Music as a Mnemonic Device

For marketers, the use of mnemonic devices help make campaigns memorable for consumers. It's those mnemonic devices that allow brands to have a cut-through material in spite of the array of commercials that consumers are bombarded with.

For what appeared to be the longest commercial break I've experienced this year, it dawned upon me that almost every commercial is now using MUSIC as a mnemonic device--especially for new TV commercials (TVCs). To name a notable few that are currently airing:

1. Rejoice Shampoo "Haba ng Hair"
View commercial by clicking here.

If you were able to watch Magandang Gabi Vice a few weeks back, rising hip hop singer "Abra" was interviewed by no other than Vice Ganda. After his interview, a 2-minute TVC material aired for Rejoice showcasing its Haba ng Hair mo MTV. Kim Too--a famous impersonator of Kim Chiu is seen singing and dancing in the MTV and towards the end it features Abra himself.


2. Solaire Resort & Casino
View commercial by clicking here.

Prior to revealing the opening of Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila, we were bombarded with a teaser TVC material accompanied with a song "Brighter than the Sun" by Colbie Caillat. It was an unbranded material at first that only hinted that "the game is about to change." A few weeks later, the full-length 60-second TVC was aired--revealing the opening of Solaire. Throughout the material, the song was utilized and we see people cheerfully walking throughout the commercial until the big reveal. More so, this was viral on the radio as well.

3. Lewis & Pearl "You are Here"
View commercial by clicking here.

With Jasmine Curtis as its latest endorser, the French song "Tu es La" (a.k.a. You are Here)  by Moira dela Torre is played in the background. Similar to Solaire, this was also aired on the radio--in which after the song is played we hear that "This song was brought to you by Lewis & Pearl..."

These are just a few examples, but the list can go on and on. In fact, for one of our agency pitches, a number have recommended what they informally call "Music Marketing". But really, it's a mnemonic device that allows us to associate ourselves with the brand.

You can think of it this way: you commute to work every day or you're driving to work, and you hear the song in commercial. You like it a lot. And when you try to recall it, you find yourself saying "It's the song in the Solaire commercial."--exactly the point. That's what mnemonic devices do. They allow us to associate brands and increase brand awareness. Just a caveat though--one has to be very particular with the type of song being associated to the brand. You wouldn't want a rock-and-roll song associated to Lewis and Pearl if its aiming to elevate its brand identity as a premier cologne brand, right? That would explain why they chose a happy-feeling French song.

What interests me more is that almost every material on TV nowadays has an element of music that plays a very significant role. More so, these are songs that are already popular on its own.  Gone are the days when jingles were the auditory elements used in TVCs--except maybe for Rejoice and Beam Toothpaste.

Of course, there are other mnemonic devices aside from music, too.