Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
Press the following tabs to access today’s vocabulary.
Let’s get started
Jingles are the short, catchy songs used to advertise specific products or companies. Press the following tabs to explore the following jingles, and consider the following:
What features of the song (music and/or lyrics) grab your attention? Why?
Record your responses using a method of your choice.
Access the following video to explore the TurboTax commercial.
Explore the following video to explore the Pepsi commercial.
Check out the following video to explore the Reese’s Puffs commercial.
These commercials have been chosen for their use of music and jingles in advertising. TVO in no way endorses the products or companies advertised.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Features of a jingle
Because jingles are meant to sell a product, a lot of thought goes into the creation of one — even if it seems short and simple!
The following Features of a Jingle checklist outlines the central features of a classic jingle, from the importance of the lyrics to the ways the elements of music can be used. We can use this checklist to examine existing jingles, as well as to help us design our own.
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Purposeful lyrics They must communicate crucial information about what is being marketed. Create a powerful hook with literary devices. Elements of music Duration Decide on appropriate tempo. Ensure the total length of the jingle is short. Pitch The tonality should reflect the overall mood; an advertisement could call for a major (happy-sounding) key or minor (more serious or sad-sounding) key. Timbre The layers and combinations of sounds and/or instruments is an important consideration. Dynamics Consider the volume(s) that can be used to express the message: does it start loud and end quietly? Does it start softly and build up? |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Features of a Jingle.
Dissecting a jingle
Let’s review the features of a jingle in the Reese’s Puffs commercial from Minds On. While exploring the video clip again, consider some of the points from the Features of a Jingle checklist and how they apply to the example from this commercial.
You may now access the following video to explore the Reese’s Puffs commercial from the previous section.
Exploring the lyrics
After you have explored the video clip again, take a moment to consider the lyrics in this jingle. As listed in the Features of a Jingle checklist, it is crucial for the lyrics advertising jingles to be purposeful and communicate specific information related to the product or company. It is common for jingles to have a hook that is simple to follow and catchy!
Press ‘Hook’ to learn more about hooks in jingles.
A hook a short phrase used in songs that it meant to make it appealing and “hook” the audience’s interest (in popular music, this often refers to the chorus which is repeated several times).
Source: YourSongmaker, 2022
The words must also be engaging for the target audience, which is often achieved by incorporating literary devices into the lyrics.
Press ‘Literary Devices’ to learn more about literary devices in jingles.
Rhyming words are words that have the same or similar ending sounds (e.g., cat, hat).
Puns are a humorous way of using a word or phrase so that one meaning is suggested.
Alliteration is when the same letter or sound is used at the beginning of a series of connected words.
Assonance occurs when two similar sounds are placed closely together (e.g., “rise high in the bright sky”).
Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word from a sound it is associated with (e.g., buzz, cuckoo).
The Reese’s Puffs commercial provides an opportunity to explore some of these concepts in greater depth.
To unpack the lyrics in this jingle, complete the Reese’s Puffs Commercial chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
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Lyrics |
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What crucial information is given about the product? |
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Are any literary devices used (e.g., rhyming words, puns, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, etc.) |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Reese’s Puffs Commercial.
Press ‘Sample’ to access an example of how you could complete the Reese’s Puffs Commercial chart.
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Reese’s Puffs Commercial |
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Lyrics |
What’s that pair that packs that punch? The unique taste, so creamy with a crunch P and B and C is what I’m thinking of And it only can be found in my Reese’s Puffs Peanut butter chocolate Great when separate But when they combine They make the morning time epic (morning time epic, morning time epic) R double E S E S YES! P to the U double F S YES! |
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What crucial information is given about the product? |
Describes the flavours and texture of the cereal Suggests what time of day to eat the product The combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and crunch is unique to Reese’s Puffs |
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Are any literary devices used (e.g., rhyming words, puns, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, etc.) |
Rhyming words (“crunch” and ”punch”) Alliteration (“creamy with a crunch”) Assonance (“when they combine, they make the morning time”) Hyperbole (the exaggeration that cereal could make the morning feel “epic”) |
Investigating the elements of music
The musical elements of a jingle are just as important to the overall advertising as the lyrics are. Jingle composers are very intentional with how they arrange the music, and we can examine how certain elements of music are used to make the messaging more effective. When investigating how these elements can enhance the message, keep in mind how they also contribute to the overall “mood” of a jingle.
Did You Know?
Impact of musical elements
Certain musical elements, such as pitch, have a more direct impact on the overall mood of a piece and can guide the audience to engage with the music in specific ways. For example, low-pitched tones can be used to create tension and sound dark, threatening, or ominous, whereas tones in a higher pitch can offer a sense of lightheartedness, optimism, or triumph (or even over-excitement and frenzy if the pitch is extremely high). Composers will often use a wide range of pitches to create more depth and variety within their music,
The impact of these tones on the overall mood of a piece is captured in the idea of key signature, or more broadly, if a piece of music is composed in a major or minor key. Music in major keys is more often associated with optimism, positivity, and promise, whereas compositions in minor keys can convey gloominess, complexity, and even a sense of foreboding.
To investigate the elements of music in the Reese’s Puffs jingle, complete the Reese’s Puffs Commercial: Elements of Music chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
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Duration: What do you notice about the tempo and total length of the jingle? |
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Pitch: How does the key signature (major or minor key) affect the overall mood? |
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Timbre: What layers and combinations of sounds and/or instruments do you notice? |
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Dynamics: What is the volume? Does it change (e.g., get louder or softer)? |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Reese’s Puffs Commercial: Elements of Music.
