The Tactic of Song

Take a moment to think of a commercial you’ve seen recently that uses a popular song. My guess is that you think that commercial is swell. Are there any commercials you can think of that you despise because they “ruined your song?” Alternatively, are there any commercials that actually introduced you to a song you now like?

Well, I recently stumbled upon a Mashable article bashing the usage of popular songs in advertisements. The author basically sounded like any and all use of song in commercials actually “ruins” the song and is a disgrace. The only one in her list which could have been executed a little better is Pepsi’s remake of “Billy Jean” by Michael Jackson. Call me Devil’s advocate, but I’m sure that at the time of this commercial it was a hit since the celebrity was very popular. Everyone, especially the young kids in the ad, would want to drink the soda brand that their idol is drinking. And let’s not forget that the original song was probably played on repeat on radio stations and record players during this time, so some people probably were getting worn out from hearing the same thing over and over – the simple act of spicing up a popular song is actually genius. It keeps the audience interested in both the artist and the product. Don’t get me wrong, I will forever be brand loyal to Coca-Cola, but I can admit that Pepsi made a smart risk with this commercial.

In regards to the song’s new lyrics to match the Pepsi brand, with slight improvement it perhaps could have been even better. I don’t particularly like the lyrics used, “You’re the Pepsi generation, guzzle down and taste the thrill of the day and feel the Pepsi way.” It’s a bit bizarre, no? I can see the intent of the verbiage – to reach out to the younger generation and get them to start drinking the Pepsi brand from the get go, making them lifelong, brand loyal customers, but I think even by even making a simple fix like changing “guzzle” to “boogie” it would have flowed a little better. Michael Jackson known for his dance moves, and Pepsi known for its taste, all in one line.

Nostalgia

Ironically, there’s an AMC commercial being aired for the series finale of MadMen, which I’m sure you know is a popular show set at a fictional advertising agency in the 60’s and 70’s. We hear Don Draper’s carousel speech which he presented to Kodak at the end of the first season, “There’s the rare occasion when the public can be engaged on a level beyond flash, if they have a deeper bond. Nostalgia. It’s delicate, but potent. It’s a twinge in your heart. Far more powerful than memory alone. It goes backwards, forwards, takes us to a place where we ache to go again.”

When we hear a song from our past, it can emulate nostalgia. Anything we were doing during that time period the song is from – we can reminisce in our memories when we hear it. Even if we weren’t yet born when it first came out, we can remember what we felt when we first heard it. For instance, if I heard Target’s Baby got Back commercial on television tomorrow, I would go nuts. Not only would it be timely to bring back, since Nicki Minaj just did a hit remake of the old song, but also because it’s a fun song that some may have not heard in a while and appreciate the new spin on it.

Song in Commercials

Whether funny, touching, or just plain relatable, the use of song in commercials is one of my favorite tactics. Lyrics come easy to me, so I can remember almost any brand’s jingle or song, even after only one encounter. In this manner I am susceptible to these brands’ strategies – and I’m totally ok with that. Music is part of our nature, because it conveys feelings and emotions more efficiently than words alone. As a side note, I will point out that communication is 70-90% nonverbal; one must consider body language, tone, emphasis, inflection, and the like when communicating effectively. Music helps with that. Not only in its melodic tones, but also in its ability to make you recall memories.

Another item that music can execute more effectively is repetition. You can get away with a refrain repeating the same thing over and over again because its not monotone and its core to the emotion the song aims to portray. You can do the same thing in writing brand jingles. We all know that repetition enforces memory, so what better way to help consumers memorize your product’s benefits or brand name?

Coming full carousel to the Mashable article, I actually had seen most of these commercials before. I thought Crumbelievable was epic when it came out – those in my generation were familiar with it. I hadn’t seen the GoPhone one before, but that one was hilarious. The Mambo No. 5 one was cute too. The others were alright – they all seemed to appeal to their corresponding target audiences based on the era the song was from.

Which other commercials that incorporate popular songs do you like the most? The least? Have an idea for a song that should be used in a commercial for a particular brand? I’d love to hear in the comments!