Where Are The Ad Jingles?

Collage of popular 90s TV ads in India


Jalebi!!??
Kuch Khaas hai, zindagi mein...
Jab ghar ki raunak badhani ho...
Vicco turmeric...
Washing powder, Nirma...
Kya aap Close-Up kartein hein?...

If you are a 90s kid, I am sure you would immediately recognise these Indian ad jingles. The nostalgia makes me often wonder, why don’t we have fun jingles anymore?

The last ad jingle I heard was when Mondelez decided to remake the ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’ ad with female lead. Yes, we do have ‘Fog chal raha hai’ but that is more like a catchphrase than a jingle, and that is also 3-4 years old, easily.

Indian ads these days are more preachy, where they clearly state a problem and a solution. Have acne? Use the new Lakme berry lush face wash. Have dry hair? Use the new onion hair oil and get shiny hair. Straight forward and simple.

Whatever happened to getting creative and presenting a novel, unique perspective?

One that I can think of – which is fairly ‘recent’ – is the Happy Dent ad, where they use shiny, white teeth to light up the streets.

While 5 Star does experiment and have come up with unique ads, but it has Mondelez backing them – a strong brand. Is that why they are able to think outside the box and afford to make interesting ads?

Cred has been reviving a few 90s ads, but that’s just remake, why can’t we have new interesting ads?

For me, even as a kid, ads were fun distractions, something that would make me happy. Mom and grandmother would be watching serious shows and I would get to watch something funny during the ad break. I was always fascinated by the ad world, but these days barely any ad sparks joy.

Does the ad world need to follow the Marie Kondo Method and refresh the type of ads? What do you think?

Comments

  1. A good point here ... True, ads have become quite boring ... Creativity seems to have taken a long break!

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  2. I do think ads need to be refreshed. I was sitting in a doctors office recently and some of the ads actually embarrassed me! Nothing is private anymore and that is ridiculous!

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    1. I am glad that this is not just a India problem :P

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  3. Having seen so many recent ads, I find these are no match for the creativity of ads like Liril, Maruti, AirIndia and so many more. Feel sad at times to see jngoistic and noisy ads of the recent times

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  4. Like you, ad jingles used to make me smile, but now you mention it, I can't remember the last one that did so - sad :(

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  5. I don't live in India and therefore not familiar with these ads.

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  6. I sure did love my 90s ads! They were so fun and unforgettable. I try to avoid ads today though because of how cringey they are hahah

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    1. Same! I dont remember a recent ad which was creative

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  7. I feel the era of social apps are responsible for lesser ad jingles today. Also corona and home delivery systems. Product marketing and sales are no longer in traditional way.
    The 90s were great with so many good ad jingles. Products were bought because the jingles were good.

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    1. I am sure even social apps can get creative. The point I am trying to make it that there is barely any novelty.

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  8. The refresh kinds exactly, why else would they call it a break xd

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    1. Hahaha, never thought of it that way. We need a nice break indeed!

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  9. Now that you point it out, i miss those jingles.

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  10. That happy dent ad is so creative... Maybe since I don't see TV anymore, I have not come across the ad earlier. I think, ads should somehow touch the emotional chord. They seem to be speaking more to the rational side of the brains (and playing it safe), with the rise of formulaic copywriting and what not...

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