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The persuasive selling message in advertising today seems to have been replaced by abstraction and frenetic multi-sensory stimulation, with contemporary commercials so vague and sensational we can’t even guess what they are promoting. For a brand to build a compelling competitive advantage, it may be time to return to Old School creativity.

People are exposed to thousands of advertising impressions daily, leading marketers to resort to engaging cognitive aspects from multiple parts of the brain to trigger the maximum association potential. In other words, commercials today try to break through the clutter with shock, surprise, and emotional appeals, from using cute animal mascots and humor to excitement. But in doing so, the fundamentals of brand identity, product benefits, and memorability may be neglected:  

“You’ll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.”

There’s no question as to the effectiveness of this jingle in creating demand for Pepsodent. It identifies the brand and its benefit, and it’s memorable. It competitively positions Pepsodent as the dentifrice that provides the tangible benefit of whiter teeth, so at the point of sale, there’s no confusion over which toothpaste brand to select. The Pepsodent jingle was launched in 1948 by Unilever and ran for two decades, testimony to its effectiveness.

NXP (NewsXPartners): Traditional Advertising Ideas May Be Worth Revisiting is an original (NewsXPartners) article.

Competitively Differentiating a Brand

The concept of the USP—unique selling proposition—was introduced in the 1961 book, “Reality in Advertising,” by Rosser Reeves, then head of the Ted Bates advertising agency. Among his advertising ideas, Reeves is credited with the slogan for M&Ms, “Melts in your mouth; not in your hands,” and is said to have inspired the character Jon Hamm in “Mad Men.” Applying the USP principle propelled the Ted Bates agency to prominence as its clients’ brands outperformed their competitors. Yet, as today’s campaign evidence, the term USP is often expressed but not frequently followed.

Clarity or Confusion

How many commercials do we see and hear today that clearly and convincingly tell us what the products will do for us and highlight the brand identity so there’s no question about what is being advertised? Many commercials try to denigrate their competitors, but in doing so, they create awareness of those other brands to the detriment of the advertised brand. Have you watched a commercial and asked yourself, “What’s this for,” or “What’s the product”?

Marketers and their advertising agencies screen and evaluate commercials with undivided attention, while in reality, the audience has no vested interest and is easily distracted. Expensive media time is break time for viewers: studies have correlated the timing of commercials with toilet flushing! In other words, the advertisers pay close attention to their commercials; their target consumers do not.

Patience and Impatience

Does good advertising have a life expectancy? Not necessarily. It’s not the advertising ideas that wear out; it’s the client who gets bored. While clients may initially be excited about a new commercial or positioning, frequent screenings cause burnout. But, in reality, their audience sees the ads far less frequently. Repetition is important.

Oscar Mayers’ Renaming

Since 1936, Oscar Mayer’s “Wienermobile” has promoted and advertised its products. However, in May 2023, “Oscar Mayer announced that it was renaming the ‘Weinermobile’ to the ‘Frankmobile,’ to promote a new recipe for its all-beef franks,” Wikipedia reports.

• “The Wienermobile is a beloved American icon that has been sparking smiles and driving craveability for our iconic delicious wieners for nearly 100 years,” says Stephanie Vance, Associate Brand Manager, Oscar Mayer. “This summer, it’s time to highlight another fan-favorite: our delicious 100% Beef Franks.”

But will fans positively accept the change after all these years? Will the loss of their beloved “wiener” name be resented or accepted? “For now, the ‘Frankmobile’ is a name Oscar Mayer is trying out to see if it cuts the mustard with its fans,” an Oscar Mayer spokesperson told TODAY.com. The name change may not be permanent.

Jingles in Advertising

Using jingles to express advertising ideas has a long track record of success for various brands and businesses. As The Atlantic reports, jingles “likely started in 1926, when a Minnesota company, Washburn Crosby, hired a barbershop quartet to promote its struggling cereal, Wheaties, by singing this spirited jingle” on the radio:

• “Have you tried Wheaties? They’re whole wheat, with all of the bran.”

