Music is a universal medium which is used in different spheres like movies, videos, documentaries and even advertisements. Marketing aficionados did not stay back and composed jingles to use as an advertising tool as far back as the 1920’s. A jingle is a short musical piece or song which is used in advertisements as a marketing tool. It promotes the product mentioning its features and specialties by using advertising slogans. Jingles are used on radio and in television commercials as well. This may be termed as a kind of sound branding.
Music and sound has always been used in advertising right since when there was no television. Radio jingles have been extremely common and popular too. The first jingle can be dated as far back as 1926. Since then jingles have been an important part of advertising and marketing. Jingles are mainly used to popularize the word association with a commercial which in turn helps in remembering the brand or product. Music is said to increase recall value and jingles help people in remembering the advertisement. Sometimes jingles really catch on and get very popular so much so that a glimpse of the product reminds people of the jingle and it is heavily associated with the respective brand for years to come. Jingles have their own niche and are found in online discussions and on social media as well as a separate musical piece at times. This popularity and high recall value associated with the product leads to further product promotion at no extra cost to the company.
Research has shown that commercials using jingles are a more effective form of advertising than those commercials without one. Creating a brand is an overall composite factor which aims to ensuring the image is firmly secure in the consumer’s mind. Branding not only involves packaging or visual advertising. Sound branding works adjacent to visual advertising aiding the overall brand value and appearance of a brand. Remembering a jingle is easier than remembering a logo as is placing it and associating it with a brand. Adding the brand, product or company name to a jingle will lead to people remembering the jingle forever with the brand name of course. A catchy jingle has huge power in creating brand value and help in customer retention as well.
Right from the times when advertisements flooded mainstream media be it radio or television, jingles have played an important role in Indian media as well. A good jingle leaves a lasting impression on the listeners and there are several ad jingles which have been around for decades. Some jingles which came out years ago are still fondly remembered and come to mind immediately when the particular product or brand is mentioned. Sometimes the jingle is remembered far more fondly and people still remember them years after their first release.
From time immemorial households have used ‘Washing Powder Nirma’ and as old as the ad, the jingle has stuck on with the girl wearing the frock becoming an icon much like ‘sabki pasand Nirma’! ECE bulbs were another household staple with ‘Bhool na jaana, ECE bulb laaana’. Another staple being ‘Zandu Balm, peera haari balm’ of course. If balm wasn’t enough ‘Sirf Ek Sardion aur sardard se aaram’ was guaranteed. The house was always painted with the brightest as it was ingrained in the minds that ‘Jab ghar ki raunak badhaani ho, deewaron ko jab sajaana ho, Nerolac, Nerolac’ was the preferred choice. ‘School time, Action ka school time’ is an ad jingle kids from the 90’s always remembered while buckling up their shoes en route school.
How often have we advised our friends- ‘Vicks ki goli lo, khich khich door karo’? Each one of us is guilty of singing this jingle. This just goes to show how a catchy tune can help keep in mind the product as well as the song. Movie outings were incomplete as was any prime-time television show without the ever popular ‘Vicco Turmeric nahi cosmetic, Vicco Turmeric Ayurvedic cream’! Each household had to have a tube of this cream and each child from the 80’s and 90’s will remember humming along with this jingle for sure!
Pepsi became the drink of Gen X with not one but many popular jingles like ‘Yehi Hai Right Choice Baby’, ‘Oye Bubbly’ and ‘Pepsi, yeh pyaas hai badi’. Milk also became the choice of the nation with ‘Piyo Glass full doodh, doodh, doodh’ from the house of Amul and till date you can be sure of some 90’s kind humming this somewhere and not to forget ‘Amul, the Taste of India’ ads.
This article was featured in our June 2017 issue: http://bit.ly/2rHDL8R
