Catchy phrases are used all the time, in movies, television, sports, and advertising. And the reason we remember them for the longest time is because they are so easy to pick up on and so very difficult to forget. Some of them are so memorable and catchy, you’ll be surprised.
Apple orchard banana cat dance 8-6-6-3!
Remember that? The jingle that Marshall Ericksen coined to remember his password for the bar exam results website in “How I Met Your Mother” (Season III, Episode 8: Spoiler Alert)?. It is nonsensical of course, but rather catchy and infectious too.
That’s the thing about catchy phrases and lines – whether it is a product slogan or a sports tag line, they strike chords and make points (funny, profound, or otherwise) that make them retention-friendly. These phrases, and sometimes their overuse, are the reasons why we remember certain products, items, and above all, certain people. Check out some of the snazziest catchlines that have ever been coined below.
Catchy Phrases to be Tried Out on Friends!
The Big Bang Theory: Season 5, Episode 2 – The Infestation Hypothesis
Remember the one where Sheldon kept obsessing about Penny’s red sofa that she had picked up from the road and paid some random guy to get it up to her apartment? I loved the way Penny greeted him each time Sheldon knocked on her door in order to convince her to get rid of it. It went like this.
Sheldon: *Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
Penny: What’s up, buttercup?
After the first slamming of the door.
Sheldon: *Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
Penny: What’s the word, hummingbird?
After the second slamming of the door.
Sheldon: *Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
*Knock knock knock* Penny.
Penny: What’s the gist, physicist?
Snazzy Catchlines
~ What’s the story, morning glory?
~ What’s new, morning brew?
~ Why so wary, sugared-dairy?
~ What’s the scene, jelly bean?
~ Fiddle-de-dum! Morning, chum!
~ What’s cookin’, good lookin’?
~ I’m the boss, applesauce!
~ Yes, indeed, pumpkin seed.
~ Take a hike, Mike! (Say it in the quintessential Rajesh Ramayan “Raj” Koothrappali way and you are golden!)
Catchy Phrases from Sitcoms
Over the years, the moving reels have given us catchphrases that have become legen-wait for it-dary in their own right. They are oft-repeated and never fail to serve their purpose of adding that punch to any conversation when slipped in ad libitum. Let’s check some of these little verbal pieces of awesomeness out below that have rocked our world time and again. And fair warning again, mortals: I know that a Ted Mosby would call some of the specimens below “catchwords” and not “catchphrases” (reference: Well, technically, “awesome” wouldn’t be a catchphrase. If anything, it’s more of a catchword. – Season III, Episode 8: Spoiler Alert), but let’s go with calling them catchphrases just for the fun of it, ok?
Catchy Phrases from Bugs Bunny
What’s up, doc?
Variations:
What’s up, dogs? ~ To the antagonists in “A Hare Grows in Manhattan”
What’s up, Duke? ~ To the knight in “Knight-mare Hare”
What’s up, prune-face? ~ To the aged Elmer in “The Old Grey Hare”
What’s up, Duck? ~ To Daffy Duck
What’s all the hub-bub, bub? ~ In “Falling Hare”
What’s up, Darth? ~ To a blaster-wielding Marvin, the Martian in “Looney Tunes: Back In Action”
Catchy Phrases from The Simpsons
Homer Simpson
D’oh!
Woo Hoo!
Why you little!
Stupid Flanders…
Holy Moly!
Ned Flanders
Hi-Diddly-Ho!
Okily Dokily!
Bart Simpson
Eat My Shorts!
Whoa, mama!
Don’t Have a Cow, Man!
Ay Caramba!
I’m Bart Simpson, who the Hell are You?
Aww Man’!
Eep! (Said whenever he realizes he’s in serious trouble)
I didn’t do it! (Sometimes followed by: Nobody saw me do it. You can’t prove anything!)
Charles Montgomery Burns
Release the Hounds!
Catchy Phrases from FRIENDS
How you doin’? ~ Joseph Francis “Joey” Tribbiani, Jr.
Yeah, yeah, and you were going to give him, you know, your flower. ~ Monica Elizabeth Geller
We were on a BREAK! ~ Ross Eustace Geller
OH… MY… GAWD! ~ Janice Hosenstein (Said with a pause after every word and in the most annoying nasal tone EVER!)
