Hi, my name is Eric Swartz…and I’m a man of few words. I get a kick out of witty proverbs, pithy quotations, funny headlines, catchy slogans, and bouncy jingles.

Since sloganeering is a blend of art and persuasion, my inspiration comes from the world of advertising, politics, entertainment, popular culture, and, of course, everyday language.

I enjoy distilling the message and meaning of big ideas and then devising memorable ways to craft and communicate them.

Here’s a brief description of my professional journey:

I’m the founder and president of Tagline Guru, a branding agency dedicated exclusively to the creation, integration, and packaging of taglines, slogans, names, and other essential brand messages and expressions.

Since 1975, I have created several thousand brand expressions, names, and concepts for companies, non-profit associations, public corporations, municipalities, destination marketing organizations, universities, political campaigns, publications, blogs, and events.

I started my career as an advertising copywriter, and then worked as a grantswriter, fundraiser, and TV writer/producer before serving in senior marketing and communications management positions at several companies, including SPRINT, GTE, Ziff Communications, and The Thomson Corporation.

In addition to being founder and president of Tagline Guru, I’m president of The Byline Group, a full-service communications agency specializing in brand auditing, assessment, and analysis. I’m also president of Great Destinotions, a branding agency serving the aspirations of communities, councils, and consortia involved in promoting tourism, recreation, and economic development.

Since 1996, I have created branding concepts, campaigns, and programs for more than 200 organizations. I’m also the creator of the Brand Audit, Assessment & Analysis™ (BA3™), which has proven to be a successful tool for building and renovating brand identities, clarifying brand messages, and strengthening competitive positions.

I’ve been a guest lecturer in brand messaging at Golden Gate University, served as a contributor to the Smart Answers column on BusinessWeek.com, and also served as a juror for the Northern California “Brandies” awards.

I received my A.B. in Communication & Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, and my M.A. in Communications from The Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, where I was an instructor in film theory and history.

My academic background is in the areas of rhetoric, linguistics, semiotics, cultural anthropology, communications theory, literary theory, film criticism, and visual communication. And, not surprisingly, my favorite board game is Scrabble^®.

Scrabble^® is a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc.