Today, "think different." The University of Houston's College of Engineering presents this series about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity created them.

We're surrounded by them. They greet us at breakfast, follow us to work, and intrude on our Internet and TV time. They're advertisements — slogans in particular.

Food's always been a popular subject for slogans. Our morning coffee may be "good to the last drop" while we eat the "breakfast of champions." "Got milk" to go with it? For lunch, you can "have it your way," or at least have something that's "m'm m'm good." Perhaps you'd prefer "two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun." You won't be left to ask, "where's the beef?" And if you "can't believe you ate the whole thing," just remember: "plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is."

Beverages hold a special place in the world of slogans. If it's "everything you always wanted in a beer, and less," then you know it also "tastes great," but is "less filling." And can you imagine that "when you say [this beer's name], you've said it all"? Now that's powerful.

But it's still not the "real thing." That's reserved for a beverage that is "it," and whose bottler would like to "grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves." It, however, is not "the choice of a new generation." That title belongs to a beverage once sponsored by none other than Michael Jackson.

Great slogans aren't limited to businesses. Government, charities, and other organizations get in on the act, too. We're invited to "be all that we can be" and reminded that "a mind is a terrible thing to waste." One university is "Advancing knowledge. Transforming lives." Another proclaims, "No fences." You can imagine it isn't located in a large population center.

Of course, not all slogans are great. The "Houston's Hot" campaign fizzled thanks to a little too much sizzle. The city should've taken a lesson from NASA, touting instead Houston's "long summers, mild winters." One airline's "MEETING maker" fare sounded good, but was a real eye-popper when read with the wrong emphasis: the "meeting MAKER" fare. I for one have no desire to meet my maker on a plane flight.

So what makes a great slogan? That's a tough question. Short. Clever. Even annoying. Who can forget this one?

[Audio: "Ring around the collar, ring around the collar!"]

It doesn't hurt to have a catchy tune attached or a multi-million dollar budget for getting the message out. But whatever else they are, slogans are creative. So as you go through your day, sit back and reflect on the slogans all around you. "You deserve a break today." So "think outside the bun." And "just do it."

I'm Andy Boyd at the University of Houston, where we're … Learning. Leading.

(Theme music)

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The products and slogans mentioned in this episode:

Apple Computers	Think different.
Maxwell House Coffee	Good to the last drop.
Wheaties	The breakfast of champions.
Burger King	Have it your way.
Campbell's Soups	M'm m'm good.
McDonald's	Two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun.
Wendy's	Where's the beef?
Alka Seltzer	I can't believe I ate the whole thing.
Alka Seltzer	Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh, what a relief it is.
Miller Lite	Everything you always wanted in a beer, and less.
Miller Lite	Tastes great. Less filling.
Budweiser	When you've said Budweiser, you've said it all.
Coke	It's the real thing.
Coke	Coke is it.
Coke	I'd like to buy the world a home, and furnish it with love. Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves. (Partial lyrics from a song as part of the "real thing" campaign.)
Pepsi	The choice of a new generation.
United States Army	Be all that you can be.
UNCF	A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Michigan State U.	Advancing knowledge. Transforming lives.
U. of Idaho	No fences. (Now retired.)
Wisk Detergent	Ring around the collar.
McDonald's	You deserve a break today, so get up and get away to McDonald's.
Taco Bell	Think outside the bun.
Nike	Just do it.
U. of Houston	Learning. Leading.

Pictures are taken from the web sites of Michigan State University and the University of Houston.