Advertising is changing.
No, I’m not referring to the advent of spam and noxious pop-ups. I’m referring to standard TV and radio advertising. One particular element that had been a staple in such advertising is going the way of the dinosaur. According to some,
And good riddance.
The jingle actually isn’t completely dead yet, but it is present in ads a lot less than it used to be. Advertisers now are not trying so much to create a short, memorable melody that they can drill into your brain with such ferocity that they can create a legion of zombie shoppers (Supermarket of the Living Dead).
But what are they doing?
Well, they’re licensing a lot of songs that I have never heard of and have no interest in hearing as I’m totally checked out from the junk that passes for popular music these days. They’re also licensing some old standards (and by that I mean Beatles tunes). The idea seems to be to create advertising that is less offensive, that has music people actually like (as opposed to can’t extirpate from their brains).
As far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing. Obnoxious advertising, bad. (But fire, good!)
What I find odd is that they barely mention their products in many ads now, leading me to wonder whether this kind of advertising works and, thus, whether it will last.
In any event, I’m enjoying the less-obnoxifying trend in many ads.
I do have a question, though: Right now Cox has an ad out whose background music is a really catchy tune that seems to consist entirely of different kinds of phones ringing in an office environment. I don’t know if this is a jingle or one of those many, many recent songs that I haven’t heard before.
Anyone know what it might be?
Most jingles are annoying to say the least but they are also nostalgic and that aspect will be lost. As a person going on 30 I do get goose bumps when I hear jingles from my childhood like the tootsie roll song, Oscar Myer, and the like. Even songs before my time are nostalgic such as, “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” – although this seems to be kind of a rip-off of Ode to Joy.
I am fully against the use of Beatles songs and the like in commercials. The song “Revolution” being used by a big company… does this not seem culturally sacrilegious on a certain level? They are using songs to support exactly that which was being protested against.
I have also heard the song, “Lust for Life” used by car dealerships. I find abhorrent as the song talks about drugs and strip teases.
Personally I lament loosing things like, “Where’s the Beef!!!” and “I wish I were an Oscar Myer Wiener.”
+J.M.J+
I also detest the use of Beatles’ songs in commercials. I felt very annoyed a few years back when some company used “Come Together” in its ad campaign…grrrrr. Of course, it’s not the Beatles’ fault; Michael Jackson still kinda owns their catalog. So I guess the royalties are flowing into Neverland (which doesn’t make me feel much better about it, BTW).
>>>They are using songs to support exactly that which was being protested against.
Yeah, like E-Trade using Jefferson Airplane’s “Volunteers” in its ads. Do we need any further proof that the 60’s failed and capitalism has prevailed? 😉
In Jesu et Maria,
Hi! I’m in the ad biz but on the “dark side”–direct response rather than the glitzier brand / image advertising.
Maybe it’s largely because I’m a denizen of the more no-nonsense World of Direct, but I take a very jaundiced view of contemporary TV spots. I think they take ellipticism and subtlety way too far, and I also question whether this works. I mean, what is this?–Zen Advertising?
I’m also convinced that most copywriters and art directors who work on the major TV campaigns are taking some very hard drugs. At the office, I mean. :p
But hey, if you think *our* commercials are elliptical to the point of inscrutability, try watching some European TV spots some time.
Whew. Talk about Zen Advertising.
I will never understand Europeans.
Diane