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Music in advertising

technology Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Companies use music in advertisements to help their messages succeed. Music can change how people feel about a brand. It can also make an ad more fun to watch.

David Huron
David Huron

This music works on many different levels. It can change a viewer's mood or their opinions. A person's mood can bias how they judge things. Advertisers use this to sway an audience toward a product. Music makes ads more enticing and easier to notice. This is very important because TV ads are often only fifteen seconds long.

Music works in several different ways to reach its goals. David Huron is a professor at Ohio State University. He says music has six main roles in advertising. One role is entertainment, which adds beauty to an ad. Another role is structure, which helps connect different images. Music can also help with memorability or use lyrical language. It can help with targeting an audience or establishing authority.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (logo)
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (logo)

Music can also be a background tool. It might highlight a logo or a special brand feature.

One way music works is by using emotions. Exciting music can actually increase a person's heart rate. This is a physical way to show emotion. On the other hand, sad music can be very powerful. The ASPCA uses sad music in their advertisements. This music helps people feel empathy for suffering animals. This feeling can lead people to donate money to help. Music acts as a cue to drive a message home. It can influence a person's attitude toward a product indirectly.

Music is also the most common way to help with memory. A catchy song can linger in a listener's mind. This helps people recall a product later on. When a person hears a well-known song, they remember information better. This is called product recall.

David Huron
David Huron

Some companies spend up to half a million dollars on commercials. They use popular music to reach younger audiences. They might also use famous musicians or star athletes. Using songs that people already know helps the ad stick. This makes it easier for the viewer to understand the message.

Finally, music helps advertisers reach a target audience. A target audience is a specific group of people. Advertisers use different genres to find these groups. They use changes in pitch and tempo to create moods. Music can also build authority and credibility. This means the ad feels more trustworthy or expert. Using a famous artist can strengthen the bond with a consumer. However, music can also affect the musicians themselves. Some artists may feel their emotional songs are being used for random products. This can sometimes feel like a sellout to their values.

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