Author: Storm Bennett CEO

Have you browsed the toy aisle at Target lately? You might recognize some throwback items.

Fisher-Price is bringing back replicas of the 1980s and 1990s toys. CareBears, My Little Pony, Saved By the Bell, Smurfs, and Alvin and The Chipmunks have all made comebacks in the past ten years.

Advertisers are tapping into the joys of yesteryear in an attempt to counter pandemic fatigue and the stress of 2020 and 2021. TV ads, shows, movies, even holiday radio jingles can use the same concepts for success this season.

It turns out today’s American parents are enamored with nostalgia, and the holiday season is the perfect time for children of the 1980s and 1990s to take their kids on a walk down memory lane. Just ask any parent over 35 if they’ve watched Home Alone or A Christmas Story with their kids.

Keep reading to revel in the holiday season cheer these vintage TV and holiday radio jingles will inspire.

What Makes Great a Holiday Radio Jingle?

Holiday radio jingles should invoke listeners’ emotions. The best Christmas radio advertisements grab attention and keep it. So how do successful holiday advertising radio jingles combine these two concepts?

Creating a sense of nostalgia is an effective tool in holiday advertising. GenX and Millenials love to relive their childhoods. Bringing back popular 1980s and 90s holiday radio jingles grab attention and invoke emotion for these generations.

Not only do they get excited about the music from their past, but they also want to share those sounds (and the feelings they conjure up) with their kids.

Incorporating the right instruments is essential as well. Without those iconic festive sounds, you can’t create a memorable holiday radio jingle. Composers are experts at mixing instruments with bells and vocals.

And some holiday commercials stand out more than others simply because they master the mix!

Hershey’s Holiday Bells: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Nothing rings in the holiday season like a Hershey’s Chocolate Kiss commercial. This timeless classic is proof that effective marketing doesn’t have to break the bank.

If you don’t remember, this holiday classic portrays ten red and green Hershey’s Kisses in a triangle formation. There’s a lone silver Kiss at the triangle’s base directing the operation.

When the director nods, each green and red Kiss takes their turn, ringing a note of the classic holiday song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The silver Kiss director waves its Hershey flag to the beat of the music.

The simple bell-influenced soundtrack has become synonymous with Hershey Chocolate Kisses. This jingle is a stroke of marketing genius at only fifteen seconds long.

M&M’s: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Just try listening to the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and not hear the memorable phrase, “They do exist!” This commercial portrays two classic M&M characters leaving milk and cookies out for St. Nick.

When the pair come across Santa stuffing their stockings, everyone is surprised. One animated chocolate morsel yells, “He does exist!” Shocked, Santa replies, “They do exist!” and promptly faints.

This whole exchange takes place to the sweet, familiar tune of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Taco John’s: Nachos Navidad

“I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart! And from Taco John’s!”

Does this sound familiar? We bet you can hear the tune Feliz Navidad—made famous by Jose Feliciano—in your mind right now. Taco John’s gives us something to look forward to with their Nachos Navidad each year.

The annual red and green nachos aren’t just a festive favorite for the dinner table. Each Taco John’s franchise donates a portion of their holiday nacho proceeds to local charity organizations.

Pairing a holiday giving campaign with the sounds and tastes of the festive season is a clever way to run an ad campaign that benefits everyone!

Campbell’s Soup: Let It Snow

In 1998, Campbell’s used the classic holiday tune, Let it Snow, in a now-iconic commercial. In the ad, a snowman is unhappy about the cold and windy weather. It makes its way inside and sits down to eat a warming bowl of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.

Once it gets warm, the snow melts off the snowman, and a little boy is sitting in its place. This Campbell’s Soup commercial is guaranteed to make every viewer feel the coziness of the holiday season.

Coca-Cola: Always Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola has always used its own jingle to ring in the holiday season. Their “Always Coca-Cola” commercials have featured brightly lit semi-trucks to polar bears since the early 1900s.

Play this song for anyone born before 1995 and they’ll recognize it right away!

More Popular Sounds of the Season

There are plenty of seasonal songs, but some have serious staying power. The best Christmas radio advertisements tap into the concept of the earworm—you know, that song you hear playing over and over in your head.

From classical music to Top 40 hits, here are some of the most recognized festive tunes.

Anything from the Nutcracker

It’s probably safe to conclude that Tschaikovsky had no idea how wildly popular this eight-numbered suite would become. These pieces were composed in the early 1890s and still play in almost every retail outlet.

White Christmas

This Bing Crosby classic was originally performed in the movie Holiday Inn. It’s catchy, fun, and sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

This classic has been co-opted by almost every musical genre. It’s upbeat, happy, and easy to sing along to. This song proves that nostalgia can be a powerful tool in advertising year after year.

All I Want for Christmas Is You

It’s almost impossible to listen to this Mariah Carey hit and not tap your foot to the beat. From jiggling in your seat at work to an all-out dance party, it has that perfect mix of rhythm, lyrics, vocals, and nostalgia to get everyone’s attention.

Other great covers of this song include versions by The Roots and Jimmy Fallon with Miriah Carey and the Piano Guys.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Frank Sinatra made this tune famous in the 1950s. Depending on the visuals, vocals, and instruments this song is paired with, it can be tear-jerking or heartwarming—or even both simultaneously.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Despite the controversy surrounding this tune, it has been embraced by all kinds of companies, singers, and celebrities. Few people can forget Will Ferrell and Zoey Deschanel’s rendition in the Christmas movie Elf.

In other contemporary duets, the words are often changed to make them a little less, shall we say, culturally awkward. And this is a solution embraced by radio advertisers seeking to utilize this catchy holiday tune still, too.

The Channuka Song

This ditty by actor, director, and comedian Adam Sandler is a knee-slapper for sure. Anyone who loves this parody song should look up the Diwali version by Steve Carell of The Office. (A parody of a parody—meta, we know!)

Little St. Nick

What this song lacks in meaningful lyrics, it makes up for in pep. Brian Williams and The Beach Boys’ unmistakable harmonies shine through in this holiday favorite.

Jingle Bell Rock

Bobbly Helms, Brenda Lee, and Lindsay Lohan have all ensured Jingle Bell Rock has remained relevant to numerous generations of pop music lovers. This upbeat favorite would be a good lead-in or lyric re-write option for a holiday radio jingle.

