Jingles That Made Brands Famous

As it relates to my mission of simplifying marketing for small businesses, this episode shows examples of catching lightning in a bottle, what it really takes to stand out in more traditional mediums, and one story of how a jingle saved one of the world's largest brands and the trickery used to push it onto the buying public. At the end of this episode, I will break down what it takes to get a jingle to cut through to help your company stand out.

The idea of putting lists together on the internet is, well... not new. In fact, one could argue that the Internet, from Google or Bing's perspective, is a list of lists. It's easy content. However, when you love ads as I do or love the psychology that goes into what makes a good ad or a memorable ad, this list of memorable jingles has a bit more drama. There have been volumes written about how the Coke ad, called "Hilltop" but known more as the "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" ad, came to be. I have the youtube version of the commercial and the mini-documentary link about how it came together. There will be a little learning, but it's also ok to sit back and enjoy the fun and nostalgia.

Some of the audio is less than perfect, but you'll have a tough time not singing along or basking in the feelings and memories of some of the older jingles. If you want the links to the ads on YouTube, make sure you check this episode out on TotallyyHyped.com.

First up is a classic most of us know, but the brilliance lies in the entirety of the jingle being the call to action. The phone number. Of course, the melody is catchy as hell but for something like this to work, you have to be prepared for the time and expense in getting an ad like this to work, at this kind of level. It's the 800-588-2300 Empire ad. If your melody is even half as catchy as this you can win big if you understand the level of frequency and the amount of time it takes for this kind of magic to occur. I'm starting with this ad, not because it is my favorite or because I think it is the best or worst. I am starting with this one because there is a lot to learn from it. Aired often, over some period of time, in front of the right audience - how could this not work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwJQQux0TF0

One of the most iconic ads ever comes from one of the most iconic brands. Coke's 1971 "Hilltop" ad, captures the essence of the audience they were targeting. Regardless of your taste in music, the song is great and no matter what year, it feels like a very appropriate message. This post is a few weeks after the riots on Capitol Hill on January 6th, 2021. The word appropriate doesn't seem big enough to encompass this jingle's obviousness, today. I have also included a link to the mini-documentary on this ad, at totallyhyped.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2406n8_rUw

After having a few too many Coke's and the inevitable munchies that typically accompany, you might be feeling a little "iffy." If you are this next ad will serve you well. This is a great ad that makes light of self-inflicted illness. Its rhyme and melody are memorable on a level few can rival and the brand elements on display really connect the dots when appealing to the overindulgent. Not every brand can pull this off, having a cartoon or animated character and a funny song about not feeling well. It's vital that these things align. Sometimes companies need to appeal to different people at different times for different reasons. Alka-Seltzer may have simultaneously run other ads of a more serious nature. Brands today do this all the time. McDonald's might be the best at it with ads for family, new products, mealtime specific menu options, pricing, diversity, and social fit, but other brands like State Farm, Progressive, Spectrum/Charter/Time Warner are also in the habit of producing a mix of messages with varying yet consistent brand elements. I digress. T