We’ve all had days where we can’t stop humming a short catchy tune that we either heard on the radio or saw on television. We’ve all heard them…
“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
“I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, cause Band-Aid stuck on me.”
“Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar.”
“The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.”
What’s a jingle? It is important to start here. A jingle is an audio slogan designed to describe and help consumers remember information about a product, service, or company. Effective jingles are short, catchy, and nearly impossible to forget. These little songs became prevalent in the marketing and advertising world in the 1920’s when commercial radio really took off.
Jingles are 100-year-old marketing tactics that still work today. The sole function of a jingle is for you to hear it once or twice and commit it to memory. It becomes an advertising message you take with you while creating brand awareness.
The honor of being the first jingle to “broadcast” is often attributed to General Mills. General Mills began producing Wheaties in 1924. Although Wheaties are one of the world’s most popular breakfast cereals today, the cereal did not do well at first. By 1926, sales were so low that General Mills executives decided to cease production. However, the company changed its mind after airing a jingle for Wheaties on Christmas Eve 1926. Sung by an a cappella group called the Wheaties Quartet, the jingle made its radio debut in Minneapolis, MN. When General Mills noticed a drastic increase in sales in Minneapolis, they decided to air the commercial nationally. This decision saved the breakfast cereal and made it a staple in US households.
There’s no doubting the power and effectiveness of a good jingle. They really make commercials stand our and often elevate the radio or TV commercial to pop culture status. You just can’t get them out of your head.
Here are a few of our favorites.