Carol of the Bells

This instrumental favorite is a Christmas classic. Many people associate this piece of music with the choir scene from the family film Home Alone. It’s an unmistakable holiday season song.

What Makes Holiday Radio Jingles So Catchy?

If you listen to a lot of holiday music, you’ll start to notice familiar themes and sounds. It’s clear that people associate certain rhythms, instruments, and arrangements with the US festive season.

Bells or chimes are often used in intros and outros. Many holiday radio jingles have upbeat tempos and brass accompaniments.

Jingle or Sleigh Bells

Those iconic sleigh bells conjure up visions of Santa on his sleigh. Using jingle bells as an entrance or exit sound is always a great way to start or end a holiday radio advertisement. A sprinkle of jingle bells mid-commercial is a subtle way to add interest to a holiday radio advertisement.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Adding Santa’s jolly old voice to radio jingles for holiday advertising might seem cliche, but it works every time. It’s a practical and obvious way to encourage listeners to get into the holiday spirit.

Handbells and Chimes

“Ding, dong! Ding, dong!”

You’ll hear this unmistakable Christmas sound on the iconic Hershey’s Kiss commercial. Handbells are also an essential feature of Paul McCartney’s Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime.

Listen carefully, and you’ll start to hear handbells in many of the most popular holiday tunes.

Children’s Choirs

The sweet, innocent, and pure sound of children singing is the perfect partner for a holiday radio jingle. Check out The Christmas Cannon by Trans Siberian Orchestra for a great example of what can be achieved

How to Make the Best Holiday Radio Jingles

The pros at Killer Spots Agency can help you create that oh-so-perfect mix for your holiday radio jingle. Your jingle will be 100% custom created and 100% yours. We also offer web design, social media management, and SEO services to really get your message out to the right audience.

Contact us today, and we’ll partner with you to ring in Christmas with a holiday radio jingle to remember.

Radio jingles are an iconic staple of advertising. They’ve been around since the beginning of radio, and always leave potential customers with a catchy tune in their head.

But there’s a lot that goes into making a good radio jingle besides a catchy tune. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how radio jingles are made, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve put together a detailed guide that goes through the radio jingle process from inception to airwaves. If you’d like to learn more, keep reading! 

History Of Radio Jingles

While radio technology had developed in the late 19th century, it was not until the turn of the 20th that it began to catch on with the public.

Starting around 1905, commercially-available radios were available for purchase. By 1920, radios were fairly common household items.

At this time, they were primarily used for news reports. The widespread commercial use of radio had still yet to be explored.

In 1926, General Mills was credited with creating the first radio jingle for their Wheaties cereal. It aired on Christmas Eve in the Minneapolis-St Paul area.

General Mills noticed something interesting: their sales skyrocketed, but only in the Twin Cities area. The jingle was successful as an advertising tactic, so they began broadcasting it in other areas, and sales followed.

The rest, as they say, is history. The use of radio jingles skyrocketed shortly afterward and became a staple of radio for decades to come. 

Interestingly, it’s not just companies that use radio jingles to advertise. Each radio station call sign (the 4-letter combination given to each station) has its own unique jingle, even today.

How Radio Jingles Are Made

Some people think that jingles are recorded in-house or at the radio station itself. But there is actually an entire industry that revolves around the creation of radio jingles.

Writing, recording, and producing a radio jingle is a specialized skill set that only a few professionals are really skilled in.

If you’re looking for a radio jingle for your business, make sure that you go with the pros. A bad jingle may be memorable for the wrong reasons. 

Figuring out a Target Audience

The part of how radio jingles are made is identifying who your customers are. Think of your jingle as a company’s audio logo. It forms a crucial part of a brand’s identity.

Identifying your customer base will ensure that you are getting your jingle played on the right stations at the right time. If you’re a hip young company, you may not want to air your jingle during a late-night talk radio show.

It will also help you to set the tone of your jingle. While all jingles are catchy, the instrumentation and vocals can communicate a wide range of “personalities” to your potential customers.

Writing a Hook/Catchphrase

Usually, the first part of making radio jingles is writing the hook. These are the words and melody that make up the vocal part of the jingle.

This is a lot harder than it seems. You have to convey the entire message of your jingle with just a few notes and words. 

Think about one of the most well-known jingles in the world: McDonald’s. You don’t even have to hear it without “I’m Lovin’ It” popping into your head.

That’s the power of a good hook. It’s simple, easy to remember, and catchy. This should encompass what your company is about.

If you have a tagline, you might already have a catchy hook. All you need is a melody to go with it. 

Typically, professional jingle writers are your best bet for crafting the perfect catchy hook.

Composing the Music

After the main hook is written, the rest of the score has to be filled in. This is very dependent on the overall tone of your jingles for the radio.

You wouldn’t want to pair old-timey orchestral instrumentation with a poppy, bright jingle. The instrumentals should match the tone and “vibe” of the melody.

Instrumentation is written out for each instrument that will be recorded. This includes guitar, bass, drums, keys, and other instruments.

A professional composer should be used at this point. If you are using studio musicians, you need the sheet music to be readable.

Some professional jingle writers can also write all of the instruments in a digital audio workstation. This can save you time and money on recording in a full studio with a band.

Booking the Studio

Regardless of whether you choose a full band or to just record vocals, you will need to book a recording studio.

It is important not to skimp on this step. A high-quality recording in a dedicated studio space will sound better and be much easier to mix and master later. 

Generally, studio time for radio jingles is not as extensive as recording a music album. 

However, you need to budget time for multiple takes. Vocalists often do upwards of fifty takes in the studio to get the perfect one. Live musicians will also need time to do several takes. 

Make sure that the audio engineer you work with knows what format your recordings need to be in. This is something you should consult with your mixing engineer with. 

They may want stems or full tracks. There is also the question of format, which can vary from studio to studio. 

Finding Musicians

If you are using live instruments for recording radio jingles, you are going to be in the market for studio musicians.

Studio musicians are dedicated professionals who are trained to learn music that other people have written and play it for recording.

They will be much more efficient and easier to work with than just hiring random musicians off of Craigslist. 

Most studio musicians will bring their own gear, although some studios have plenty of gear for use as well.

