From Top 40 singles to commercial jingles, we have all been victims of an “earworm” tune or melody that embeds itself in your brain on repeat, whether it’s invited or not. In the world of branding and advertising, success is defined by impact. It’s hard to make a lasting impression on a consumer within a 30-second time slot, but if you can hook them with a jingle that they’ll sing for the rest of the day, then you’re maximizing your ad buy exponentially.
For some brands, you can’t say their names without hearing their jingle come to life in melody form. For example, say the following number out loud: 800-588-2300. I’d venture that the majority of people instinctively followed up with a resounding, “Em-pire!” (Empire Today). Some other examples of brands with a strong sonic identity due to memorable jingles are Mentos (see below), Big Red, Nationwide Insurance, Doublemint, Folger’s, Kit Kat, Farmer’s Insurance and Kars 4 Kids. The power of a jingle is that you will recall a phone number or slogan, even years after the last time you heard it.
While there is no singular catch-all recipe for a hit, according to the APA journal, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, the songs that are most likely to stick with you carry a faster tempo and a simple generic type melody with unique characteristics.
So how does that translate to what we already know? Let’s take the McDonald’s classic “I’m Lovin’ It” as an example. McDonald’s commissioned top musical artists to bring their slogan to life for a new campaign in 2003. According to Billboard, Pharrell (the Neptunes) and Pusha T collaborated with Justin Timberlake (who was paid $6 million to sing it) to create the jingle, which has since become one of the most universally recognized melodies in today’s market. The Neptunes even produced a full song based on the hook shortly after.
In analyzing this song and tagline, the message is clear and simple. While it doesn’t even say the brand name in the lyrics, we all picture the golden arches when we hear this tune due to McDonald’s consistent and repetitious use of this jingle across multiple campaigns and platforms. Melodically, the jingle is comprised of the first 6 notes of a major scale, which is also a very common formula for children's nursery rhymes. This strategic melodic architecture is not only catchy, but easy to remember even after one listen, and it’s so short that it keeps us coming back for more.
Though the jingle has proved to be such a strong marketing tool, it’s much more scarce in today’s market than it was in the past. According to The Atlantic, a 1998 survey of television commercials by the American Association of Advertising Agencies counted 153 jingles in a sample of 1,279 national, 30-second ads; by 2011, the last year the survey was produced, those numbers had dropped to only eight original jingles out of 306 commercials. (Between 1998 and 2011, the survey’s sample size shrunk as national 30-second ads became rarer.)
This decline is partly due to the rising trend of licensing popular music for ads (you can read more about this approach here), as brands and artists have seen the value in this type of cross-promotion. Other brands, such as Subaru and Esurance utilize a consistent sound across all of their ads, though not in a traditional jingle form.
There’s an undeniable stigma surrounding jingles that they’re cheesy or dated, and I believe that’s why more tongue-in-cheek and local companies have embraced them historically. That said, we all remember the ingredients that make up a Big Mac due to McDonald’s “Two all-beef patties” campaign, and how to spell Bologna because of Oscar Mayer. These jingles stand the test of time and reinforce brand recognition. Despite the drastic drop in jingles in today’s market, I predict that we’ll see a powerful resurgence in the near future. The brands that continue to harness the art of the jingle, such as McDonald’s, are thriving. Miller High Life even launched a campaign in November of 2016, which calls back their classic jingle from the ‘70s. Subconsciously or not, we take note of a company’s loyal dedication to their sonic branding, and this consistency translates into a trustworthy connection to these brands.
Which jingles have made the biggest lasting impression on you?