Wheaties survived to become a prominent cereal brand today. Interestingly, Wheaties’ message from nearly a century ago is relevant to today’s nutritional guidelines!

Jingles to express advertising ideas work best when they are simple, memorable, and relevant to the product; the brand name is often prominent.

• “Nationwide is on your side.” Nationwide Insurance is identified; the benefit is reassurance and a sense of security and trust. Rhyming helps memorability, with 93% of those surveyed recalling it correctly.
• “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” Another insurance company, positioned as a “good neighbor” to bring State Farm down to a level of warmth and familiarity.
• “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” Highlights Rice Krispies’ distinguishing experiential feature with kid appeal; a talking cereal reciting the names of its three mascots. 
• “Uh-oh! Spaghetti-O’s!” In addition to its catchy rhyming, this jingle from Campbell’s emphasizes the unique “O” shape for which it is named.
• “Mm-mm, good. Mm-mm, good…Campbell’s.” A universally recognizable communication of appetite appeal from Campbell’s, a timeless brand known for comforting values and good taste.
• “Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man.” It immediately identifies the brand, is catchy and memorable with a rhyme, and reassuring (“helpful”) to those not at home in a hardware store.
• “Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is.” Anyone suffering from indigestion knows the value of a fast-acting antacid, and Alka Seltzer communicated the benefits of its unique effervescence with this relief-assuring memorable jingle.

Where Have All the Jingles Gone?

But the trend for jingles is downward. Consider the history: A 1998 survey of television commercials by the American Association of Advertising Agencies counted 153 jingles in a sample of 1,279 national 30-second ads (12%); by 2011, the last year the survey was produced, only eight out of 308 ads had jingles (2.6%). The number of jingles used in advertising today is probably fewer than 2%.

Slogans in Advertising

An advertising slogan is a concise phrase that positively positions and differentiates a brand and is used consistently in marketing to solidify recognition. In just a few words, a good slogan appeals to the target audience and telegraphs the personality or key benefit of the brand:

• Nike: “Just Do It.” Since its adoption, Nike has used this slogan on packaging, clothing, and its ad campaigns, a consistency that reinforces recognition. The three words are an encouragement to believe in your potential.
• L’Oréal: “Because You’re Worth It.” The French hair color brand was unknown in the U.S. in 1971 when it launched this confidence-building slogan to take on category leader Clairol. The slogan has continued to represent L’Oréal for over 50 years.
• Lay’s: “Betcha Can’t Eat Just One.” It’s a dare, implying that Lay’s chips are deliciously addicting and positions the brand as active and engaging. It challenges the consumer to experience the temptation.
• Bounty: “The Quicker Picker Upper.” The rhyme makes the slogan catchy and memorable while differentiating Bounty as superior to competitors. The benefit of this slogan is easily demonstrated in advertising with side-by-side comparisons.
• The New York Times: “All The News That’s Fit to Print.” The “Times” began using this slogan in 1897, and it continues today, positioning the newspaper as authoritative and comprehensive.
• Capital One: “What’s in Your Wallet?” This slogan appears at the end of the Capital One credit card commercials, following the presentation of differentiating benefits, such as cashback and airline miles. It implies that other credit cards you may have don’t measure up.
• U.S. Army: “Be All That You Can Be.” According to ABC News, the Army is bringing back the slogan that dominated its recruiting advertisements for two decades, starting in 1981. The advertising ideas show military service as a way to learn complex skills.

Returning to jingles, slogans, symbols, and mascots to communicate advertising ideas makes sense based on earlier successes. But this may require more talent and patience than most advertising agencies—and their clients—are willing to commit. Perhaps jingles and slogans are perceived today as frivolous. However, if advertising aims to break through the clutter and position a brand beneficially and memorably, jingles and slogans deserve reconsideration.

Know Your Customers

On a closing note, the recent advertising fiasco involving Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney in support of the transgender movement highlights why brands must be cautious when taking on trending social issues as a shortcut from solid, creative, and well-thought-out advertising.

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