The Handbook for Recently Deceased Marketing: Why Jingles Deserve a Resurrection

Everyone has a copy of this, right?

Although they won’t be topping the charts any time soon (unless Demolition Man got it right) advertising jingles are some of the catchiest tunes any of us have heard. You might not know your partner’s cell number by heart, but I bet you could sing (and spell!) your bologna’s first name without missing a beat. Or maybe you don’t know your best friend’s address off the top of your head but you know what gum to reach for if you want to “double your pleasure, double your fun.” Think of all the jingles you can recall without prompting and you’ll have a true testament to how powerful a well-written one can be. 

Although they’ve faced a decline in popularity over the last couple years, the psychological power and emotional resonance of jingles creates a convincing argument for their resurrection - even in our modern digital landscape. But before we get into that, don’t they say, “You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been”? So let’s look back at it real quick and see where it all began.

A Brief History of Advertising Jingles

Depending on your source, advertising jingles have existed in some form or another as early as the 1600s. Roaming bands would busk on street corners, hoping to get a few coins from the people walking by. Although they didn’t often make enough to live on from those passing, local businesses would often throw in enough for it to be worthwhile if, in exchange, they would compose and perform a short tune about their newfound sponsor at each performance. And so, the precursor to jingles has been uncovered.

Others might stick more closely to jingles as we know them today, arguing they began in the early 20th century. Right around 1926 to be exact - coinciding with the rise of radio as a new way to reach consumers. It was Christmas Day when “Have You Tried Wheaties?” was first played on WCCO in Minneapolis, MN (home of one of our offices!), reviving the Wheaties brand and sparking a new era in advertising. One where music became a powerful tool used in brand communication. It wasn’t long before other companies started following suit. 

The 1950s brought the end of World War II and the golden age of the advertising jingle came with it as TV became the dominant medium. Some of the most memorable, iconic jingles everyone knows were born in this time, like Alka Seltzer’s “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” (I can’t believe I just typed that…), “Everyone Knows It’s Slinky”, even Brylcreem’s “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya.”

By the 1970s, jingles were in full swing with McDonald’s and Coca-Cola cranking out the hits like “You Deserve a Break Today” and “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” respectively. These tunes not only promoted products effectively - they became part of our cultural fabric. These and other enduring examples demonstrate the jingle’s ability to latch on to something in our brains making the product, and brand, unforgettable. 

Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, jingles continued to prove their prowess with catchy tunes like Kit Kat’s "Gimme a Break" and Toys ‘R Us with “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up” becoming household staples. But with digital media creeping into the limelight in the later half of the ‘90s, jingles gradually fell out of favor. Nevertheless, they persist; still prevalent in our minds today - proving their ability to create lasting emotional connections and brand recall.

The Mind Games Behind the Music

Jingles are more than just catchy little tunes; there’s an entire psychology of why they get stuck in our heads and influence consumer behavior on multiple levels. Kick back and relax while we explain some of the main reasons jingles work.

1, Repetition and Memory: Repetition is a key factor in embedding a message into a listener’s memory. But if you have kids you know that’s not always enough - so take it easy on ‘em. Repetition taps into what’s called the “mere exposure effect”; which basically says repeated exposure to something creates familiarity and likability. Over time the repetition creates a foundation for your brand to achieve top-of-mind awareness for your audience.

2. Music and Emotion: Music is intrinsically linked to emotion. That’s why you’re blasting Everybody Hurts when you’re down in the dumps and why you can’t help but laugh at any video where Yakety Sax is playing overtop. Jingles use this to their advantage by creating positive association with their brand. A well-crafted jingle can evoke happiness, nostalgia, or even excitement and that’s why consumers are more likely to develop a strong emotional connection to the product.

3. Catchiness and Recall: Jingles are always like your ex: simple and basic. Unlike your ex, that’s what keeps you coming back to them. Because of their simplicity, a jingle can easily turn into an earworm that gets stuck in your head - now mental repetition reinforces brand recall and increases top-of-mind awareness for your audience.

4. Associative Learning: Your typical jingle includes the brand name in the lyrics, which is basically the whole point. This, of course, links the tune with your product. What you’ve done is turned your consumers into Pavlov’s Dog and demonstrated classical conditioning - linking the music with your brand, creating a positive association. 

5. Brand Identity and Differentiation: A jingle is a sonic logo - a distinct auditory signature that differentiates a brand from its competitors. Other examples of this that aren’t necessarily jingles include the THX or Mac startup sound. In an oversaturated marketplace, jingles make sure the brand stands out by taking advantage of all the concepts explained so far and molding it into an enduring brand identity.

6. Nostalgia and Longevity: Everybody has a song that transports them back to a time in their life. Jingles can do the same thing, especially if it’s been part of the brand’s marketing for some time. Emotional resonance strengthens brand loyalty as your audience feels an emotional connection to a brand that has been part of their lives for an extended period.

So how do we take all this, from an old-school advertising method, and bring it up to speed in our digital world? Of course we have ideas: that’s what we do!

Make Jingles Great Again - Reviving a Classic in Today’s World

Streaming platforms, social media, and digital voice assistants might make jingles seem like a relic from a bygone era - but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The world of digital marketing offers countless opportunities to bring back jingles in a way that makes sense for modern audiences. Here are a couple ideas on how a brand could make it work:

1. Social Media Challenge (TikTok & Beyond): Quick, catchy content is exactly what platforms like TikTok are made for and what jingles excel at. Could your brand be the star of a viral dance or lip-sync challenge centered around a fun, original jingle? Do it right and you’ll have the Holy Grail of social media: User Generated Content - something fans can’t help but share.

2. Local Musicians and Influencers: The Internet is teeming with thousands of talented musicians sharing their work online, why not dip your brand’s toes in that pool? Partnering with a local band/musician or online creator could give your jingle a fresh twist that also taps into their existing fanbase - now you’ve also boosted your reach and appeal. Using this would be a great way to turn a simple jingle into a collaborative, fun project.

3. Micro-Jingles: Farmers, State Farm, General, or Liberty Mutual Insurance are primo examples of a micro-jingle. Barely a few seconds long but they nestle into the grooves of your brain pretty quickly. Just like Brylcreem, a dab’ll do ya. Throw one of these on the end of any social media post, as a YouTube intro, or even a sonic signature on a podcast. It’s all about brevity - a quick shot of audio that lodges itself in your audience’s mind.

So, what’s the verdict on jingles? Far from being a relic, they remain a potent tool for modern marketing. They deliver lasting impressions, spark emotional responses, and build brand recognition—all while tapping into that sweet nostalgia.  Even better, a jingle can create a cohesive brand identity across multiple channels - building consistency, trust, and recognition in the process. A well-written jingle would serve perfectly as the audio thread that ties together various marketing efforts, from online ads to in-store experiences.

Jingles have a lasting power that’s hard to beat. Attention spans are short, loyalty is in short supply, so why not take a page out of an old playbook? Your brand’s ditty could be the earworm your audience just can’t get out of their heads. If it worked for a little circle of bologna, why can’t you be next?

I want my jingles back, jingles back, jingles back…