Well, I gotta buy a vowel. ~ Janice Hosenstein
Ohhh, are you a puppy! ~ Janice Hosenstein
Catchy Phrases from Sex and the City
Until he says “I love you”, you’re a free agent. ~ Samantha Jones (Season III, Episode 10: All or Nothing)
Here. Swear. Swear on Chanel. ~ Carrie Bradshaw (Season IV, Episode 11: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda)
I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes! ~ Carrie Bradshaw (Season IV, Episode 16: Ring A Ding Ding)
He’s just not that into you. ~ Jack Berger (Season VI, Episode 4: Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little)
The fact is, sometimes it’s hard to walk in a single woman’s shoes. That’s why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun. ~ Carrie Bradshaw (Season VI, Episode 9: A Woman’s Right to Shoes)
Catchy Phrases from The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon Lee Cooper
I am not crazy/insane. My mother had me tested.
Bazinga!
There, there.
You’re in my spot.
Cathedra mea, regulae meae. (That’s Latin for “My chair, my rules.”)
Social protocol states when a friend is upset, you offer them a hot beverage, such as tea.
It’s not a cartoon, it’s anime.
Ah, gravity – thou art a heartless bitch.
If you have time to lean you have time to clean.
Sarcasm?
I can’t be impossible. I exist.
Scissors cut paper. Paper covers rock. Rock crushes lizard. Lizard poisons Spock. Spock smashes scissors. Scissors decapitates lizard. Lizard eats paper. Paper disproves Spock. Spock vaporizes rock. And, as it always has, rock crushes scissors. ~ The rules of “rock-paper-scissors- lizard-Spock” as explained by the one and only in a single breath.
Penny, I have an IQ of 187. If there were any way for me to get soup at home, don’t you think I would have thought of it?
Penny
Holy crap on a cracker!
No Shirt. No Shoes. No Sheldon.
Oh, you’re going to jibber-jabber about jibber-jabber?!
Mrs. Wolowitz
Howard, the phone is ringing!
Catchy Phrases from How I Met Your Mother
Robin, have I ever told you that I have been vomit-free since ’93? ~ Theodore Evelyn “Ted” Mosby
You mean figuratively! ~ Theodore Evelyn “Ted” Mosby
But…umm ~ Robin Charles Scherbatsky, Jr.
Lawyered! ~ Marshall Ericksen
Where’s the poop, Robin? ~ Lillian “Lily” Aldrin
More Phrases from How I Met Your Mother: The Domain of The Barnacle (Barney Stinson)
Let’s just face it, this man has single-handedly revolutionized and upped the status of certain ordinary words and phrases to unfathomable heights. He deserves – Nay, demands – a separate section of his own.
~ True story. ~ Daddy’s home.
~ Haaaave you met Ted?
~ Challenge accepted!
~ De – wait for it – nied! Denied!
~ Suit up!
Variations:
~ I’m birthday-suiting up!
~ I penguin-suited up
~ Flight-suit up!
~ Law-suit up!
Barney Stinson: Legen – wait for it – dary Deliveries!
It’s going to be legen – wait for it – and I hope you’re not lactose intolerant, because the second half of the word is – dairy! Legendary!
Tonight is gonna be legen – wait are we sure it’s a good idea to go to a strip club.. Shut up Lily I’m in charge now – dary!
It will be legen – no I’m not waiting for it, and neither should Marvin, so maybe you two should just die right now – dary!
More Barney Stinson: Legen – wait for it – dary Deliveries!
Barney: Dude, working together is gonna be legen – wait for it – I’ll send you an inter-office memo with the rest ’cause we freakin’ work together!
Trish: (Later that day) Excuse me Mr. Stinson…
Barney: NOT NOW TRISH!
Trish: But there’s an urgent memo for Mr Mosby. (She hands Ted the memo)
Ted: (Reads memo) Dary.
Barney: LEGENDARY!!
Barney: It’s gonna be legen – I’m not waitin’ for it any longer
Quinn: (Post-coitus) Dary!
Barney Stinson: High Five” versions
~ Self-five! ~ Almighty Five!
~ I request the highest of Fives!
~ Phone Five! ~ High V!
~ Hypothetical High Five!
~ Mental self-five!
~ High Two ~ Arthritis Five!
~ Relapse Five! ~ Retraction Five
~ Solemn Low Five
~ A high five doesn’t even cut it.
~ High Six! ~ Tiny Five
~ Freeze Frame High Five!
~ Multiple High Fives!
~ Door Five! ~ Motility Five!
~ Claw Five! ~ Wordplay Five!
