Teach the world to sing…about your product or service

Forty years ago this month, an idea blossomed into a television commercial jingle that would capture an important era in history and help define a generation.
 
Written in January 1971 in less than 24 hours for a Coca-Cola radio spot, “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” was originally sung by The New Seekers. Later that year, Coca-Cola brought the song to life in a television commercial filmed on an Italian hillside with a diverse crowd of 500 extras. After hitting the airwaves, the jingle became so popular that a full-length version of the song was quickly produced, renamed, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.” The tune quickly climbed the charts to become a No. 1 hit single. Another group, The Hillside Singers, released a second recording of the song. In one year, both groups sold a combined 1 million records of the song.

For those of us near 50 and up, the tune triggers sights and sounds from the early 1970s. In addition to images of frosty, glass bottles of Coca-Cola, when I hear this song my mind winds back to images of newspaper photos of peace protests, headbands and long hair, faded blue jeans and guys wearing caftan shirts. And – really, no lie - it kind of makes me thirsty for a cold Coke. The anniversary of the making of this iconic song is a chance to reflect on the power of sound in today’s advertising and marketing world. We must never discount the impact of audio to grip the attention of an audience and sway consumers to connect with a feeling or emotion.

In the world of advertising and marketing, creating programs and campaigns that connect with today’s consumer and can continue to be embraced by future generations is the golden nugget.

So, how does a campaign jingle, phrase or tune stay fresh in a consumer’s mind four decades later? The answer is rather simplistic yet remains elusive for many who don’t do their homework. Connecting with a target audience and understanding all their triggers, desires, dreams and needs should guide all campaigns. Helping the target audience connect a feeling with a product or service is what has helped set Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper apart from a long line of failed beverage products.

Advertising Age Magazine recently wrote about the reprise of the jingle as an important element in today’s advertising campaigns. In today’s fast moving, online world of marketing and advertising, where clicks, unique visitors and page views can be critical indicators of the potential success of a client’s product or service, don’t forget the impact of sound to capture and connect with your audience. It just might make them linger a little longer on your ad or website, possibly long enough to place a call or an order and forward the information on to others via social media. Who knows? Perhaps your commercial or online ad will go viral and, 40 years from now, will still be fresh in the minds of many.

For more on the Hillside Coca-Cola story, see here.