English 3 IMRD paper

1. LAST SONG SYNDROME: WHY MOST ADVERTISING
JINGLES ARE STUCK IN YOUR HEAD
PRESENTED BY: FADER, MARJORIE ANN F.
ENGLISH-3, 2AD-1

2. RATIONALE

The researcher aims to explore one basic
strategy that is clearly evident in the field of
advertising; jingles, and its potential help
towards brand recall among the mass media,
and looks forward to examine the influences
of modern music towards the topic.

3. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Advertising Jingles are one of the best strategies that Advertisers use
for better product recall. Moreover, we may relate our recall to “Last
Song Syndrome” or its scientific term, “Earworm”. Carrying the
product’s message, capturing the attention of listeners, and a
mnemonic tool for our brains, these are the best characteristics
that Advertising Jingles specializes in (Michelle H. and Paris, K.
2006). Different styles can be applied to these Jingles depending
on their target market. The fact that music and technology is evolving,
it also affects our preferences especially in the Post-Modernist era.
According to the study, Using Music Generation for Sound Branding, the
authors state “The use of music within advertising media began in the
20th century with jingles in radio and television commercials as well as
music playing statically in the background at the point-of-sale or sales
events.” (Gilbert, B. and Max, M. 2006) Just like a typical song from the
radio, an Advertising Jingle comprises of lyrics and a melody. These two
interact, creating lyrical information about the product that is retained in
our long-term memory whereas “The jingle is encoded into the listener’s
brain where it can be later retrieved through memory recall”. (qtd. In
Michelle H. and Paris, K. 2006)

4. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Music has a powerful role nowadays in broadcast media
especially in Advertising. When people sing along to a catchy
melody, you know that there’s a special element towards it:
Repetition. In an online article from BBC, it states that “Music is
defined by repetition, just like earworms, and this might
make earworms so hard to shake – they are musical
memories that loop, say a particular verse or a hook, forever
repeating rather than running to completion.” (Stafford, T.
2012). Repetition is a special routine in our lives; repeat
something and you master it. In this case, our brain finds it
hard to get rid of the “earworm”. Common patterns that you see
every day is a good example, such as seeing the same fence
everyday but looking at it in a different angle just to see it in a new
way or playing sounds in the stereo and the music sounds
identical after a period of time. (Stafford, T. 2012)

5. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY


Different ways can be used to produce a catchy Jingle. Filipino TV
commercials make use of actual songs (international and local)
and change the melody and rhythm slightly and create lyrics
regarding the product information or specifications. It also depends
on the genre of songs that Philippine masses prefer in the modern era.
By this, the advertisers make sure that the audience can recall the song
and can sing along with it even without hearing it at first because of the
influence and how a popular song has been adapted to be a Jingle.
Repetition, as said earlier, is also the biggest element regarding the
recall of these advertisements.
Here in the Philippines, the earliest Jingle can be traced back from the
90's of the Family Rubbing Alcohol brand, “Di lang pang pamilya, pang
sports pa!”. And who wouldn't forget BEAM's “...B-E-A-M means smile,
smile kami pag BEAM...”? These Jingles contributed a lot to Advertising
and Filipinos can still sing to these Jingles, because it has been a big
part to their childhood, including the fact that they simply can't forget
about it because of repetition and “earworm”.

6. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to answer the following
questions:

1. What makes our brain recall Advertising
Jingles?

2. What kind of music genres is essential for
brain recall?

3. How does Modern music influence
Advertising Jingles?

7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
PERSONS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM
THE STUDY:
 College students of Advertising, Marketing
and Communication and Broadcast
Journalism Courses


Marketing experts

Future Researchers

8. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION


This study focused on how Advertising Jingle
is a good strategy for product recall through
different music influences. Jingles are widely used
in advertising since it has been accepted as a form of
recall, especially with the use of music influences and
trends of the modern broadcast media.
This study covered Filipino commercials and
the music trends and genres that affect the
concept of the jingles due to the lack of resources
from commercials overseas that can be of use for the
research.

9. MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive study was established in this
study, giving explanations regarding the process
of earworm and its relation to brand recall in
advertising. It is defined as “…a detailed
account of a phenomenon as extensively as
possible.” (Frankel and Wallen, 2003).
Information gathered from relevant topics
include: Online/Electronic media, reference
materials such as books, dictionaries and
journals.

10. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Earworm- a tune or part of a song that repeats in one’s mind.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/earworm?&o=100074&s=t
).

Jingle- A catchy succession of like or repetitious sounds, as in
music or verse. A piece of verse or a short song having such a
catchy succession of sounds, usually of a light or humorous
character: an advertising jingle.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jingle).

Last Song Syndrome- When you end up singing random songs
that you last heard whether you like the song or not. You might
have heard this song in a span of 30mins or a max 8hrs.
(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Last%20song
%20syndrome).

11. THAT’S IT FOR MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!