Effective Marketing

[brian]

Brand identification is the biggest goal of marketing, for people to immediatly think of a particular brand when given some stimulus (e.g., a song) or need (e.g., hunger). But oftentimes, I'll see a clever commercial, and remember the clever bits to talk about later, but not have a clue what the product was. For instance, there was a commercial a couple of years ago with a herd of daschunds stampeding. I remember the cute image, but not the product, so that commercial failed in its marketing goal. But even though McDonalds quit a particular ad campaign years ago, I can still tell you what goes on a Big Mac (two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun). Remember that one? I'll probably never forget it.

What made me think of this is that since it's the holiday season, I keep hearing "Good King Wenceslas" (sample), in commericals, on TV shows, at the mall, just about everywhere. But because of one particularly effective ad campaign many years ago, the song still markets a soft drink to me, no matter what the current use of the song is trying to hawk. Whenever I hear that song, I don't hear the lyrics of the Christmas carol in my head, I hear these: "Sprite makes better holidays, lymon is the reason..."

Another song that has been usurped in my mind by a corporate marketeer is "Fur Elise" (sample), a classical piano piece by Beethoven. In the 80's, there was a commercial which featured a girl at a piano recital. She was playing "Fur Elise", but in her mind, she was singing to it, anticipating a reward trip to McDonalds, starting out with something like, "I wish I had a chocolate shake..." and then she gets to a part about french fries, and sings, "and not give any, to my dumb brother." At that moment, the boy is in the audience fidgeting and making faces at her.

Interesting that all of these examples feature music. The jingle must be a powerful marketing tool.

What are some examples of marketing that has done the best job on you over the years?

[AnneB]

In my music collection, which is extensive, I have a song from the New Seekers called "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing." And in my mind, it's still a Coke commercial.

[Rstegman]

bad one is where a car company does "look what they done to my car" to the "LOOK WHAT THEY DONE TO MY SONG" by Meloney
They did exactly what she was complaining about in her song, so I automatically refused to give the car another thought (not that I would buy one right now anyway).

[Xjmt]

"FELIZ NAVIDAD" = Corona.

While some of the current ones are using music backgrounds of songs from the 70s which I find terribly annoying. I do believe those songs were not written to sell insurance much anything else.

[trucker2000]

Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weener, ..... (I've grown up hating that stupid song.

[brian]

Then there's their other one:

"My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R, my bologna has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R. Oh, I love to eat it every day, and if you ask me why I'll say, 'cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A!"

A whole generation of kids grew up knowing how to spell the name on that package in the store, probably before they could even spell their own names.

[Rstegman]

Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weener, ..... (I've grown up hating that stupid song.

In that series of songs, one good one was where the boy was saying "I don't want to be an Oscar Meyer Weener, because there won't be anything left of me."
It then goes down hill as the group forces him back into line.

[lswot]

Yeah, quite a demonstration of conformity.....

[DonaldTurner]

Then there's their other one:

"My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R, my bologna has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R. Oh, I love to eat it every day, and if you ask me why I'll say, 'cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A!"

I once met the kid who sang that song, all grown up.

[lswot]

I once met the kid who sang that song, all grown up.

You mean they don't stay small, cute and adorable?

[Henry J]

For some reason, the song "Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weener, ....." reminds me of the phrase "bite me". Huh.

Henry

[brian]

I found the McDonalds commercial that ruined "Fur Elise" for me:

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/3498/

[Xjmt]

No thanks. I still get ticked when I hear some of my favorite older R n R music set to a commercial selling diapers or beer or insurance.

[AnneB]

I found the McDonalds commercial that ruined "Fur Elise" for me:

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/3498/

Have you been looking for this for 18 months?

[brian]

Yes.

LOL, no, someone turned me on to that retro site today and it crossed my mind to search for it. I recalled posting a thread here about marketing some time back, which isn't a word that shows up much in board searches, so it was easy to come back and post it.