Before I moved into marketing, I flirted with a career as a songwriter. I’d been playing music since the age of 15, when I discovered an old dusty guitar in the guest room down the hall. I got it tuned, taught myself to play, and started on my new life path: rock stardom.
As I got older, went through college, and learned more about the world, I began to realize that my dream of making millions to rock wasn’t going to happen. Which was ok with me. I’d met enough musicians to know that even moderate levels of success required constant travel, getting screwed by shady club owners, and having more than the occasional audience completely ignore you. Not to mention willingly taking the emotional sucker punch that writing a good (or even a bad) song can be.
But I did learn quite a bit during those years. One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of a simple, singable melody. Called the ‘hook’ in popular music, it’s the piece of the song that gets stuck in your head. It’s the thing that keeps you and your music fresh in someone’s mind.
Jingle Bells
Which brings me to advertising jingles. When written well, they can be very powerful. Think of the McDonald’s jingle. It’s short, it’s catchy, and like it or not, every time you hear it you’ll think of McDonald’s.
That’s a jingle that knows how to do it’s job. Contrary to many of the meandering, cram-as-much-info-into-this-melody-as-we-can jingles we hear around the Capital Region. No, they’re not all bad, but there are some real stinkers out there.
If you are using a jingle as part of your marketing message, I’d simply ask this “Why a Jingle?” Especially now that the Internet gives us loads of messaging options, your money may be better spent on another tactic.
Grade Your Jingle
I’d also suggest you grade your jingle using the following criteria:
1. Is it Catchy? Did you need to hear it more than twice before it got stuck in your head? If so, it’s probably not catchy enough to work.
2. Is it Unique? Does it sound like another jingle out there? Was it made with the same old stock soundbeds that have been used for ages? If the answer is yes, you lose. You will not be remembered.
3. Does it Set a Mood? The McDonald’s jingle has a happy feel to it. Coupled with a line like “I’m Lovin’ It”, the commercials feel carefree. How does your music feel? If you can’t put some positive adjectives to it, your customers can’t either.
4. Is it Simple? Musical complexity can be a beautiful thing. But in a 30 second spot, there’s just no room for it. If you want complexity and surprise, listen to Bach. If you want to move widgets, keep it as simple as possible.
5. What’s Would Bob Dylan Do? If you’re using lyrics in your jingle, take a good hard look at the central message, and run it through the WWBDD test. If your message requires elaboration, you lose your audience. Think simple. Think “The Answer is Blowing in the Wind.” Think “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”. Think “It’s all over now Baby Blue”.
At the very least, just think.