A jingle sticks. Ten seconds of music and a brand name can survive in memory for decades, long after the campaign ended. That is the whole purpose: to make the brand retrievable without conscious effort.

Jingles peaked in the radio era, when sound was the only tool available. They carried into television, where a short animated logo paired with the tune sealed the association. Some brands still use the same melody they introduced in the 1950s.

What makes a jingle work

• A simple, repeatable melody
• Brand name stated clearly
• Short duration, usually under thirty seconds
• Easy for non-singers to hum

Fewer jingles are made today. Brands now license existing songs or commission sonic logos, short audio signatures that identify them without lyrics.