Wanna Know What Makes Jingles So Effective?
In the modern world, it’s pretty much impossible to escape advertisements in one form or another. Just about the only place you won’t find them is in our dreams, but this could change someday in the future (any fans of Futurama out there??).My point is that effective advertising is something that is becoming harder and harder to achieve for marketers. The average person has developed more and more filters for ads, meaning you really need to knock it out of the park to get people talking these days.
It's Jingle Time!
Many companies have turned to social media in an effort to grab their target audience’s attention. Unfortunately, that's already becoming an overcrowded shouting match (anyone feel like the usage of hashtags was WAY overplayed during this year’s Super Bowl ads?). So what’s a real savvy marketer supposed to do to get past these consumer barriers and have their message really stick? Harness the power of jingles!
Studies have shown that music has an innate ability to invoke emotion and nostalgia. Marketers know that creating that emotional connection is one of the holy grails of advertisement. A jingle that is well constructed is inherently sticky. People will find themselves humming it aloud long after they’ve heard the original ad. Even years later, hearing that clever jingle will inevitably launch you on a trip down memory lane (we dare you to listen to these top ten 90’s jingles without getting nostalgic for cross colours and grunge music).Remember that the jingle needs to be well written in order to really stick. Simply running a dinky song that mentions your company or product a few times isn’t enough. This type of ad will get tuned out along with the thousands of other lackluster attempts getting thrust at the average consumer nowadays.Obviously, you could take the most efficient route and hire a team like ours to create an incredible jingle for your company or product. If however you’re committed to taking a real stab at this yourself, then we have some tips to keep in mind.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Being clever is great, but you don’t want lyrics that are too technical for the average consumer to understand easily-- i.e. we’re not looking for some ambiguous piece of poetry. Keep it on the shorter end of things and deliver a clear message. If your finished jingle can be easily understood by a kid, then you’re probably on the right track.
Deliver Your Brand’s Message
In keeping your jingle short and simple, you also need to remember that it should provide a clear picture of what your company or brand is all about. Obviously, you’re going to want to choose the lyrics with care. Now, there are some companies that opt instead to include their slogan as the main theme of the jingle.
Be Clever Be Catchy
A catchy jingle is one that people will remember for a long time (does this sound familiar “My bologna has a first name”). You want your jingle to come across as pleasant and positive, since this is the emotional state that customers will start to associate with your brand after listening to your ad. Just remember that there is a clear difference between upbeat and obnoxious-- ain’t no one got time for that! Again choose your lyrics and instrumentation with care.
Going with a Slogan
Some of the best jingles of all time have incorporated the brand’s slogan or tagline. Sometimes the jingle is literally just the company’s slogan with a catchy melody accompaniment. Brands like Subway and Quiznos have made great usage of this tactic, so it’s worth considering when considering which direction you’ll take with your own jingle.Hope this helps in your future endeavors, just be warned that creating great jingles can be very hard to do. If you find that it’s just not for you, then no worries because the Write Me a Jingle crew is more than happy to help!