Tagline Guru Releases List of Top 100 American Movie Taglines

“Alien” Gets Top Billing in Survey That Ranks Movie Taglines Based on Humor, Attitude, Expression, and Influence on Popular Culture

Tagline Guru, the world’s preeminent authority on taglines and slogans, today released its survey of the Top 100 American movie taglines.

According to a survey of 500 American advertising and branding professionals, the tagline used to publicize the film, “Alien,” In space no one can hear you scream, was ranked #1 out of more than 300 submitted nominations.

According to Eric Swartz, president of Tagline Guru, “More credit should be given to the taglines used in movie advertising campaigns. A good tagline can create buzz, mold public opinion, and strengthen a film’s overall appeal.”

Swartz continues: “The goal of this survey was to discover which movie taglines are the most creative, original, and memorable, and whether they demonstrate an ability to influence popular language and culture.”

Of the 300 movie taglines nominated from a compiled list of more than 1,500, respondents were asked to rank their top ten movie taglines.
The Top 10 American Movie Taglines

1.
In space no one can hear you scream.
Alien (1979)

2.
Houston, we have a problem.
Apollo 13 (1995)

3.
They’re back.
Poltergeist II (1986)

4.
We are not alone.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

5.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.
Jaws 2 (1978)

6.
Who ya gonna call?
Ghostbusters (1984)

7.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Star Wars (1977)

8.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
The Fly (1986)

9.
The list is life.
Schindler’s List (1993)

10.
Earth. It was fun while it lasted.
Armageddon (1998)

View the Top 100 Movie Taglines.

Eighty-five of the top 100 movie taglines were from films released after 1980.

“Contemporary taglines are typically more clever and tongue-in-cheek than older ones, which rely on superlatives and dramatic clichés,” said Swartz. “Sophisticated movie audiences tend to respond favorably to taglines that don’t take themselves too seriously, and reveal some surprising or humorous universal truth.”

Tagline Guru is the world’s most scholarly resource on taglines. Its president, Eric Swartz, has created more than 10,000 brand expressions, names, and concepts for companies, non-profits, municipalities, universities, campaigns, publications, and events.

Contacts

Tagline Guru
Eric Swartz, 650-573-9009
Eric {at} TaglineGuru(.)com