Isn’t it amazing that I can remember the words and melody to hundreds of songs from dozens of years ago but can’t seem to remember what I had for lunch? If I said to you “I don’t want to grow up,” chances are you would come back with “Cause I’m a Toys R Us kid.” It is a well recognized fact that words, when accompanied by music, increase our recall and make us feel better. Hence the advertising jingle, many of which stay with us long after the campaign has ended. The jingle had its musical beginnings in 1926 featuring the Wheaties Quartet singing:
Have you tried Wheaties?
They’re whole wheat with all of the bran.
Won’t you try Wheaties?
For wheat is the best food of man.
They’re crispy and crunchy
The whole year through,
The kiddies never tire of them
and neither will you.
So just try Wheaties,
The best breakfast food in the land.
It might sound old fashioned and corny to us now, but back then it essentially caused a complete turnaround for the failing brand of cereal and revolutionized radio advertising.