Advertising jingles! They're effective and overlooked by many small business owners.

Jingles can amuse or annoy you. Recently a major automaker and discount retailer have been using the same music in their commercials. For some reason, I find this music annoying. Adding to this annoyance is the fact the song sticks in my head. It pops up and plays throughout the day, long after I've seen their commercials. While the song doesn't exactly qualify as a jingle, it still shows the impact music can have in advertising. While I really dislike that music, I can also tell you exactly who these companies are and what they advertise. To get inside someone's head that way, and stay there, is powerful advertising.

While many small business owners overlook the impact of advertising jingles, studies show most consumers don't. In a 1990 survey of 3,000 people[1], 62% of respondents recalled seeing an advertisement for a particular product when given a verbal cue. In a similar study done in 2000[2], participants exposed to visual advertising cues achieved 49% correct recall of ads and associated brands. The group given advertising musical cues achieved 70% correct recall.

So why do so many small business owners use radio ads but leave the music as an afterthought? From ad to ad, the background music changes, sounding as if something was pulled out of the radio station's elevator music closet.

It may be that business owners think producing a jingle will cost more than their budget can handle. Actually, when you consider how long and how much you'll use a jingle, it can be a very cost-effective investment. Advertising jingles can begin in the hundreds of dollars. That's a low investment for something you will use again and again. There are numerous companies that specialize in producing jingles. Look in your local Yellow Pages or search online. Select several companies and ask for quotes. Most importantly, ask for samples and references before you hire anyone. Remember, to build recognition, you'll be using your jingle for a long time. So, make sure it's something you, your customers and potential customers can live with for quite a while.

To help you understand just what you're buying, here are a few "advertising jingle" terms.

• Jingle -- simply a sung commercial. Many in the marketing industry now refer to it as "musical branding." I use "jingle," because that's the term most people are familiar with.
• Jingle Package -- a collection of various versions of a jingle to accomodate an advertiser's different needs. A package may include any of the following:
  • Jingle Bed or Background -- the music that plays under the message in a commercial. It has no singing at all and is used to accompany the announcer (voice-over).
  • Donuts -- No. This isn't breakfast. It's a jingle package with singing at the beginning and the end and a gap in the middle. The "gap" can be filled with different information while the donut stays the same.
  • A Full Sing -- As the name implies, this is a version with singing throughout. A full sing is usually :30 or :60.
  • Sing In or Sing Out -- Versions with singing only at the beginning or end of the jingle.

When you talk to a jingle producer, ask for at least 10 samples. This shows you their level of experience, but it also gives you ideas. Don't leave it up to the producer to write and record your advertising jingle without your input from the beginning. You know your business and what type of image you want to project. The music and singers you choose should project this image and appeal to your target audience. Don't feel you must go with the first jingle presented to you. Ask how many revisions are included with your quote. Then use them to perfect your jingle. You can do an online search for jingle producers. A company I have used with great results is JingleBrokers. Visit their site at http://www.jinglebrokers.com and listen to samples.

A Few Final Tips

• Let others listen to your jingle before you finalize it. An advertising jingle can really stir emotions in a listener -- both positive and negative. You don't want one so bad that it causes complaints. Take time to get some input, preferably from those people in your target audience.
• Be careful about using licensed jingles. Read the fine print and ask questions to ensure you own the jingle. Nothing is worse than building solid recognition for your jingle, then parting ways with a company and losing the rights to the jingle you've been using.
• Having a jingle makes your job easier. Each time you produce a commercial, you already know what music you're going to use. You don't have to start from scratch. Use your jingle on all radio, TV, music-on-hold, etc. Don't deviate. You may be tired of hearing it, but consistency is important to building brand identity for your company.

Studies show nearly everyone can sing at least one jingle. . .usually more. Wouldn't it be nice if the next advertising jingle they're singing is yours?


[1]Stewart D, Farmer K & Stannard C, (1990), Music as a Recognition Cue in Advertising-Tracking Studies, Journal of Advertising Research, Aug-Sept v30 n4 p39

[2]Sutherland M and Sylvester A, (2000), Advertising and the Mind of the Consumer, St Leonards, Allen & Unwin