Singapore Sings: The Country's Favourite Ad Jingles
We all love a good jingle and for marketers, what better way is there to ensure that the brands that they are working on stay fresh in consumer minds than with a catchy tune? Singapore is one such nation that thrives on musical numbers to accompany visuals and recently these have been making a comeback.
To celebrate Singapore’s favourite jingles, LBB’s Natasha Patel heard from creatives in their region on their favourite catchy tunes.
McDonald’s – Come Home to McDonald’s
Agency: DDB Tribal Worldwide Singapore
Firrdaus Yusoff, creative at Forsman & Bodenfors: What we like about this jingle was how they made a corporate story sound so melodic. The chorus is extremely catchy, and its indie-sounding vibe is also a nice change from your typical 'advertising jingle' style.
Dharni x Singapore National Museum - Pulse
Edited by: BLKJ
Shum Qihao, creative at Forsman & Bodenfors: Fresh, unheard, and cool use of soundtrack on a traditional subject like Chinese medicine.
Singapore Government – Get your shot, steady pom pi pi
Agency: DDB Tribal Worldwide Singapore
Guan Hin Tay, CCO at BBDO Singapore: When it comes to memorable jingles in Singapore, we have plenty to choose from. Singapore's favourite sitcom character, Phu Chu Kang, with his trademark bling-bling jewellery, yellow wellington boots, fake curly hair and a large facial mole, is back to get Singaporeans to vaccinate.
Launched by the Singapore Gov, this charming song centres on the significance of getting vaccinated. If you don't understand, don't worry, as it's filled with excessive use of Singlish lyrics that only a Singaporean can truly understand.
"Singapore, don't wait and see; better get your shot. Steady pom pi pi." His wife makes a song rap battle on vaccinations because she is unsure of immunisation. Some could see this as a nonsensical song, but given all the positive comments on YouTube, it's clear that this catchy jingle clearly appeals to all Singaporeans to get vaccinated: "I got my shot; get yours too, OK?"
Daikin Singapore - Daikin 5 Ticks SMILE
Agency: Planet Ads & Design Singapore
Daphne Tann, associate creative director at UltraSuperNew Singapore: I feel like these days the industry has shifted to making ads that don't look like ads, partly in order to cut through the massive clutter of ads that have arisen with social media platforms. Whereas brands and agencies used to create jingles from scratch, using actual instruments, which have a nostalgic nursery-rhyme quality to them – delivering their single-minded message with simple lyrics carried by a catchy tune.
Some of the jingles these days ride on popular songs, changing up the lyrics to fit their brand. Even if they're based off songs most of us would never want to hear ever again. But with Daikin, they managed to make a charmingly catchy jingle that was easy to remember, coupled alongside with simple hand actions to represent their slogan. In my world, Daikin became synonymous with air conditioners.
Kuishin Bo
Ming Swee Koh, copywriter at UltraSuperNew Singapore: A jingle that was not only catchy, but told you everything you needed to know about the restaurant (the type of cuisine served, the name of the restaurant, the EXACT address) in 35 seconds and less. Sadly the restaurant closed down during the Covid period last year.
Sheng Siong Supermarket
Ming Swee Koh, copywriter at UltraSuperNew Singapore: A homegrown supermarket brand, Sheng Siong is popular amongst locals for their relatively lower cost, employment benefits, good leadership and generally good PR. A testament to the brand's popularity is apparent in the fact that you can find a Sheng Siong supermarket in almost every neighbourhood. In line with their company ethos of putting consumers and employees first, all their ads end with a short jingle with the words "All for you", with translations for each of the three major demographics in Singapore.
Fun fact: Synonymous with the jingle is the "signature move" of Sheng Siong employees where they tap their hearts with palms twice before pointing at the camera (you can see this happening a few times in the video). This move and jingle have been copied and parodied by many, mostly in a light-hearted and wholesome way.
Shopee Singapore – 4.4 Mega Shopping Day
Shopee Singapore – 12.12 Birthday Sale
HJ, account director at MullenLowe Salt: I like Shopee’s jingles because they use familiar songs and put a creative spin to it (e.g. Happy Birthday To You or If You’re Happy And You Know It) – it becomes catchy and makes you want to sing along (to annoy your friends sometimes). The creativity isn’t limited to just changing the lyrics – as the ads/jingles often appear on YouTube ads they complement the jingle with dance moves to catch your attention.
Pizza Hut Delivery
Nina Yusman, senior account manager at MullenLowe Salt: Classic fave that all of us will remember and the OG of food delivery, Pizza Hut. Why do we like it? Before Deliveroo, Grabfood and FoodPanda, Pizza Hut was one of OG food outlets that offered a delivery service in the 1990s/2000s. The jingle is snappy, catchy and more importantly committed the most important eight golden numbers in my mind of all Singaporeans. It used to be on loop on radio and tv all the time. Ask any ‘90s Singaporean kid and I bet they’ll be able to recite the hotline in a heartbeat.
Land Transport Agency Singapore – Love Your Ride
Director: Dave Tan
Tan Long, account director at MullenLowe Salt: Who can forget the 2010 MRT jingle “Train is coming, train is coming” sung by the cabaret trio Dim Sum Dollies, who were appointed ambassadors for the Graciousness on Public Transport programme by the Public Transport Council. These “transit melodies” captured the hearts and minds of Singaporeans in both good and bad ways over a decade ago. Some found it entertaining and fun, while others could barely tolerate the campy and cheesy song. It may not have increased the level of affection I had for my ride, but it certainly livened up my otherwise boring commute.
Singapore Airlines – Introducing the Symphony of Flowers
Agency: TBWA\Singapore
Ben Israel, global brand director at TBWA\Singapore: As brand experiences continue to evolve beyond traditional touchpoints to encompass all areas of people's lives, it has become ever more important for brands to be distinctive and recognisable. It's no longer sufficient to have just a visual identity, as the best brands are considering all other senses - from how they smell to how they sound, and the emotions they invoke. With many experiences becoming more digital and remote, sonic identities not only create a more memorable experience, but can also make the brand more cohesive by threading through all consumer touchpoints.
Public Hygiene Council – Together, we’re better without litter
Agency: Wunderman Thompson Singapore
Gerald Chue, creative director at Wunderman Thompson Singapore: We wanted our campaign song to catch on instantly and spread positive vibes all around. That’s why we were inspired by music from the ‘80s – as it still reverberates with energy and style amongst young and old today. Our song gets everyone jiving to the litter-free beat; but more importantly, it’s designed to harness the infectious power of positivity in each of us to bring out the best in all of us.
