Saturday, April 14, 2012

Music, Jingles, Commercials, and You.


We all move to it; groove to it, and some of us sing along to it (guilty as charged). Do you ever go through a day without hearing music? 


On the radio. On the TV. On the internet. On your ipod or other mp3 device. In the car. In the grocery store. 


So unless you’re living in a cave in the woods somewhere or if, unfortunately, you cannot hear, music creeps into your life.


Music. It’s an advertising dream. Jingle writing can lead to a big musical career; hello Barry Manilow! He is credited with several famous jingles including “Stuck on Band-Aid” and “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”. 


And, let’s not deny it. You remember “jingles” from when you were a kid. The song for Palisades Amusement Park is embedded in my brain forever as well as the Oscar Mayer jingle. Heck, I even remember catchy cigarette jingles: Winston or Salem anyone? Note: Despite enjoying the jingles as a kid, I’ve never smoked.


Music certainly helps you remember a product, doesn’t it? Nowadays, use of a song in a commercial can even launch a band. Remember the Mitsubishi Eclipse TV spot with a snippet of Days Gone By by Dirty Vegas? While the group went on to have a hit, the car brand stalled. But the ad did get our attention! 


Let’s go back to the Oscar Meyer ad from the mid-sixties. A hot dog (okay, a weiner). A cartoon. A catchy tune. Of course us kids are going to like it! We became ambassadors of the brand; recognizing it while shopping with our moms and pointing at the product in an effort to make her buy it. Music was the icing on the cake that made the product memorable in our young minds as well as the yellow Oscar Mayer packaging, a color that kids are typically drawn to. Those Mad Men had a winning blend there.


Oscar Meyer had yet another “hit” in the early 70’s when a curly haired boy sang a song about bologna. No baloney. Another success using the same formula.


I have to admit that a commercial with a catchy tune influenced me very much in my choice of pants. Growing up before the introduction of designer jeans meant that denim choices were mainly between Levis, Lees, and Wranglers. While I loved my first pair of Lees, which were taken away from me and tossed when they became ratty, I later gravitated to all the variety that Levis brought, including cords and brushed denim.  Thank you to whoever is responsible for that commercial.


What jingles are memorable to you? 


This is M in the Blogging A to Z Challenge. 
Here’s K and L.


If you haven’t had enough of me, stop by for more on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.





11 comments:

Stephanie said...

Oscar Meyer and the Flintstones vitamin commercials. The 10 million strong part always made me smile.

Anonymous said...

Jingles are things I try NOT to remember.

Gerry Wendel said...

Sometimes they get stuck in your head though...that's the intent.

Gerry Wendel said...

10 million strong...and growing... yes, indeed!

Anonymous said...

Apparently my sister-in-law said of my husband when they were kids: "Michael has got to stop watching TV. He is memorizing all the commercials!"

Even today he'll spontaneously combust into a commercial he hasn't seen in 30+ years, but remembers practically verbatim!

Gerry Wendel said...

Ha HA! I do the same; you can't get them out of there! And ...suddenly; WHAM! One pops in your head! Thanks for sharing!

Shannon Grissom said...

One look and I have the Oscar Mayer song in my head :O) Powerful stuff!

Guy Sharwood said...

Kool Aid, Kool Aid,
tastes great,
Wish we had some,
Can't wait!

thelmaz said...

Now the Oscar Meyer bologna one is playing in my head. Darn!

Stopping by from the Challenge. Hope you'll visit back.

Gerry Wendel said...

Will do so shortly. Sorry about the jingle being stuck in your head!

Gerry Wendel said...

Read your story on N...very interesting!I don't see where to put a comment though...so my thought was this: Your blog made me think of the song "Revolution 9" by the Beatles!