When used well, music can be a powerful enhancement for an ad. Although the use of music does not automatically confer benefits, the inspired use of the right music can affect every aspect of an ad’s performance.
Music is a regular component of TV advertising. Over 80 percent of ads in our Link™ database have some form of music, but its use varies enormously across the world, ranging from over 90 percent of ads in Turkey, Korea, Italy, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Russia, to 64 percent in India.
While most ads have some music, its presence or absence has little overall impact on ad performance— there are many creative routes open to the advertiser to make ads engaging. However, the way in which the music is deployed in individual ads can have a substantial impact.
ENGAGEMENT
Ads with music are slightly more able to create a positive emotional response (as measured by our Feel Good Factor) to the advertising, in particular in Africa, North America, and Europe. And while it makes little difference overall, music can affect the enjoyability of an ad; we see some database evidence of this in Africa and Europe, but we see it more particularly in individual examples.
We studied one food ad with two different soundtracks—the ads were otherwise identical, apart from the end line. An exploration of facial coding data showed that respondents were smiling in different places in the two versions. One version resulted in respondents smiling earlier but was otherwise pretty flat through the latter stages of the ad; the alternate version resulted in respondents smiling later, but it built to a stronger peak. Respondents preferred the second version of the ad, despite preferring the first soundtrack; while music enjoyment is important, context is vital.
Music impacts smiles
Our research also looked at an ad in animatic form for a beverage brand in Australia. The ad communicated the intended message, but enjoyment of the music was well below average. Two other versions of the animatic were produced, each with different soundtracks. The different soundtracks had a substantial effect on levels of enjoyment of the ad, with the third soundtrack— described as catchy, happy and fun—having the most positive influence and lowering levels of irritation. When aired, the ad contributed to improved brand health.
One food ad tested quite well, but there were some negative reactions to the music; comments such as “I don’t exactly like the singing which is a bit disturbing to me,” and, “The singing was a bit annoying.” Should the soundtrack be changed? Facial coding revealed that just one line in the song was causing some disgust—a relatively easy matter to fix.
The use of music that has been specifically adapted for the brand can further boost levels of enjoyment, and so too can the use of well-known music. We tested two versions of a mobile phone network ad that were identical except for the choice of music. One used a well-known song, “Teenage Kicks,” and the other used a song that had not been a hit. The differences were clear: the “Teenage Kicks” soundtrack positively benefitted both rational and emotional responses.
The positive reaction to this track helped generate a stronger response to the brand, both rationally and emotionally
However, this result is not guaranteed. An ad for a body moisturizer featured the well-known song “Bittersweet Symphony” by the Verve. It performed well. Two alternative versions were also tested with unknown music. One performed significantly worse, but the other performed as well as the “Bittersweet Symphony” edit.
The way the music is used can have a powerful effect on the levels of interest in the ad. In Australia, an ad for a non-alcoholic beverage featured a well-known piece of music. While the visual pace of the ad remained fairly level throughout, the music began after the first six seconds of the execution and built in intensity. The music then stopped for about five seconds before continuing quietly in the background for the remainder of the execution. The interest trace clearly demonstrated the impact of the music on interest in the ad.
The interest trace closely reflects the changing use of music
BRANDING
Incorporating the brand name into the music can have a beneficial effect on branding, particularly in Europe, North America, and Latin America. The use of jingles, not surprisingly, also aids branding, notably in Europe and North America. Given this, it is of interest to note the decline in the use of jingles in the U.K. and the U.S. (the two countries where we have been monitoring this information over the longest time period).
Music can provide a powerful influence on branding.
A few years ago in the U.K., when asked for their memories and associations with Cornetto ice cream, 25 percent of respondents mentioned the music, a variant of “O Sole Mio,” even though it had not been used by the brand for 12 years. An ad for a deodorant featured the song “Move Closer,” which was well-liked and a focus of recall from the ad—but branding of the ad was weak. The ad was re-edited, with the brand name being included prominently in the song. The ad’s efficiency doubled.
UNDERSTANDING
Music can affect understanding. An ad for a brand of beer was tested in two edits: one featured mellow music, and the other’s was upbeat. The version with mellow music was enjoyed more and was considered easier to understand (84 percent vs. 71 percent). Analysis showed this was because the upbeat music actually drowned out some of the key parts of the conversation in the ad, and respondents were unable to follow the story.
COMMUNICATION
Overall, there is little evidence that the use of music aids communication, even when it is connected to the message. Nonetheless, on an individual basis, there are exceptions to this pattern. Two ads were tested in the U.K. for a car launch. The ads were identical except for the music. One used the well-known song “Anything You Can Do,” the other a song less well-known. Responses to the ad were markedly different. Communication from the “Anything You Can Do” edit focused far more on an argument between the characters in the ad, whereas the alternative version was less confrontational. As a consequence, the ad with the less well-known music produced far stronger results and was the version that was successfully aired.
PERSUASION
Overall, the use of music has no effect on Persuasion. In specific instances, however, if the right choice of music enhances communication, it can improve Persuasion.
In one ad we researched for a brand of ice cream, a change in music highlighted a change in atmosphere in the ad, which helped clarify the story and enhance the communication. Persuasion improved from an already strong 16 to a powerful 24.
ENJOYMENT OF THE MUSIC
Choosing music that is liked can boost an ad. Looking at U.K. and U.S. ads, when the music is enjoyed, the ads are enjoyed more and are more memorable (as measured by the Awareness index).
THE EDIT
The way the music is used can also have a major effect. In the U.S., ads in a campaign for a food brand all featured the same song but in different edits, with some being more upbeat than others. While the ads with the most upbeat music were enjoyed the most and were found to be the most involving, branding and communication were strongest when the mid-paced music was used.
It isn’t just the song that counts; the part of the song you use can make a difference. One brand made two edits of an ad, both featuring the song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” One focused on the upbeat chorus, while the other included the downbeat verse “If life seems jolly rotten…”. Since the ad was structured around a problem/solution scenario, this latter approach was more suitable. Enjoyment of the ad grew from 42 percent to 59 percent.
WEAR-OUT
One issue facing ads that are reliant on music is the possibility of wear-out. Wear-out is rarely seen in TV ads; however, when the ad is reliant on a trendy song, an eye needs to be kept on its trendiness. An ad for a confectionery brand was focused around a hit song. It was aired in three bursts over two years and targeted teenagers. By the third burst, endorsement of “It’s amusing” had dropped from 81 percent to 63 percent, enjoyment from 71 percent to 56 percent, and a quarter found the ad irritating.
Music can be hugely beneficial for advertising, but only when its role has been carefully thought through. Using the right music in the right way has the potential to positively impact ad enjoyment and efficacy and improve overall brand health.
Source Knowledge Point | Millward Brown