Advertising Jingles – Why Say It When You Can Sing It?

When you think of McDonald’s what comes to mind…other than the obvious imagery of Big Macs or McNuggets? “I’m lovin’ it”. You sang it in in your head, didn’t you? You may have even whistled the “ba da ba ba ba” intro too. Although this simple phrase is relatively new to the scene as far as jingles go, it’s still the longest serving jingle in McDonald’s history. Over the past 18 years’ it’s become globally recognised and has had the nation singing uncontrollably in their heads ever since. But what makes a good jingle and why are they so important in advertising?

Whether listeners love it or hate it, few things can drive an advertising message like a catchy jingle. Whether it’s radio, TV or textual ads having a unique jingle will help boost brand awareness massively. Similar to most affective marketing methods, a jingle should not only represent your brand, product or service, but also the target audience you’re trying to reach. We can all remember the iconic ‘Pocket tap’ that ASDA have been increasingly well known for. Not only is it simple and easy to remember but it also relates directly to their brand. This sets ADSA apart from its competitors by suggesting you’ll still have money left in your back pocket after completing your big shop with them, opposed to other supermarkets.

A crafty jingle is considered one of the most effective musical techniques for aiding memorable ads within the marketing industry. It will create a bond between the listener and your product, making them feel an emotional connection and help you achieve a new customer base. There are so many different marketing strategies cropping up left, right and centre, but simple words or phrases will pretty much guarantee you and your brand will stand out in the crowd. After all, people prefer energy drinks that “give you wings” don’t they?

Research has proven that music is more likely to increase product recall, unless the music itself is hard to remember. Branding is all about creating the best imagery for your company and getting that image to stick in your audience’s head. If your customer is unable to connect your logo to your brand, there’s a good chance a jingle could be the missing loop.

Repetition of sounds, or the use of rhyming has always proven to be effective for memorable jingles.  If you’re not one of those (incredible smart people) who know that the letter placement of ’S’ is number 19 in the alphabet, then you probably, like me, sing your ABCs. When it comes to perceiving music, the human brain is much more likely to remember repetitions of sounds. This explains how L, M, N, O, P is such an effective way of learning and is still sung by both adults and children today.

Overall, advertising jingles work. Research has shown that Britons spend 58 minutes per week with an advertising jingle playing rent free in their heads. Wouldn’t you rather this be your jingle than someone else’s?