Should I use a jingle in my broadcast advertising?
Since I am completely musically unqualified, I’m actually the perfect person to address this question for you. After all, I watch a little TV, and I occasionally listen to the radio. And I buy stuff.
How can I put this gently? After all, I’m not the company curmudgeon.
Most jingles are terrible.
If you must use a jingle (see Tip #5), please:
1. Be sure you tie your jingle to your product. There is a roofing company in my town whose share of voice is so strong that it has total top of mind awareness in our market. That’s due in large part to the frequency of their ads and their very catchy jingle. It is permanently stored in my auditory memory banks and reminds me who to call when my roof needs a re-do.
2. Make sure it’s a tune you are proud of. You are going to have to repeat that jingle every time you’re on the airwaves, so that people connect it to you and your product. Frequency is important. And if you can’t stand it, how do you think the listeners/viewers will feel?
3. Keep the melody simple. I can still remember the phone number to my local mass transit company because of the jingle they played back when I was in college in the days when everyone listened to radio. It was a simple melody that gave their phone number, and that was about it. I can still tell you how to get a hold of the MTD. (Call 384-8188. Call M-T-D.)
4. Use enough words but not too many. Many jingles tried to stuff themselves with words like ricotta busting out of a ravioli. Do yourself a favor and give the lyrics a good editing. Keep it to the essential; keep it simple. See Tip #3.
5. Consider using no jingle at all. This is the most important tip. If every ad that comes on the radio or television in your market has a music bed and a snappy jingle, what if yours doesn’t? The message just might stand out even more and cut right through the noise and clutter to capture the viewer/listener’s attention.
After all, what’s the goal of a jingle?
You want your business to be remembered, right? Here are a few other ways to do that:
- Deliver a shockingly good customer experience.
- Come up with systems, policies and procedures that triple-trump your competition.
- Use a distinctive voice in your marketing… namely, your own.
- Know – and share – what you stand for and against with your customers and in your marketing.
- In your advertising, talk to people about what matters to people in the language people use.
These are just a few suggestions, and if ultimately, you do decide to use a jingle, trust me. There’s really only one person you want singing it.
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