sluagh-ghairm

In Gaelic, sluagh means 'army' or 'host,' and gairm means 'cry' or 'shout.' Together, sluagh-ghairm was the battle cry of the Scottish Highland clans — the shout warriors made as they charged into combat.

Each clan had its own slogan: 'Cruachan!' for Clan Campbell, 'A Buchanan!' for Clan Buchanan. The slogan identified your people in the chaos of battle, rallied the scattered, terrified the enemy. It was identity compressed into a scream.

By the 18th century, as clan warfare faded, 'slogan' began its transformation. It became any rallying cry, then a political catchphrase, then — by the 20th century — advertising copy. The warrior's scream became 'Just Do It.'

The arc is complete: from battlefield to billboard. The words that once meant life or death now sell sneakers. But the function remains the same: a slogan is still a call to action, a rallying cry, an identity compressed into a phrase.