Make sure that the musicians fit the jingle’s sound. Ensure that they have quality sheet music or charts to work off of. This will make the recording process go much smoother.

Finding Vocalists

Finding an experienced jingle singer is probably the most important part of the recording process. 

Different vocalists have different styles and vocal qualities. Most professional jingle singers will have portfolios available of past work, so make sure they will fit the sound.

If the jingle ad also has a voice-over, think about hiring a separate narrator. Usually, narrators are a separate specialty from jingle singers. 

Recording Process

Once everyone is in the studio, it is a matter of setting up microphones and recording the tracks.

Generally, the musicians will track first, and then the vocalists will add their work on top.

At this point, lean on the expertise of the jingle writer who will be producing the session, and the audio engineer who records it.

They will be able to pull out the best performances from the musicians and vocalists.

As mentioned, the recording process may take several hours, even with an experienced team. This is crucial for getting the best results for a jingle. 

The recording studio session is a key part of how radio jingles are made. Make sure that expectations are clear and that everything is planned in advance. A smooth session is the best session. 

Mixing and Mastering

After the tracks are recorded, your jingle enters the mixing phase. This is where your jingle producer or an experienced mixing engineer will treat the tracks with some studio magic and expertise.

Even the best raw recordings in the world will still need to be mixed, so this step should not be rushed. A good mix will ensure that every part sounds good and that the overall sound is perfectly balanced.

After the initial mixing is finished, your jingle will be mastered. Mastering is a special process that balances the mix to sound good on all kinds of sound systems including car stereos and cheap earbuds.

At the end of this process, you will generally receive multiple versions of your jingle.

It is not uncommon to get a full package: acapella vocals, instrumentals, a full radio spot, and just the hook. Each track will be mixed and mastered perfectly and be ready to send to the radio stations for use.

Using Your Jingle

After you get your masters back, you will need to send them to the radio stations in the markets you are targeting.

This involves paying the station an advertising fee in order to have your jingle played. Some stations will charge by length, while others will charge per play. 

Generally, you own all of the licensing rights to your jingle after the recording process is finished.

Some jingle producers will ask for a cut of the profits, while others offer all-inclusive packages. Make sure to check beforehand.

In addition to radio play, you can also use your jingle in TV commercials and online streaming platforms. This will really help you get your money’s worth out of your jingle!

What Makes a Good Radio Jingle?

Obviously, there is quite a bit of work and expertise that goes into how radio jingles are made.

If you want the best radio jingle possible, you’ll want to go with a professional.

Luckily, we offer a whole host of advertising services, including the best award-winning jingle writing and production in the business.

Check out our list of services, and please feel free to contact us at 1-800-639-9728.

With marketing strategies becoming outdated almost immediately after they pop up, radio jingles have withstood the test of time. Ever since1926, when the concept first came to light, radio advertising jingles have been central to marketing campaigns.

But don’t mistake jingles for slogans or a song with the company name or motto, though. The best marketing jingles create brand awareness by staying in the listener’s head long after hearing them.

Out of all the radio jingles ever produced, these ten are the most effective marketing and are worth recognition in 2021.

1. Oscar Mayer, “I Wish I Was an Oscar Mayer Weiner”

The Oscar Mayer Weiner jingle is one of the old radio station jingles from 1965. It was part of a nationwide campaign to market the franchise hotdogs to as many people as possible. Written by Richard Tentlage, the tune became an instant hit among kids and adults at the time.

While the jingle was only in audio format when airing for the first time, its huge success led to the production of a TV commercial. Today, the video has over a million views on YouTube, and even the current generation knows it word for word.

There have been remixes of the Oscar Mayer jingle over the years. One performed by a metal band, the other by a barbershop quartet, and even a singing parrot. Either way, the “I wish I was an Oscar Mayer Weiner” jingle continues to dominate the minds of all its listeners.

2. McDonalds, “I’m Lovin It”

During the early 2000s when McDonald’s stock was plummeting there was a re-think of their marketing strategy. In 2003 they had Tom Batoy and Frank Tortora to help them develop a radio jingle that would change the company’s fortunes and their lives.

After the jingle first aired, people couldn’t stop singing the lyrics – “ba-da-ba-baa-baa,” and the jingle became an instant hit. The fact that Justin Timberlake and Pharell Williams, two pop icons hopped on the track fueled its popularity massively.

And although the campaign was to last two years only, the jingle still dominates the airwaves and people’s minds. By 2020, this jingle was in 11 different languages, with five different commercial videos created around it.

3. Kit Kat, “Give Me a Break”

Kit Kat, the popular milk chocolate manufacturing company was not so famous until the release of this jingle. According to Michael A Lavine, one of the writers of the jingle lyrics, “Give me a Break” was to be a backup in case the main jingle flopped, but it ended up standing out more among audiences.

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me a piece of that kit kat bar,” as the lyrics suggest has had people eating kit kat all over America. Even though the original radio ad has undergone modification with celebrities like Chance the Rapper coming in, the slogan remains the same.

Considering the jingle first debuted in 1986, and 564 Kit Kat are consumed each second worldwide, it’s clear that this marketing jingle continues to deliver.

4. Band-Aid, “I’m Stuck on a Band-Aid”

” I am stuck on a Band-Aid because a Band-Aid is stuck on me” are the lyrics to this famous jingle. It was written by Barry Manilow, who is popular for several hit jingles, including the brains behind state farms jingle “like a good neighbor” in 1975.

After partnering with Johnson & Johnson to come up with this masterpiece, both parties benefited from its release. The giant band-aid supplier sold more band-aids than ever before, and barry won the Young & Rubicam a CILO award for the song in 1976.

While there are other marketing campaigns, including the current one featuring a ballet dancer who uses a band-aid to stitch up her feet after a performance with the slogan “Stick With It,” none has come close to matching the band-aid anthem.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the company earned 247.5 million in revenue during the 2017 year calendar.

5. “I Don’t Want to Grow Up, I’m a Toys-R-Us Kid”

Toys R Us, the famous kids’ toy company released this jingle as a radio advertisement in 1982. Written by best-selling author James Patterson in collaboration with Linda Kaplan, the jingle is among the widely recognized to date.

The theme of the jingle begins with kids playing with different toys from the company while singing the song. I Don’t Want To Grow Up, I’m a Toys R Us kid. The video creatively portrays video games, bikes, trains, and even teddy bears without seeming too salesly.

