2 Things All Great Jingles Have In Common
Posted On: Sep 17, 2018 Written by: Abe
What’s your favourite song?
You might not be able to say exactly WHY you love it, but there’s just something about it that really connects with you.
As humans, we’re hardwired to respond to music. It’s in our DNA. So when music is combined with a message in an advertising jingle, the ‘sticking power’ of that message is multiplied.
But not all jingles are the same - and over the years they’ve gone in and out of fashion. However, the jingles that are still remembered years later are the ones that have 2 things in common.
1. They’re simple.
Less is more. The most successful jingles are the simple ones. A simple melody, easily remembered, is much more effective than a jingle crammed with lots of lyrics. An advertising jingle is not the place to fit every possible piece of information about a business, service or product. Instead, it should be more about creating a ‘feel’ and making sure the name, product and tagline stand out.
Successful jingles come in many styes. From a punchy call-to-action retail jingle to a more subtle branding track; from energetic pop to indie-folk; regardless of its’ purpose or musical style, keeping the message and melody simple is key.
Using rhyming or alliterative lyrics is also a powerful way to keep things simple and memorable.
For example:
- Build it, shape it and create it - Wyee Landscape Supplies
- Smiles Group - we put a smile on your dial!
- Going to or coming from, call Your Removalists.com
The Melbourne studio of Abes Audio’s jingle composer/producer
2. They have a catchy ‘hook’
A ‘hook’ is a melody that repeats itself throughout a piece of music and is usually prevalent in or around the chorus. It is often comprised of just a handful of musical notes arranged in a clever and catchy way. The biggest hit songs have very catchy and memorable hooks - where the writers have been able to create a killer musical melody to create something that stands out and sticks in your mind.
For example:
Justin Timberlake - I’m Lovin’ It/McDonalds (5-note melody)
Michael Jackson - Beat It (Bass & guitar riff)
A 15 or 30 second radio or television jingle has much less time available to work with, so the hook needs to be simple and repetitive. Usually it’s the first and last thing you hear (the top and tail) and should be also musically woven throughout. It’s this hook that will be remembered and trigger a reaction of ‘I know that ad/business/product’ in the consumer’s mind the moment it’s heard.
Here are some examples of catchy jingles produced at Abes Audio.
If you’re looking for a jingle or peice of branding music for your client, business or product, please talk to us. We’ll work with you to brainstorm ideas and create a fantastic jingle that is catchy and provides a great foundation for your ad campaign.
Abe Udy
Abe is the founder of Abe's Audio and started the business in 1998 from his bedroom with an old computer, fax machine,
dial-up internet, and a microphone in his wardrobe. Today, he leads a team that provides audio production and voice
overs to media, agency, eLearning, video & creative clients around Australia and beyond.
