For my money, it was a song written by Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics) for Crocker Bank in 1970 in an effort to attract young adults to the financial institution in California.
It was conceived and commissioned by Hal Riney & Partners out of San Francisco in a ground-breaking advertisement in which images of a youthful bride and groom getting married ran throughout underneath the jingle. It contained no voiceover copy at all and no mention of the sponsor until the very last frames.
The jingle was a little ditty called “We’ve Only Just Begun.” It worked like a charm, only the outcome was not as intended. Yes, it attracted young couples, but because they were just starting out in life, they did not have enough assets to collateralize loans at the bank. The campaign was short lived, but the song, as later recorded by The Carpenters, went on to immortality with a seven-week run at #1 on the charts and eventual induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Music in commercials can greatly enhance memorability – sometimes annoyingly so. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s awoken at 2am unable to stop singing Glen Lerner’s phone number in my head. Thank you, Peter Radd.
What’s the catchiest jingle you’ve ever heard?