~ Condolence Five
Popular Catchy Phrases from Movies
Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. – Rhett Butler in “Gone with the Wind” (1939)
The stuff that dreams are made of. – Sam Spade in “The Maltese Falcon” (1941)
A martini. Shaken, not stirred. – James Bond in “Goldfinger” (1964)
I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse. – Vito Corleone in “The Godfather” (1972)
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. – Michael Corleone in “The Godfather Part II” (1974)
I feel the need – the need for speed! – Lt. Pete Mitchell and Lt. Nick Bradshaw in “Top Gun” (1986)
Hasta la vista, baby. – The Terminator in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
My precious… – Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings:The Two Towers” (2002)
Why so serious? – Joker in “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Catchy Business and Advertising Taglines
Advertising is all about catchy phrases and wordplay to make a quick point. After all, the secret to a successful advertising campaign is to employ words that make an impression for a long time to come. So, let’s have a look at the list of slogans that say it all.
I am what I am. – Reebok
Because life’s complicated enough. – Abbey National
Because you’re worth it. (Originally: Because I’m worth it.) – L’Oréal
The future’s bright – the future’s Orange – Orange (UK)
Don’t live a little, live a lotto. – Lotto
Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline. – Maybelline
It’s fun to play together. – Xbox LIVE
The world’s local bank. – HSBC
Intel inside. – Intel
Impossible is Nothing – Adidas
Grace, space, pace. – Jaguar
Power, Beauty and Soul. – Aston Martin
Challenge everything. – Electronic Arts
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. – State Farm Insurance
Innovation. – 3M
Ideas That Last. – A.T. Kearney
The Company To Remember for Life. – American National Insurance Company
A Promise for Life. – Abbott Laboratories
Guardian. Enriching the lives of people we touch. – Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
It’s All About. – ACC Bank
Bottom line, a better value. – Wausau Insurance
The power to help you succeed. – Pacific Life Insurance
We mean clean. – Bissell Inc.
The quicker picker-upper. – Bounty
Does she…or doesn’t she? – Clairol
Look Ma, no cavities! – Crest
High performance. Delivered. – Accenture
Catchy Food and Drink Phrases
A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play. – Mars bar (Australia)
Melts in your mouth, not in your hand. – M&M’s
Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat. – Kit Kat
You don’t just buy a Bournville, you earn it. – Cadbury Bournville
I’m Lovin’ It – McDonald’s
Have it your way – Burger King
It’s finger lickin’ good. – Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
A sandwich is a sandwich, but a Manwich is a meal. – Manwich
Eat Fresh – Subway
Once you pop, the fun don’t stop. (Originally: Once you pop, you just can’t stop.) – Pringles
Nobody bakes a cake as tasty as a Tastykake. – Tastykake
Clover, loved all over. – Clover butter
Du pain, du vin, du Boursin. – Boursin (cheese)
When it rains, it pours. – Morton Salt
Pleasure is the path to joy. – Häagen-Dazs
Fill your cup to the rim with Brim. – Brim Coffee
Good to the last drop – Maxwell House
Be yourself. Be refreshing. Be 7 Up. – 7 UP
Look for the real things. – Coca-Cola
For Those Who Think Young/The Joy of Pepsi-Cola – Pepsi
The King of Beers – Budweiser
If you want to impress someone, put him on your Black list. – Black label (Johnnie Walker)
Single source of inspiration – Glenfiddich Scotch Whisky
Not a drop is sold till it’s seven years old – Jameson Irish Whiskey
The sweet smell of success. – The Macallan Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Ardbeg. The Islay malt that sweetly whacks you. – Ardbeg, Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Plop-plop, fizz-fizz, oh what a relief it is. – Alka-Seltzer
Catchy Phrases about Life
Oh, what would language be without wit, sarcasm, and humor? Not very enjoyable. Thankfully, there are people who have forged insightful thoughts by using words and left them behind for our pleasure and reflection. Let’s check a few of them out.
I don’t suffer from my insanity – I enjoy every minute of it. – Sherrilyn Kenyon in “Dance with the Devil”
Cheer up, the worst is yet to come. – Philander Johnson
The more people I meet, the more I love my dog. – Pascal
I get enough exercise just pushing my luck! – Author Unknown
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – Steven Wright
Humorous, cynical, sarcastic, deep, rhyming, attention-grabbing – whatever you feel about these quotes, they are excellent specimens of creative thinking. Let me know if you find any more of these gems. Excellent for T-shirts, computer screens, hearty tête-à -têtes – these catchy phrases are winners through and through.