Press ‘Sample’ to access an example of how you could complete the Reese’s Puffs Commercial: Elements of Music chart.
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Reese’s Puffs Commercial: Elements of Music |
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Duration: What do you notice about the tempo and total length of the jingle? |
The tempo is quick and lively, expressing a sense of enjoyment Shorter than a regular song at 30 seconds long |
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Pitch: How does the key signature (major or minor key) affect the overall mood? |
Combination of low and high pitches, keeps the audience engaged Minor key (adopts musical style from hip hop genre, which has a tradition of using minor tones to convey a sense of tension and social protest) The melody is catchy and simple |
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Timbre: What layers and combinations of sounds and/or instruments do you notice? |
Music is composed in style of hip hop instrumentals so there are several layers of drumbeats and electronic sounds |
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Dynamics: What is the volume? Does it change (e.g. get louder or softer)? |
The volume stays consistent; there is no moment where it needs to change for effect |
Pause and Reflect
Important features of a jingle
Now that you have had a chance to analyse a jingle, reflect on how you might use these considerations in the creation of your own original jingle. What do you consider to be the most important features?
Record your thoughts using a method of your choice.
Go!
Task 1: Plan your jingle!
You’ve been asked to create a jingle for a school activity! You can choose what kind of activity the jingle will be for (e.g., club, tryouts, extracurricular activities, reminders like a PD day, or for the morning or afternoon announcements). Consider what you’ve explored so far with the elements of music and how they can help create a strong jingle that expresses your advertising message.
To begin preparing an outline for your jingle, consult the following Features of a Jingle checklist again. Throughout the planning process, you can check off different items on this interactive list as you complete them.
Features of a jingle checklist
Purposeful lyrics
Elements of music: Duration
Elements of music: Pitch
Elements of music: Timbre
Elements of music: Dynamics
Some things you’ll need to consider before creating your jingle:
What are you promoting?
What mood do you want to create and how might you use the elements of music for this?
What is the total length of your jingle? Remember you want to keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
What will your hook be? You may want to play around with rhyming words and spend some time perfecting this.
What information should your target audience know after enjoying your jingle?
To plan your school-related jingle, complete the Jingle Analysis chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
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School activity/event: |
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Lyrics |
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What information is given? |
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Literary devices |
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Elements of Music |
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Duration |
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Pitch |
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Timbre |
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Dynamics |
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Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Jingle Analysis.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
Task 1: Create your jingle
Now that you have planned out your jingle, it’s time to create it! Explore the following options:
Option 1: Use a prerecorded instrumental track.
Option 2: Use Chrome Music Lab to create your own jingle.
Option 3: Use a method of your choice to create a jingle (e.g., sing and/or play an instrument, use body percussion, or found sounds).
Option 1: Pre-recorded instrumental tracks
Explore the following jingle samples and select one that will best fit your lyrics.
Once you’ve selected your jingle, practice speaking, singing, or rapping your lyrics with it.
Press the following tabs to access the jingle samples.
Explore the following audio clip for one possible music sample that you could use for your jingle.
Jingle sample 1
Access the following audio clip for another possible music sample that you could use for your jingle.
Jingle sample 2
Check the following audio clip for another possible music sample that you could use for your jingle.
Jingle sample 3
Option 2: Chrome Music Lab
You may also choose to write your own jingle using Chrome Music Lab’s Song Maker. Press ‘Song Maker(Opens in a new window)’ to access this tool.
When you open Song Maker, press ‘Settings’ to adjust the number of bars you have to create your jingle. (The program will start you off with 4 bars).
As another tip, use the tempo bar to play around with tempo. The tempo you use while you compose your jingle can be slower than the tempo you decide to perform your jingle.
Select the Song Maker.
Click on “Settings.”
Change the length to 16 bars.
Adjust the tempo and begin creating!
Option 3: A method of your choice
YUse a method of your choice to create your jingle. You may sing and/or play an instrument, use body percussion, or found sounds! It’s up to you.
Task 2: Let’s review
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed creating your own jingle! Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on the experience of creating and performing this unique form of musical advertising.
You have had the opportunity to analyse an existing jingle as well as design your own, and you may have experienced making changes and revisions throughout the process.
Let’s revisit the Features of a Jingle checklist that you have been consulting from the beginning of this learning activity.
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Purposeful lyrics They must communicate crucial information about what is being marketed. Create a powerful hook with literary devices. Elements of music Duration Decide on appropriate tempo. Ensure the total length of the jingle is short. Pitch The tonality should reflect the overall mood; an advertisement could call for a major (happy-sounding) key or minor (more serious or sad-sounding) key. Timbre The layers and combinations of sounds and/or instruments is an important consideration. Dynamics Consider the volume(s) that can be used to express the message: does it start loud and end quietly? Does it start softly and build up? |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Features of a Jingle.
Pause and Reflect
Jingle review
Consider the following questions when preparing your reflection response, and record your answers using a method of your choice:
How did you apply content from the Features of a Jingle checklist to your performance? For example, if you were using Chrome Music Lab, did you increase the volume at any point for extra emphasis? Explain using examples.
What did you do, either during the planning and/or the performance of your jingle, that helped to create a specific “mood”?
Could a jingle that was written to sell a specific product work just as well for a different product? Why or why not?
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.
These commercials have been chosen for their use of music and jingles in advertising. TVO in no way endorses the products or companies advertised.