Whether you’re a child or an adult, this jingle makes you feel like never growing up because of the comfort of toys. The tune recurs in your mind for quite some time and those who hear it, still remember the song days or weeks after.

What’s more, since the company almost closed its door in 2017, it re-took this slogan as their main advertisement to boost their sales, which worked.

6. State Farm, “Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There”

State Farm is one of the leading insurance providers in the country, thanks to a successful marketing campaign. The driving force behind it? That’s right, the radio ad Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is there”. 

The slogan, first released in 1971 as part of the insurance initial marketing campaign, turned out to be the key to people’s hearts and pockets. It depicts the various challenges people experience while at home and how insurance can help solve these problems.

While there have been different versions of the jingle throughout the years, including one in 2010 and more recently last year, all versions maintain the melody.

State Farm has undoubtedly reaped big for 30 years from jingle, and nothing current seems to suggest it will stop anytime soon.

7. Huggies, “I’m a Big Kid Now”

Huggies Pull-ups are a popular diaper option and at one point overtaken pampers as the market commander. This is thanks to the I’m a Big Kid Now audio that was played in almost every jingle radio station nationwide after its release.

Produced in 1990, the jingle has taken many other forms since, but the core message of I’m a Big Kid Now remains. In the latest Huggies advertisement, a child confidently sings the song I’m a big kid now to their mom as they use the potty.

Currently, Huggies Pull-ups owns about 22% of the diaper market share and is synonymous with this famous radio jingle. And while there may be other jingle campaigns to come, few will match the clout this slogan continues to bring the brand even today.

8. Alka Seltzer, “Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz”

The Alka Seltzer jingle was created in the 50s but didn’t air until the mid-’70s. When the company first started, it advocated using one tablet instead of two to treat stomach illnesses. But as they would quickly realize, this was a catastrophe for disaster.

Many people who consumed the tablet for their stomach irritation problems still experienced the problem later. This forced a re-think, and doctors recommended users take two tablets instead of one at a go for the medication to work.

To popularize this finding, the company launched the Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz campaign that aimed to educate the consumer about usage. It depicts the sound of two tablets landing in a cup of water, and then producing the fizzing sound – thus Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz.

The jingle marked 75 years this year, and Alka Seltzer celebrated the jingle as one of their best in history and held a contest in honor.

9. Folgers, “The Best Part of Waking Up”

For over 30 years, Folgers, one of the leading coffee makers in the country used this tune in their radio advertisements. The song first debuted in jingle radio stations as audio in the late 1950s before the TV commercial appeared in 1984.

Written by the talented Leslie Pearl, the composition has a cover in almost every music genre you can think of. From country to gospel, R&B, folk, Celtic, and even jazz with superstars like Rockapella, Aretha Franklin in the remixes. 

While the jingle earns hefty royalties to date, Folgers decided to auction it up to the highest bidder after three decades of dominance. It is yet to be seen what the current owner will make from the jingle, but one thing is for sure, The Best Part of Waking Up lives in our minds.

10. Meow Mix

Meow Mix is a creative jingle created by Tom McFaul in 1974 to popularize Ralton Purina cat food products. The video typically shows cats enjoying their food while another sings along to the tune before ending with the slogan – “Tastes so good, cats ask for it by the name.”

After 20 years of using the jingle in different commercials but maintaining the original melody, the company decided to retire the song. However, due to market demand, they have since relaunched and dubbed it Meow Re-Mix.

The Best Radio Jingles in 2021

These are the top ten radio jingles in 2021. Some are more recent, while others are slightly older. However, all have had an impact on the minds of individuals across the country and world.

There’s no denying it, jingles are still a large part of marketing, and companies could do better if they utilize them well.

Contact us today to create a jingle for your business that will outlast the present and future generations.

If the saying “I’m lovin’ it” feels familiar and reminds you of McDonald’s, it’s because an effective radio ad worked its magic on you. 

Radio jingles have been used since 1926 when Wheaties cereal recognized the mass potential of radio advertising. They aired the first-ever radio jingle and ever since then radio advertisement has often relied on catchy, can’t-miss-them songs. 

Radio ads have relied on this method for a few different reasons. Radio songs and jingles help listeners remember a brand name and set the tone for the company. 

They also engage customers and help create a specific mood that customers associate with the brand, even years later. 

Even if a product is not something a customer would normally use, they will still remember that product’s advertising jingle. They may even sing it or bring it up in conversation with others. 

If a company has the money they may even shell out big money for famous singers and actors to be part of their campaign, which only boosts sales and spreads their popularity. 

For that reason, radio jingles are a permanent part of our culture. Read on to learn about the top 10 jingles that have resonated with audiences over the years. 

1. Nationwide 

This jingle is at the top of the list for good reason. Nationwide insurance first premiered their famous “nationwide is on your side” jingle in 1965 and it has resonated with audiences ever since. 

The jingle tells customers that they can trust their brand and that they will be taken care of. The tone of the voice singing is also reassuring, comforting, and everything a customer would want to feel from an insurance company. 

The jingle is still so popular today that the company continues to use it. Most recently sultry, popular singer Jill Scott covered the jingle to give the tune a modern feel. It has certainly come a long way since the first version of the jingle. 

2. McDonald’s

“Ba da ba ba baaa, I’m lovin it!”

This jingle is so catchy that most people everywhere would be able to recognize it. That’s because McDonald’s launched this ad worldwide and translated it into 11 different languages. 

Part of this was because famous pop star Justin Timberlake was tied to the song. The singer, who originally rose to fame with the pop group NSYNC, could be heard crooning the jingle during both television and radio commercials.

McDonald’s spent the money to take the ad as far as it could go and it showed. The jingle could be heard everywhere you went, whether it was on television, the radio, or showing as an ad at an event or sports game.  

McDonald’s eventually registered “I’m lovin’ it” as a trademark and continue to use the slogan to this day. It’s still the longest-running campaign in McDonald’s history. 

3. Ricola

Hearing the drawn-out “Riiiiiicolaaaaaaa” probably brings to mind the scenery of a swiss hillside. That’s because this jingle’s campaign was as effective on television as it was on the radio. 

