Effectiveness of Advertising Soundtracks

Many commercials, in today’s era, use popular groups or celebrity entertainer soundtracks to help promote their brands.  These songs can often help in attaching a memorable groove or catchy tune so that the product can be recalled easily by a consumer’s memory.  This is a trend that has become more and more apparent over the last few years.

Previously, most commercials would develop their own tunes.  Who can remember the “pop pop fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is” tune of Alka-Seltzer.  How about “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” or “I’m stuck on band aide, cause band aide’s stuck on me”  or “give me a break… give me a break… break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar.”  These are tunes that most of us will remember.  However, this has begun changing over time and now, entertainers have begun lending their talents and their songs to TV commercials.

Perhaps corporations have seen value in adding the popularity of mainstream music to their advertising.  Not only have many corporations focused on celebrities, but many of these entertainers have capitalized themselves by being involved with the brands directly.  For example, take a look at Dr. Dre (Andre Young) who is a very accomplished producer/rapper.  However, his part ownership of the Beats headphone corporation has catapulted him financially, well beyond where his music has taken him.  However, it was a combination of good equipment and his celebrity status that brought the headphones attention.  Now, their commercials use solid music and other celebrities or athletes wearing the headphones while the music pumps out of your system as viewers watch the commercials.  Very simplistic, however, very successful and effective as shown by the sales and popularity of the Beats brand.  In fact, Jimmie Iovine and Dr. Dre recently gave $70 million to USC in creation of the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation.

I think this trend will continue, especially with the music aspect.  Music is one thing just about every person, across the world, appreciates and listens to during the day.  Music is a feeling, an emotion and now many people are finding music through advertisements.  The video in the link, by Jingle Punks CEO Jared Gutstadt, explain the importance of musical entertainment in commercials and advertisement in general.  He specifically points out that this is a win for everyone involved from the corporations, consumers and the artists alike.

Evolution of Music in Advertising – Video

Do you have any memorable commercials that you can directly relate to a song?

Do you see this trend continuing?

References

Lacovara, D. (2013, May 15). Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre give $70 million to create new academy at USC. Retrieved from USC News: https://news.usc.edu/50816/jimmy-iovine-and-dr-dre-give-70-million-to-create-new-academy-at-usc/

Tejada, J. (2015, February 10). Why today’s ads need amazing soundtracks. Retrieved from Ad Week: http://www.adweek.com/video/advertising-branding/why-todays-ads-need-amazing-soundtracks-video-162860