Memorable tunes connects a brand

Every brand tries to create some unique tune which will go well with its brand and is used for a lifetime in every communication of the brand. How many of us know that our own country India has a brand tune Jana Gana Mana….The tune is so powerful and emotional even without reciting the words people can hum it. I cannot put a figure as to how many of them would know this but most out of the 1 billion population would be able to relate this tune. One of the greatest film done by the government of India to promote national integration based on ONE TUNE ( Mile Sure Mera….using raga bharavi )is a classic example of how a great tune can infuse freshness ,energy and unite the entire country with that song and tune.
Today the tunes are being made contemporary by keeping the essence of the tune. In the same way we have we have companies producing brand tunes for several FMCG, Consumer durables ,telecoms and several other products in different space which are consumer facing.

Some of the memorable brand tunes that easily comes to mind is from Britannia, Titan, Nokia, Lifebuoy, and Boroline to a name a few. Once the tunes become popular it is hummed by the people because of its popularity, as years go by. A lot of thought is pumped in to get the right tune by spending day and night with the music composer the creative team and the client to create this. It is very similar to suggesting a brand name or designing a logo or identity for any brand.
In the last few years ever since the telecom boom started most service providers ensured that they created a great ring tone or brand tune to beat the overcrowded market. Each brand starting from Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Aircel and Reliance tried their best to bring out memorable tunes to stand tall in a rapidly growing telecom market.

What goes in creating great tunes?
There is no rocket science involved in this it is pure common sense. The tune basically originates or takes birth to a large extent from the values that the brand is attached with, like the personality of the brand, who are we targeting and from the product offerings. Fundamentally when tunes are developed it is kept in mind that it should be from the long term point of view and should work as an important property for the brand. The tune should be catchy, memorable and powerful that people are able to easily connect and relate with product and brand. The think tank which works on a tune invariably will try to bring some differentiators to break the clutter .This could be by either using a different instrument, choice of words and the mood that one is planning to communicate from the tune for the brand.

Advantage of creating a tune:
By creating a unique or refreshing tune you try to catch the consumer’s attention on the first go. While tunes play a very significant role in enhancing the brand or product but it will work well only when it blends well with the overall communication that we want to tell the audience about the product. Hence one should not purely focus on this but see how it can be weaved with the product. Once the tunes get popular and it sinks in to the consumers mind all you need is to retain the key elements of the tune to make it as the brand property. Titan has this great tune based on Mozart. Initially this original tune was used for all their advertisements but as the brand progressed and brand extensions were launched the tune was made contemporary to fit into the new products that the company was launching. The brand is 22 years old but the basic tune and the essence of the tune stays intact. Finally the most memorable tune helps your brand to beat the clutter and create some differentiation in a very crowded market to gain some share of voice. Also most companies keep in mind to create the tune and keep the words very simple so that in a country like India it is able to reach the breadth and length of the country. At times you may spot tunes are changed according to the region but by and large brands don’t deviate from sticking to one as it is not so easy to get the regional flavor that easily.

Types of Tunes:
Tunes can be classified one for the product or brand and the other one could be for the mother brand or for the corporate. For example the tune which comes in the end for the brand Britannia is a classic example of corporate brand sign off tune. Titan tune is the one which goes into all their products. It is modified depending on the mood and the personality of the product. The Nokia tune or ring tone is a very good example of brand tune and the same is true with Vodafone, Airtel and Reliance Infocom. Over a period of time this ring tone has become the corporate tune for the brand. Brands have capitalized these tunes very well by using them in their ads and also as the ring tone that can be used by their customers. By doing this it has increased the reach and exposure for the brand. Tunes also make brand ambassadors popular. In the case of Airtel A.R.Rehman who composed the tune became so popular that people knew that the tune was composed by him. Similarly the pug in Vodafone also became famous with the tune. Moment the tune was played the pug came top of mind even without aiding the customer.


Memorable tunes become the brand property:
Some of the tunes that many brands have are so popular are created many decades back. Today you just play the tune and the brand connect happens easily with the consumer. Titan watches, Lifebuoy and Boroline tunes are some of them which have been there for quite some time. All these brands have very cleverly used their tunes and made it more contemporary by still keeping the essence of the tune. Today the tunes of these brands have become a key property of the brand. Even without any visuals attached to it the consumer is able to connect with the brand. More and more brands try and get an everlasting tune for their brand. But very few of them are patient to keep this as a long term property for the brand. Nirma washing powder is another brand which is still using their tune for years and in fact scared surf and wheel by arresting their growth two decades back when they took the market by storm. Great tune is what provides that extra embellishment to any jingle or song. Hence one needs to really sweat and work hard to crack the tune to express it creatively and ensure that it is path breaking.