The cough drop company first used this ad campaign in Germany and Switzerland in 1993 and it was so popular that they eventually released it in other countries. This led to a huge increase in brand awareness that was ultimately quite profitable. 

The television commercial often featured a yodeler, mountainous hills, and people coughing followed by popping a Ricola into their mouth. The iconic jingle is used in their advertising to this day.

4. Rice Krispies 

This popular jingle remains as effective as it ever was, even today. 

It’s so popular that in 2020 Kellog’s released a full-length single featuring the three Rice Krispy elf mascots singing a modern pop version of the song. This song is even available on Spotify! 

The song also got a very rock and roll makeover by the world-famous rock band The Rolling Stones a few years before they became a household name.

Then-bandmember Brian Jones wrote the tune and it was their take on the famous “Snap! Crackle! Pop! Rice Krispies!” lyrics with an edgier twist. 

5. Lucky Charms

Lucky Charms has always run a popular ad campaign for plenty of reasons, but it was their “They’re magically delicious!” slogan that has stuck in people’s memories for years. 

Lucky Charms has always created effective television commercials featuring their leprechaun mascot, Lucky, as he tries to protect his precious bowl of cereal from the kids trying to eat it. 

Their advertising was so successful that it’s recognizable beyond just the main catchphrase.

Many people can recognize the part of the ad that details the eight different marshmallow shapes and colors in the cereal as well. The jingle behind the words is lighthearted and mimics the sound often heard in daytime cartoons for kids. 

6. Spaghetti-O’s

This very popular jingle was loosely based on a 1950s love song by Jimmie Rodgers, “Uh-Oh I’m Falling In Love Again.”

The Spaghetti-O’s jingle is so memorable that it became a regular part of American vernacular that had nothing to do with canned food and is sometimes still heard today.

Locked your keys in your car? Maybe you managed to spill water all over your paperwork. Your first response might have been to say, “Uh oh, spaghetti-o’s.”

This slogan boosted sales for the company and it is still one of the most-bought canned foods today. 

7. State Farm

State Farm Insurance has run such a competitive and brilliant ad campaign for years now that nearly anyone would be able to place where the ad came from if they heard it. 

Their jingle slogan, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,” is not only memorable because of the words, but the actual music underneath the lyrics is catchy and rhythmic. The music on its own makes listeners want to hum and repeat it. 

When they employed actor J.K. Simmons to read the slogan during television and radio commercials it permanently cemented itself into cultural history. 

State Farm used this slogan from 1971 until they retired it in 2016, but it remains as memorable as ever. 

The words of the slogan successfully painted the exact right picture; a company that would watch out for them, as a neighbor might. 

For all these reasons, State Farm’s jingle remains one of the most memorable jingles of all time. 

8. Campbell’s

If you were born after 1930, chances are you grew up hearing the all-too-familiar “Mm-Mm, good, mm-mm good” jingle all about soup. 

The television commercial featuring this jingle often aired during after-school hours to ensure that kids would be able to see it and, in turn, ask mom to buy the Campbell’s soup next time she made a trip to the grocery store. It also played on the radio. 

This jingle was catchy enough that Campbell’s revived it in the early 2000s when sales were dropping. The jingle carries a certain nostalgia that connects with customers even in a day and age where canned soup isn’t as popular as it once was. 

9. Kit Kat

Kit Kat hit it big when they released their famous jingle in 1986. This iconic jingle almost compels listeners to finish the lyrics themselves when they hear it because it’s so catchy. 

In a strange turn of events, this jingle was not meant to be the original choice for Kit Kat’s advertisements. It was a “throwaway piece” according to the song’s composer, Michael A. Levine.  

As the story goes, the ad agency for Kit Kat presented this now-famous jingle as a secret “no” option because they couldn’t present just one song to their client. The jingle audiences all know and love now was never supposed to be famous the way it is today. 

But, luckily for Kit Kat, it ended up working out big for the company anyway! 

10. Toys R Us

The Toys R Us ad campaign is brilliant in that not only did it employ the use of a hard-to-forget jingle, but it was targeted at impressionable and receptive kids. 

The melodic “I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid” jingle was heard everywhere in the 1980s and 1990s whether it was on television or the radio. 

The company managed to make being a “Toys R Us kid” synonymous with being a kid lucky enough to get toys from their parents.

Every child wants toys and every child wants the same toys their friends have or better ones than their friends have. The jingle created a sense of being in an exclusive toy club.

While Toys R Us eventually closed all its retail stores in 2018, their iconic jingle remains one of the most popular in culture to this day.

Create Radio Jingles for Your Business Today 

After reading all about radio jingles, it should be clear why a memorable marketing strategy is so effective. 

Creating a catchy jingle, video, or other forms of advertising can make or break a business. If you’re looking to create a catchy campaign for your business and have ever wondered “how much does a radio ad cost?” Killer Spots Agency has answers for you.

Browse through their advertising services and find out about the many ways that you can boost your business today. 

Wheaties aired the first-ever commercial jingle on Christmas Eve 1926. 

Since then, many iconic companies have come up with catchy commercial jingles. McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” and Kit Kat’s “Give Me a Break” are just two of the effective taglines most people are guaranteed to recognize. 

Nothing drives an advertising message home like a catchy jingle. Listeners may either love it or hate it, but if it’s a good jingle, they will remember it. A good jingle connects a brand name with ideas, services, or promotions. 

In the growing digital advertising age, it’s important to remember that this classic advertising tactic can still bring great value to a business. 

Here are the ways investing in a catchy advertising jingle can benefit a business:

Jingles Establish a Brand

Catchy jingles help build a brand’s identity. Jingles are catchy, simple, and repetitive. They are the key to long-term advertising success. 

Quality jingles will help give customers positive brand associations. They highlight a company’s personality. 

Lyrics and music together help create the specific identity a company is trying to achieve. The lyrics help paint the desired picture of the company, while the melody helps set the tone. 

If a brand’s mission is inspiring and upbeat, the tune of the jingle should match that. A high-quality business will use high-quality music in its jingle. 

Catchy radio jingles will build familiarity and establish an emotional connection. Customers transfer their emotions and feelings toward the jingle to the company. 

Balance is key. A bad jingle can do more harm than good. If a jingle comes off as annoying, your customers will hate it and may roll their eyes every time they hear it.

