’Donnell!”), immortalized in the traditional Irish anthem. Other Gaelic cries like “Faugh a Ballagh” (“Clear the way!”) were also used across Ireland and Scotland.

The purpose of the sluagh-ghairm was never hype. But in one cry, they effectively communicated identity, unity, and a shared mission. It was primal. Purposeful. Powerful.

Just imagine standing there, shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of others who share your name, your bloodlines, and your predicament. Together, you shout that family name, a thousand voices strong, across a field at your enemy. They threaten to steal your land and your people and answer your cries with their own. It flips a switch in you. Drums beat. Shields pound. Louder and louder the voices rise. A fierce loyalty ignites inside you. Fear falls away, replaced by frenzied anger and wild excitement. You are ready to run. To fight. There is literal fire in your bones. That’s the power of a sluagh-ghairm.

In business, internal culture, branding clarity, and convictions are the weapons of our modern warfare. We are up against the overwhelmingly incessant onslaught of over-saturated markets and facing off with advertising fatigue.

It’s almost an afterthought, for some, to throw up a pun or witty-type slogan. People place them on websites, business cards, and social bios but they’re often watered down or forgotten.

It’s not about sounding clever. People don’t remember clever; they remember conviction. They remember the cry that rallies them to action.

A powerful recent example of this happened in November 2024. Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke led a haka and captured the world’s attention. The haka is a ceremonial war dance performed by the Indigenous Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Today it’s often performed to show collective strength, honor, and resolve. However, this one was about grief, solidarity, and cultural pride to protest a bill they believed would undermine Indigenous rights. Watch how a single cry, shared by many, stirs your emotions and demands respect and attention. This the power of a sluagh-ghairm in action.

A Sluagh-Ghairm That Works

In branding, we are not calling people to war, but we are calling them to care. To align. To move. That kind of resonance can’t be faked, it must be felt.

We can see that in Nike. Their now-iconic slogan “Just Do It” became so much more than a tagline. It called out fear, hesitation, and self-doubt, and rallied people to act. It speaks to athletes, dreamers, and everyday individuals alike. That’s the power of a well-forged sluagh-ghairm: it transcends products and becomes a movement.

A sluagh-ghairm is something your team feels before it ever becomes words. It’s what your customers already sense when they interact with you. When it finally shows up in a sentence, it feels inevitable. Like of course that’s what you’d say. It couldn’t be anything else. If your slogan doesn’t move you, it won’t move anyone else.

A sluagh-ghairm rises from the very bones of your business. It should be bold, repeatable, and unmistakable. It should capture your core purpose and carry your cause while it energizes your team and lingers with your audience. That’s what separates a hollow tagline from a rally cry that actually works.

Take Patagonia, for example. Their slogan isn’t trying to be catchy, it’s their mission and they are inviting you to join them. “We’re in business to save our home planet.” It’s the filter for every decision they make, from supply chain and hiring to marketing and partnerships. Their customers repeat it because it’s real. Their team lives it because it’s at the core of everything they believe.

Instant Impact Action Step: Before you settle on a slogan, say it out loud. Would your team shout it back? “Welcome to Moes!” Would they say it in a meeting? Would your customers recognize it as true? If it feels hollow or forced, it’s not ready.

Fortune 500 Brand Slogans

Now let’s look at a few real slogans from among the top Fortune 500 companies. Think about each one and ask yourself:

A) Does it unite people around a common purpose?
B) Is it echoed internally and lived out by their team, or just used externally in ads?
C) Has your experience with, or knowledge of, these brands been in line with what their slogan’s promise?
D) Is this a tagline or are a sluagh-ghairm?

Forging Your Own Sluagh-Ghairm

You are not alone if you are asking yourself, “how do I craft a slogan that carries that much meaning?“

You want something that will stir your team and signal your mission to the world. It’s no small feat! But it starts by digging deep, pondering repeatedly, and asking yourself things like:

• What is the ultimate goal we are striving for?
• What do I say on repeat to people about us?
• What makes the hard days worth coming back?
• What do we want to be known for, even decades from now?
• What do people feel after working with us, buying from us, or experiencing what we offer?
• If our business disappeared tomorrow, what would people say they miss most?
• Are employees exhausted, and wishing they were anywhere other than here?
• Is customer satisfaction and retention high or low?
• Are you lacking support, resources, knowledge, or growth in any area(s)?

But beyond pondering these types of questions, to craft a powerful Sluagh-Ghairm, you will need to do three things:

1. Define Your Non-Negotiable

What do you refuse to compromise on? Maybe it’s integrity, innovation, craftsmanship, creativity, sustainability, or speed. That core value becomes your North Star.

2. Name the Transformation

What changes for your customer because of you? Think beyond transactions, what shift happens in their mindset, their life, or their outcome?

3. Find the Fire

What short phrase could someone shout that gives your team chills and sparks curiosity in your audience? That’s your rally cry. But don’t confuse short with small, and remember that purpose beats polish.

Instant Impact Action Step: Take 30 minutes and draft three versions of your sluagh-ghairm. Keep each one under eight words. Then ask:
A) Would my team proudly shout this?
B) Would my customer remember this?
C) Does it sound like us—and only us?
Choose your strongest version and test it. Put it on a sticky note. Use it in at least one piece of content this week. Say it to, or around, customers and/or employees a few times. If it gives you chills, you’re on to something real.

Your sluagh-ghairm will become your litmus test in your day to day decisions. It should guide internal culture and external messaging alike. It should shape your decisions, fuel your team culture, and echo through everything the world sees and hears from you.

When it’s real, it leans into clarity, conviction, and culture. It’s not safe. It’s not vague. It’s not trendy. It’s bold, it’s bone-deep, and it moves people. Because your slogan isn’t just a tagline. It’s your banner. Your drumbeat. Your call to arms.

Do you already have your sluagh-ghairm? Drop it in the comments or tag me on social. I’d love to celebrate your rally cry with you.

Need help discovering it? Let’s connect. I’ll help you uncover the words that already live at the heart of what you do.

Because in a world full of noise, a true sluagh-ghairm doesn’t blend in—it stands up. It rallies your people. It resonates with your audience. It reminds everyone what you’re fighting for. Forget catchy. Choose conviction. Don’t chase trends. Chase truth.

So whether you’re launching a brand, leading a team, or rewriting your message, don’t ask, What sounds good? Ask, What do we believe in so deeply we’d shout it across the field? That’s your sluagh-ghairm.

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