The fact that music can have a significant impact on how consumers perceive a brand, how they remember it and whether they are willing to buy a product is crystal clear. According to research, consumers recall a brand and its message better when an ad is accompanied by music, especially if the song is familiar or emotionally close to them. Rhythm, tempo and tonality have a big impact on how the viewer remembers the spot and how they feel when watching it. In addition, emotionally attuned music has the potential to surpass the visual component of the advertisement.
The so-called musical congruence, i.e. the degree of harmony between the music and the brand identity, plays a crucial role. If the music matches how the brand wants to appear (e.g. energetic music for sports products, soft melodies for cosmetics), it increases both the positive perception of the brand and consumers’ willingness to buy.
A look back into history
The connection between music and advertising dates back to the early 20th century, but a major turning point came in the second half of the 20th century when companies began licensing existing hits instead of creating their own jingles. Music essentially became the “carrier for a brand’s identity”. Bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones initially resisted involvement in advertising. However, with the advent of the 1980s and 1990s, when album sales were declining and the music industry was changing, even big-name bands were open to licensing their songs and collaborating commercially.
A pivotal moment was when Microsoft used The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” to promote Windows 95. Until then, such a collaboration with a rock band was virtually unthinkable. Today, the use of rock songs in advertising is commonplace and considered a sign of cool branding.
Microsoft and Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones
However, the song “Start Me Up” didn’t come cheap for Microsoft. The company reportedly paid $3 million for the license to use it.
The idea to base the campaign on “Start Me Up”, The Rolling Stones’ popular single from the 1981 album Tattoo You, came from media agency WK. Brad Chase, head of marketing for Windows 95, liked it. The main message of Windows 95 was that it would allow users to more easily handle tasks that were previously difficult and open up new possibilities. The “Start Me Up” concept captured it perfectly - it showed how Windows 95 would help people start creating, exploring, playing, and working more. In addition, the slogan made a great reference to the new “Start” button, a key feature of the system.
The problem arose when the agency discovered that it hadn’t secured the rights to license the song. The Rolling Stones were demanding $10 million to support their tour before they would even begin negotiations for the license. WK knew that this amount was beyond their means. Brad then began negotiating on his own. It took a long time, and there was still no deal in sight. Even the deadline for the music to be ready in time to launch the campaign had already been exceeded. The Rolling Stones wanted millions more than Brad could offer. Brad took a gamble. He offered an amount that was much less than what they were asking, but which he felt was fair. And he gave the band 24 hours to think about it. It worked. And the ad was a great success.
Video: Microsoft - Start Me Up (Rolling Stones)
Dodge and Shot in the Dark by AC/DC
AC/DC’s “Shot in the Dark” was the soundtrack to the Dodge ad. The 60-second “Family Motto” ad is based on Will Ferrell’s 2006 comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. The commercial stars Gary Cole, who portrayed Ricky Bobby in the original film, and is based on his catchphrase “If you ain’t first, you’re last”. It’s definitely worth noting that the song appeared in a promotional spot before it was even officially released.
Video: Dodge - Family Motto - Shot in the Dark (AC/DC)
Jack Daniel’s riding the wave of AC/DC’s Back In Black
Three years later, another AC/DC song, this time “Back In Black”, was featured in a TV ad. It was a Jack Daniel’s campaign called “In The Moment”. The 30-second black-and-white ad, directed by Omar Jones, was produced in collaboration with ad agency Energy BBDO and featured musicians St. Vincent, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Este Haim. “At Jack Daniel’s, we’ve always been about living life on your own terms and this new creative expresses that exact sentiment while showcasing our ongoing connection to music,” said Jamie Butler, vice president and global brand director for Jack Daniel’s, at the time. “We’re excited to remind our friends to always ‘live in the moment’ in a big, bold way through this rousing new spot.”
Video: Jack Daniel’s - Back in Black (AC/DC)
AC/DC is otherwise known for being generally reluctant to license their music for advertising purposes, so there really aren’t many brands that could use their rock songs in campaigns. “They have a purist approach,” said Steve Barnett, chairman of Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, commenting on AC/DC’s strategy for The New York Times. “Their instinct was always to do the right thing for fans, think long term and not be influenced by financial rewards.”