Well-crafted jingles hold a lot of potential and can improve a company’s public image. 

Jingles Help Customers Remember a Brand

While it’s true that good logos make customers recognize a brand on a phone, television, or billboard, jingles appeal to the sense of hearing. Music has strong ties to memory. Thus, jingles have the power to get stuck in customers’ heads. 

When jingles are written well, they will rhyme, have simple verses, and be repetitive. These qualities help the jingle stick in listeners’ heads. If a catchy jingle is easy to remember, consumers will have the brand in the back of their mind and recall it when they require the brand’s products. 

Jingle Music Influences Mood

Music connects to listeners’ memory and mood. Studies show that the areas of the brain involved in planning, movement, attention, and memory are all activated when listening to music. 

Music that makes listeners want to move around or sing can greatly improve their mood. 

If music can affect a person’s mood, that means a jingle can as well. This is an important factor to remember when crafting the right jingle for a business. 

The tune of a jingle can elicit either positive or negative emotions in the listener. It is important to craft a jingle to elicit the right emotional response the company is going for. 

While a jingle helps establish brand identity, it should also help listeners decide how to feel about a certain product. 

The music should always match the product. If the product is very serious, but the music of the jingle is happy and upbeat, consumers will feel confused by the dissonance. 

Businesses should try to elicit positive emotions with their jingle so that consumers feel happy when thinking about their products or services. 

Jingles Create Nostalgia

Great jingles can manipulate customer emotions. If a brand has been using the same jingle for decades, customers can feel a rush of nostalgia when they hear the tune and think back to when they heard it as a kid. 

Nostalgia draws on familiar memories and experiences. It can be a powerful marketing tool because it persuades consumers based on previous emotions. Advertisements that evoke emotions do better than those that don’t. 

When customers feel more, they will be more open to the brand’s message and more open to trying its products. When they are transported to a better time upon hearing a jingle, a business will enjoy increased sales.

Jingles Stand Out From the Crowd

In this day and age, there is a lot of clutter and noise in the advertising world. The rise of digital marketing and advertising has saturated the market.

Consumers are exposed to an excessive number of advertisements daily. Internet users are becoming increasingly desensitized to advertising messages. It is hard for a company’s ad to stand out to consumers when they are constantly scrolling and overwhelmed by various ads. 

Jingles are a great way for businesses to stand out and grab the attention of customers. 

Consumers typically hear jingles on the radio or a streaming platform. The ads come on during breaks. Most people don’t switch channels to avoid a thirty-second ad, making jingles unavoidable. 

Today, music platforms like Spotify are very popular. A catchy jingle aired on one of its commercial breaks is bound to increase a company’s brand awareness and ROI. 

There is no visual component to a jingle, which gives consumers a break. If a jingle is catchy and fun, consumers will hear and remember it in a way they don’t remember digital ads. Music embeds itself into consumers’ subconscious, allowing them to remember it long after they first heard the tune. 

Jingles Are Engaging

Catchy jingle music is meant to be fun and engaging for listeners. They should be snappy and addictive. If a jingle has the perfect tune and a fun line, people will naturally want to repeat it back. 

Kids can even pick up on jingles and start singing them without understanding the brand or its services. 

When people start humming or repeating a jingle in public or any social setting, it is a form of free word-of-mouth advertising. Others around will be reminded of the jingle and may even start singing along. 

Once customers are initially drawn into a catchy jingle, they stick around to hear the rest of the company’s message and what it has to offer. 

Jingles Persuade Customers

Music tends to embed messages in the consumer psyche.

When words are put to music, they become more powerful. Consumers will often create their own repetition by humming the tune or singing the words in their heads. 

Jingles will always have contemporary marketing power because of the effect they have on consumers’ minds. They can greatly influence a consumer’s decision-making process. 

Jingles Are a Cheap Form of Flexible Marketing

When it comes to cost-effective marketing strategies for a business, jingles are hard to beat. They don’t have to involve celebrities or break the bank. An expert can create an effective jingle that is also budget-sensitive. 

The upfront cost of a jingle is well worth the long-term benefits because they are versatile. The one-time investment of hiring a jingle company translates into a piece of marketing that can be used in any campaign. It is important to have experts come up with a jingle as opposed to a business creating one on its own. 

Because jingles do not come with recurring payments of fees, a business can re-use them. Jingles can even be used in print campaigns. Once customers become familiar with a jingle, they will associate the printed words of the jingle with the brand. 

Catchy advertising jingles can also be edited and re-used. If a business wants to shift directions or advertise a new product, it can change up the tune or add a new line. A refresh from time to time can draw more customer attention. 

Because a jingle can stick in customer’s minds, a brand name can pop into their heads even when the company is not running a current ad campaign. That’s the power of a good jingle! 

Buying a jingle is a one-time cost, but it can help a business gain loyal customers. 

Catchy Jingle: An Essential Marketing Tactic

Jingles are one of the most powerful elements of advertising for a business or brand. They can reach thousands of people and boost company sales due to their persuasive nature. 

Killerspots Agency creates killer jingles for every business and budget. Their production team has been creating catchy jingles for over 30 years and knows how to create powerful jingles that will provide businesses with amazing ROI.

Killerspots Agency offers different package options. Jingles are completely customized for each client. 

Click here to get a quote on a catchy jingle from Killerspots Agency today! 

When it comes to running a business in the 21st century, brand recognition is one of the most important things to take into consideration. If you want customers, you’re going to need leads, and if you want leads, you’re going to need to get recognized. 

Almost everyone considers advertising, and we all know the importance of merchandise. But have you thought about coming up with a company jingle? 

Your brain might automatically think that company jingles are old and dated, but check out this list of the most memorable advertising jingles. Some of them aren’t even very musical, just rhythmic and melodic phrases that stick in people’s heads.

No doubt, you recognize all of these corporate jingles. It doesn’t take long for this recognition to turn into good times you spent with the product. That is the power of brand recognition. 

Whereas most advertising works on a purely visual level, a jingle allows you to infiltrate people’s brains sonically. You can effectively dominate your local cultural consciousness by branching out to other forms of advertising.

This article will walk you through all you need to know to create the best company jingles. 

Phase One: Research

Our auditory associations are highly generational and cultural. Because of this, companies looking for jingles need to make sure they know which market they’re targetic. 

