Samsung Galaxy S7 edge – ‘Give The People What They Want’ by The O’Jays
With Samsung enduring the disaster that was the Note 7, they knew their next few ad campaigns had to be good ones. With the spotlight now on the safety of their phones and tablets, they created the perfect advertisement to not only give peace of mind to Samsung owners, but also reinstall faith into the reliability of the company and their products. This is achieved to none other than the smooth tones of the O’Jays, ‘Give The People What They Want’. With the jazzy bass rift throughout and the introduction of the trumpet it is sure to be one that stays with you all week. As well as it being catchy, its lyrics speak for themselves and reminds Samsung consumers that they will get what they want from the Samsung S7 edge, a trusty and reliable handset.
Apple iPhone 7 Air Pods – ‘Down’ by Marian Hill
The iPhone 7 when released was known more for its lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack than anything else. Okay maybe a bit far fetched but Apples decision to not include the headphone jack was a serious issue. Trying to be revolutionary, the device relies on bluetooth headphones, unless you use the lightning connector. Which is probably why their advert featured the AirPods. The advert effectively shows that the AirPods remain secure when used, a major factor when buying EarPhones which are individual and not connected. The song which is used called Down, starts slow with a piano interlude. The beat suddenly drops into a funky upbeat melody which, when accompanied by dance, is truly art. The beat is chopped and screwed while the piano rift remains untouched to create a unique sound which brings the entire advert alive. If you think I am lying, watch again but this time muted.
Introducing Pixel, Phone by Google – ‘Closer’ by Lemaitre
The goal of the advert is simply to emphasise that the Pixel is the first of its kind, and with that comes new features. It is one of my favourite adverts as it simply explains some of the key features on the phone while syncing the visuals and text with the music. The song, ‘Closer’ starts with melodic piano, but energetically drops into dubstep featuring a smooth trumpet accompaniment. The song helps bring excitement about the new product. The ad remains synced to the music, even when there is a wonderful dig at Apple about their missing 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Nicely done Google.
Introducing the Surface Pro 4 – ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC DC
While there were variations on this advertisement, I have chosen this particular one solely because of the soundtrack. Its hard not to get pumped up about the Surface Pro 4 with Brian Johnson on the vocals and Angus Young on the rift. The song really compliments the product and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cooling system look this cool. The alternative version of the advert really does lack the excitable factor which ‘Thunderstruck’ brings, and definitely does not bring out the best in the product. This is an effective way to showcase how important music is to adverts.
Introducing Microsoft Surface Studio – ‘Pure Imagination’ by Stephanie Tarling
Another Microsoft product, I know. But when I first saw this advert it kept me coming back for more. The song being used is an adaptation of Gene Wilder’s ‘Pure Imagination’ from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Just like the film, the rendition performed by Stephanie Tarling gives the advert a cinematic feel. Showcasing a graphic designers’s paradise and accompanied by some truly world class camera work, the song suitably fits the advert, not only because it is about imagination, but also because it helps give the advert a beginning, middle and end. In doing so, it helps keep the audience engaged which of course is very important so that no one skips or channel hops. The advert leaves you with that feeling of creativity which will live long in the memory.
How to find songs in advertisements
All these adverts would be half the advert they are without the music used. It can often be the difference between a good and a bad advert. If a song sticks with you, it is likely you will begin to associate the song with the product. If you are ever watching an advert and want to know what the name of the song is, Shazam is a great application to use in order to find it. Shazam uses your devices microphone to create an acoustic fingerprint which is then compared against a central database for a match. Simply Shazam when your desired song is playing and it will identify the artist and song for you. Gone are the days where you have to Google lyrics to find the song you are looking for.