Music in Advertising (Junior Cert Music): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
Music in Advertising
infoNote
A jingle is a short, catchy tune used in advertisements to promote a product or brand.
What is Music in Advertising?
Music plays a key role in advertising because it helps to:
- Grab attention – Music makes an ad stand out and capture the audience's interest.
- Create brand identity – Some brands use the same music in all their ads to make them instantly recognisable.
- Evoke emotions – The right music can make an audience feel happy, excited, nostalgic, or inspired.
- Make a product more appealing – Catchy tunes or emotional melodies help create a strong connection with the viewer.
- Make ads memorable – Jingles and strong musical themes make sure people remember the ad and the product.
Key Features of Music in Advertising
Different elements of music are used in advertising to create the right effect:
| Musical Element | How It Affects Advertising |
|---|---|
| Tempo (speed) | Fast music creates excitement and energy; slow music creates a calm or emotional feel. |
| Instrumentation | Different instruments create different moods (e.g., piano for emotion, drums for energy). |
| Melody | Simple, catchy melodies stick in people's minds, making them remember the ad. |
| Major vs. Minor Keys | Major keys sound happy and positive; minor keys create sadness or mystery. |
| Dynamics (volume changes) | Loud music grabs attention; soft music can make an ad feel personal and emotional. |
| Repetition | Repeated musical patterns (motifs) make the ad memorable. |
Jingles: The Catchiest Type of Ad Music
A jingle is a short, catchy piece of music used in an ad. A good jingle:
- Is easy to sing.
- Has simple lyrics that mention the brand or product.
- Sticks in people's heads long after the ad is over.
Examples of Famous Jingles
| Brand | Jingle |
|---|---|
| McDonald's | "I'm Lovin' It" |
| Coca-Cola | "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" |
| Kit-Kat | "Have a Break, Have a Kit-Kat" |
Case Study: John Lewis 2018 Christmas Advert – The Boy and the Piano
This advert tells the story of Elton John receiving a piano as a child, showing how music shaped his life.
How Music is Used in the Advert:
- The song 'Your Song' by Elton John is re-recorded and used as the soundtrack.
- The advert starts with a simple piano melody, representing a child playing their first notes.
- The lyrics "My gift is my song, and this one's for you" are heard clearly, reinforcing the message about gifts.
- The music builds emotionally, ending with a return of the opening piano melody, linking the past to the present.
- This is an example of how music tells a story and connects emotionally with the audience, making the advert more powerful.