What generations of people are coming into your business or calling you up? — are they a younger crowd, or older? You don’t want to create a jingle that calls to mind Engelbert Humperdinck if your audience is all under the age of 21. Conversely, you don’t want to drop the newest Travis Scott song on a bunch of elderly people. 

For young people, make sure you keep up with social media trends, so you can stay relevant. 

But that’s all you need to get specific about. 

Language is extremely specific to the way we live our lives. Language is how we imagine, build and structure our world. You need to tangle the language if your company jingles to your demographic as well.  

You’re not going to want to use a lot of slang if you’re addressing technical professionals. You’re also not going to want to be too cold if you’re shooting for a more casual crowd. 

Phase Two: Get the Music Right

Once you know what sort of music you’re going to be making for your jingle, you have to hammer out the music and get it right. Make sure you work closely with any jingle-writers that you hire to get exactly what you want. Always choose to work with someone who’s willing to co-operate; it’s your business after all.

(Speaking of which, unless you’ve had some serious musical training, don’t try to write your own jingle. In all likelihood, it won’t go very well. The songs are short, but the music is much more complicated than it seems.) 

You have to keep your jingle simple, poppy, easy to remember, and easy to sing. Now is not the time to show off your love for the avant-garde jazz styling of Eric Dolphy. The ultimate test as to whether or not your jingle is working is whether or not people are willing to sing it back.

The thing is, it doesn’t even need to be technically good; it can even be extremely annoying like the Fanta ad, and it will work. 

For the most part, you’re going to want to stay in a major key. The melody should be so simple that you can rework it into several different concepts. Just think about all of the varying ways the Nationwide jingle has been played. 

Phase Three: Get the Lyrics Perfect

You have to get the music right, but you have to get the lyrics more right. In the case of a jingle, the music is just the vehicle you’re serving up a lyric in. 

What should your lyrics be?

Well, for one, they should not be the modernist poetic stylings of Wallace Stevens. They should be short, repetitive, child-like, simplistic, they should stick in your head like gum to the bottom of a table. You might only get one shot to capture the hearts, minds, and imaginations of your audience; make sure you aim well. 

Make sure you use rhyme. People remember rhymes. That’s why they’re so popular in almost every form of popular music. 

Make use of assonance as well. Words that sound alike, that start with the same sounds, that flow together rhythmically like drum hits. All of this can only serve to help people remember you. 

In your lyrics, don’t be afraid to get corny. There’s no such thing as a “cheap” sale, so why should there be “cheap” lyrics? Feel free to use puns, silliness, pop-culture reference, and sentimentality to your advantage; people eat these things up. 

Speaking of sentimentality, don’t forget to suggest a relationship. Don’t be afraid to tell your customers exactly what you provide, and exactly what their relationship to you is. On our list of the greatest ad jingles, we list Toys R Us, who did a wonderful job of getting straight to kids’ hearts. 

One of the reasons they did so well is because, years later, when those kids were grown up, their sentimental attachment to those songs made them share the product with their kids. Which is a sweet moment that means more business. 

Phase Four: Come Up With a Few Options

There’s a reason why musicians do several takes of songs, why movies end up with deleted scenes, and authors go through many drafts of the same scene. You’re stepping into the world of art here, and things aren’t always as cut and try as they seem. As a businessperson, you might just want to pay for the product and get the job done, but it isn’t as simple as that. 

When it comes to creativity, everything is a matter of taste. You might be disappointed by how annoying the jingle your writer came up with is, only to find yourself whistling it in bed at night. Inversely, you might love a jingle, but never be able to remember how it goes. 

This is why it’s important to get several options. Bring your team in and have them listen to all of them. Then give yourself some time to sit and think about which jingle works the best.

Heck, you can even call a meeting a week later and ask your team which jingle has stuck in their head the most. This is a great, scientific way to choose a jingle. 

If you can afford to, it might serve you well to hire several jingle writers. As long as the musicians/company jingle maker is getting paid, and you’re not using any of their music without their permission, they’ll happy to work for you, even if you don’t end up using their song. Session musicians record songs that never see the light of day popular musicians all the time. 

The point is, you need to think outside of the box when it comes to jingles. You’re not going to get 100 percent of the way by hammering it out with facts and logic. You’re going to need to get a little strange. 

Phase Five/Six: Test It Out/Refine

A good business person knows that to succeed, you’re going to have to fail. Some of the most successful business people of all time tanked their first companies abysmally. 

When your jingle hits the air, don’t rest on your auditory laurels. Get out there in the world. Listen to the way your song sounds coming out over the radio, after a song in a Spotify ad, in-between shoes in a commercial, etc; it’s one thing to hear it in the comfort of your office, another to hear it amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

The hustle and bustle of life is where your jingle is going to have to shine. It needs to cut through the raw fabric of life. Does it sound good, catchy, reliable in this context? 

Take note of whether or not people hum along to the song, or seem to have it caught in their heads afterward. Take note of whether they’re talking about the jingle or not. It’s a good sign even if they’re making fun of your ad or calling it annoying; mimicry means repetition, and repetition means recognition. 

If your jingle isn’t catching, that’s alright. You can use one of your alternate takes, or refine your current one. The more you fail, the closer you get to success. 

Create the Best and Brightest Company Jingle That No One Can Forget

Human beings are creatures of symbol, language, associations, sound. If we’re going to remember a business, we’re going to remember it because of a symbol that’s attached to it; an image, some language, or a song. A company jingle allows you to combine language with songwriting for the purposes of your company. 

Now that you know the six phases of creating a great jingle, there’s nothing stopping you from dominating the business world. 

For more information, contact us today. 

There are as many ways to advertise a business as there are products to sell. In today’s marketplace, many businesses focus on web advertising, boosting their presence on social media or popular websites.

As a result, modern companies may be missing out on a tried and true method of advertising: the ad jingle.

Though the idea of an ad jingle might seem quaint today—a relic of the days of radio—the reality is that businesses can reap substantial rewards when they create a jingle.

Jingles are part of a marketing strategy called sonic branding. Sonic branding is all about getting a business’s message into a person’s head through audio advertising.

Several of the biggest brands in America have already discovered the benefits of sonic branding. This article will explain how every business can benefit from a well-crafted jingle.