Queen’s We Are the Champions is a darling of the labels
The song “We Are the Champions”, written by Freddie Mercury, became a global hit, reaching No. 4 in the US and No. 2 in the UK. It has been a rock radio staple since its release on the 1977 album “News of the World”. It has been played at countless sporting events over the years and remains one of Queen’s best-known and most loved songs.
Because of its lyrics, this rock anthem is associated with a sense of victory and achievement, making it a popular motif for commercials highlighting sporting or other performances. It is not surprising that the Viagra brand used it for promotion. Its ad is one of the most famous uses of the song “We Are the Champions” outside a sporting context, and it is genuinely entertaining:
Video: Viagra - We Are the Champions
In addition to Viagra, the famous song was also used by Audi in their 2015 Audi A2 spot. In its Super Bowl ad, various characters recite the lyrics of Queen’s rock hit. Ricky Gervais begins with the opening line “I've paid my dues”. A number of boxers, a chef, graffiti artists, an actress playing a 17th-century girl and others then appear to recite or sing the lyrics. As the powerful chorus approaches, Gervais returns, this time in an Audi. But instead of declaring “We are the champions”, Gervais merely says, “You know how it goes”. The ad’s tagline is: “Whatever you do, stay uncompromised.”
Video: Audi A3 - We Are the Champions (Queen)
Heineken based its campaign on the same Queen song – and did well. In fact, according to a study by Forbes, the ad significantly increased consumer awareness of the brand.
Video: Heineken - We Are the Champions (Queen)
Apple’s iPod is good for dancing to Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Apple has brought a now-iconic visual to its iPod series advertising. A black silhouette of a dancer performs against a colourful background with an iPod. The white headphones and white player contrast perfectly with the colours.
The ad effectively combined an energetic rock hit with a minimalist visual style, greatly enhancing the iPod’s image as a stylish and fun gadget. But it wasn’t just the Apple brand that benefited from the campaign. It helped Jet achieve international fame. The song caught on and earned long-lasting popularity in the media and on the airwaves.
Video: Apple - Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Jet)
“We did that commercial really reluctantly,” laughed Cameron Muncey, the Australian guitarist and one of the songwriters of the rock band Jet, in an April interview with Blunt. “Like we were dragged into it kicking and screaming. We just wanted to be a rock band on the road. Now, doing something like that is just common practice.” No wonder. At the time, selling a song for a commercial was considered essentially a betrayal, not a way to pay the rent. Jet, like a proper rock band back then, wanted to promote amps, not technical gadgets. But they eventually signed a contract to use their music in Apple’s campaign. And so “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” appeared in an ad that’s still being talked about today - a full twenty-two years after the campaign launched.
National and Fernando by ABBA
But it doesn’t always have to be rock music. For example, the pop group ABBA had no qualms about making a commercial for the Australia-Japan region in 1976 (unlike rock bands). The result was five one-minute TV spots with modified lyrics, where instead of Fernando, ABBA praises the brand National (Matsushita Electric), which is today’s Panasonic.
Video: National - Fernando (ABBA)
John Lewis and Your Song by Elton John
The John Lewis brand also used a famous song for its Christmas campaign - and reached for a pop star. The brand, renowned for its poignant ads, has bet on a retrospective journey of Elton John and his hit “Your Song”, taking viewers through the different stages of the famous singer’s life. The advert caused a big stir - and absolutely deservedly so.
Video: John Lewis - Christmas advert 2018
Music conveys the story, the rhythm and the mood
Well-chosen music in line with the brand identity can build an emotional connection, increase brand trust and motivate purchase. Songs that resonate with the target audience - for example, through genre, rhythm or a familiar chorus - can therefore significantly influence consumer decision-making, both on a conscious and subconscious level. It is no coincidence that songs by Queen, The Rolling Stones or Jet have been featured in some of the great adverts of the last few decades.