It’s been a crazy week in the news – we’ve seen Oscar Pistorius crumble in the courtroom, Papa Putin proving his power over Ukraine and England beating Wales in rugby – hoorah! But a recent article from The Independent caught my eye – it’s not really news, it’s been going on since the day we were born.
Sonic boom advertising is continuing to make use of song snippets to draw our attention to their brand. There are so many brands who have used these jingles and still use them today as they have become subliminally ingrained in our heads. Yahoo’s yodel, Autoglass’ repair and Nokia’s ringtone are just some of advertising’s catchiest jingles according to The Independent. However, making a three note jingle is not as easy as you think. Composers have to give much thought as to what sound represents the brand’s values e.g. what notes represents money or health? As Creative Director Ben Neidle states “the more that you talk to companies and the more that they brief you, the more you start to build an idea in your head of what sounds could represent the brand. Car companies might want a ‘male’ sound, for example – the sound of the road, sounds that are sturdy, tough – and then it’s your job to turn that into something that could work musically.”
I think it’s brilliant when it’s done right. Think about it – when you’re in a supermarket aisle and you need to buy some washing machine tablets, (a subject you’re completely clueless about) the jingle plays in your head. ‘Washing machines live longer with Calgon’. And so Calgon wins. Moreover, take a look at JFK’s presidential campaign song (WARNING: The following song will stay in your head forever). Sure it won’t win best song at the Grammy’s as the lyrics are just ‘Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Ken-ne-dy’, but it’s catchy, annoying yet genius. So, get your keyboard out, brainstorm your brand and make millions.