Jingles Work Across Media

One of the biggest advantages of using an ad jingle is that companies can slot them into any advertising that uses audio. Commercials, online videos, radio ads—all of these can be enhanced with the addition of a snappy jingle.

When a company uses a jingle, they become omnipresent. There are very few places a jingle can’t reach.

If a customer is in a car, they might hear the jingle on the radio, or on a music streaming service like Pandora. At home, they may hear the jingle while watching television or checking out YouTube videos.

A jingle may even reach customers who are on the phone. On-hold messaging is an important feature of many call centers; a company can insert their jingle into their messaging to reinforce it to their customers.

As technology advances and platforms change, new ways to use jingles emerge. For example, podcasts are a growing market for advertising and a natural fit for jingles.

As an entirely auditory medium, podcasts are often considered the modern-day equivalent of radio shows. Radio has always been a good medium for jingles, and podcasts are, too.

A quick jingle at the beginning or middle of a podcast can be a huge boon, especially if the podcast has a wide audience or an obvious tie to the product.

Jingles Establish a Brand

A jingle is a concise, memorable way for a company to establish a brand identity. Both lyrics and melody can influence how customers view a company based on their jingle.

If a company is looking to establish a specific tone, music is a great way to do so. More importantly, the words can paint an idealized picture of the company.

If a jingle makes a company sound fun and exciting, then suddenly “fun and exciting” are phrases that people associate with that company. The idea that the brand is fun and exciting is reinforced every time people hear the jingle.

Great jingles are fun and catchy, giving customers positive brand associations.

There’s a danger here, too. Like a sitcom character with an annoying catchphrase, a bad jingle can become frustrating to customers.

Much like a logo, a jingle is one of the first things people will associate with a business. The last thing a brand wants is for a customer to roll their eyes every time their jingle comes on!

Jingles have the power to make or break a company’s public image, so it’s crucial to get them right. There are several tricks to maximize a jingle’s potential, as well as some pitfalls to avoid.

An Ad Jingle Offers Flexibility

One of the hallmarks of a great jingle is that it is extremely flexible. This isn’t referring to its ability to be deployed in many mediums—even a bad jingle offers that kind of flexibility.

Jingle flexibility instead refers to the capacity for the jingle to be remixed and reused.

Times change. Companies change. What works today may not work—or may not make sense—tomorrow. A jingle should be able to keep up.

The most obvious example of this is changing the music slightly. A company might alter the key of the jingle, or even transplant it into a different genre to change up the sound.

This can help bring advertising in line with a new direction the business is taking, or to adjust to a more popular style of music as cultural tastes shift.

On the other hand, it might just be a simple way to freshen up a long-running ad jingle. An occasional refresh grabs people’s attention, drawing focus onto the new sound (and the advertisement behind it).

The best jingle can also get a lyrical tweak from time to time. If a company is running a special promotion, for instance, they may wish to change a line in their jingle to reference the current deal.

Even a small change from the norm can grab a customer’s attention and help the ad stand out—as long as the original jingle is firmly established.

Cost-Effective Marketing

In terms of efficient ways to advertise, it’s hard to beat ad jingles. This is largely because they are so versatile, with one jingle featuring across countless other forms of advertising.

Every company wants to save money, and some may hesitate at the idea of hiring a jingle service. The thing is, the up-front cost is minimal when considered against the utility of the jingle itself.

Hiring a jingle company should be thought of as an investment, not an expense. By paying the price for a single jingle, a business gains an asset that can be used in virtually any kind of marketing campaign.

Yes, that includes print campaigns—once a customer hears a jingle enough times, even reading the words will put the jingle in their heads. They won’t need the music; they’ll supply it themselves.

Of course, some companies may be tempted to forego the cost of hiring a jingle company and simply work out a jingle themselves.

This is not an advisable move.

As pointed out earlier, a bad jingle does more harm than good. If a company doesn’t know what they’re doing and puts out a jingle that people find annoying, they’re only going to drive customers away.

People Will Remember a Jingle

One of the biggest benefits of a jingle is that it sticks around in people’s heads. Particularly catchy jingles are called ‘earworms’—tracks that burrow into a listener’s brain and refuse to leave.

Research has shown that music has strong ties to memory. The human brain likes to sort information into chunks of data, and songs (a combination of lyric and melody) are like pre-built chunks for brains to store.

As a result, a listener is much more likely to remember a musical jingle than a more straightforward description of a business.

It’s the same concept as a college student using a mnemonic device to study for a big test. Adding a tune or a rhyme to information helps lock it into one’s mind more securely.

This is even more advantageous for long-running jingles. If a company uses the same jingle for decades, then it can become nostalgic—and nostalgia is a powerful force in marketing.

Perhaps the best example of this is McDonald’s classic “I’m lovin’ it” jingle, which many adults have been hearing since their childhoods.

It’s no coincidence that such a massive and successful brand also has one of the most recognizable jingles in the world!

Music Connects to Mood

Memory is not the only part of the human experience that music links to. A person’s mood can also be affected by music—and that means that a jingle can influence mood, too.

Music is one of the most powerful mood enhancers in the world. There’s a reason action films have bombastic soundtracks while dramas often stick to quiet, classical music; the sound sets the tone for what’s happening.

The music of a jingle can summon emotions (positive and negative) in a listener, and it’s important for a product to provoke the right emotional response.

In much the same way that a jingle builds a brand’s identity, it should also direct a user’s feelings about a product.

For example, a high-energy techno sound might be catchy and memorable, but it’s the wrong choice for a jingle about a new medication. The music tells the customer to get excited, but the product is much more serious.

That dissonance will confuse and upset people.

The reverse is also true: a theme park jingle shouldn’t have a subdued and somber jingle. That will make listeners associate the park with sadness.

Ideally, a business should aim for music that promotes positive emotions. That way, the company’s ads will put a smile on the listener’s face–and the listener will ascribe that smile to the business.

Ad Jingles Boost Business

Using an ad jingle is a great way for any business to advertise. A jingle can reach thousands of people across many types of media, and a great jingle will stick in people’s heads. Hiring a jingle company is a smart investment!

Ad jingles are just one example of the powerful marketing tools available to businesses today. To take full advantage of the best marketing strategies, get a quote from the Killer Spots Agency.