7 Catchy Jingles from 70s Commercials That’ll Get Stuck in Your Head
Growing up in the 70s, you couldn’t escape the catchy jingles that filled your TV screen.
These tunes were more than just background noise—they became part of your daily life and stuck in your memory for decades. What made these jingles so memorable was their unique ability to connect with you in a personal way, making the products they advertised unforgettable.
As you think back, you might find yourself humming a few of these tunes even now.
They didn’t just sell products; they became a soundtrack to your life, capturing the essence of the era.
In this article, we’ll take a nostalgic journey through some of the most memorable commercials that defined the 1970s for you.
1) I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke
“I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” was a smash hit in the 70s.
Introduced in 1971, it wasn’t just a commercial; it became a cultural phenomenon.
The ad featured a group of young people from different countries singing together on a hilltop.
The jingle’s catchy tune made it memorable.
It’s about bringing people together and sharing happiness with a Coke.
This message of unity and peace resonated with many during that era.
The “Hilltop” ad, as it is often called, showcased Coca-Cola’s ability to connect people globally.
It remains one of the most iconic ads in advertising history.
The jingle is still fondly remembered and often referenced in popular culture.
2) My Bologna Has a First Name – Oscar Mayer
If you watched television in the 1970s or 1980s, you probably remember the catchy jingle: “My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R.”
This Oscar Mayer ad featured a young boy singing the memorable tune, making it one of the most famous commercial jingles of that era.
The jingle debuted in 1973.
The ad showcased a 4-year-old named Andy singing about his love for Oscar Mayer bologna.
The simple yet catchy lyrics quickly got stuck in everyone’s heads.
You might recall the boy spelling out “M-A-Y-E-R” with a smile.
This created a lasting impression, turning the jingle into a cultural touchstone.
The charm of the commercial lay in its simplicity and innocence, making it relatable for families.
Oscar Mayer’s jingle became an earworm, a tune you couldn’t get out of your head.
It’s a great example of how a well-crafted jingle can make a brand unforgettable.
3) Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz
You probably remember the “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” jingle from Alka-Seltzer commercials.
This catchy tune was hard to forget.
The jingle first hit the airwaves in the 1950s, but it really took off in the 1970s.
Paul Margulies, father of actress Julianna Margulies, wrote the jingle.
It became an instant hit.
The cheerful tune and clever lyrics made it stick in your head.
The commercials featured the jingle to show how Alka-Seltzer worked.
You would see the tablets dropped into water, creating that famous fizz.
The catchy jingle and the image of fizzing tablets made the product unforgettable.
Some ads featured actors like Morgan Freeman and Eddie Barth, making the commercials even more memorable.
They showed how Alka-Seltzer could ease your upset stomach or headache quickly.
The “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” jingle is a great example of how music can make a product famous.
Even today, people remember it and might even sing along.
4) You Deserve a Break Today – McDonald’s
McDonald’s introduced the jingle “You Deserve a Break Today” in the early 1970s.
The catchy tune quickly became a hit, featuring in multiple commercials.
The song’s upbeat message suggested that hard-working people deserved a treat from McDonald’s.
This jingle resonated deeply with the American public.
The ads often showed various families and individuals enjoying their time at McDonald’s.
It created a strong emotional connection, encouraging people to relax and enjoy a meal.
The jingle is still remembered today as one of McDonald’s most iconic advertisements.
5) Two All-Beef Patties – Big Mac
You can’t talk about iconic jingles from the ’70s without mentioning McDonald’s Big Mac song.
The catchy jingle went like this: “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.”
This jingle wasn’t just a song, it was also a clever way to make sure you remembered all the ingredients in a Big Mac.
And it worked!
The jingle first aired in 1975, as part of a huge advertising campaign.
McDonald’s even ran promotions where you’d get a free Big Mac if you could recite the jingle quickly enough.
It was fun and got everyone talking.
Even kids and parents started humming the tune.
It’s probably stuck in your head now too.
This McDonald’s jingle truly became a part of pop culture in the 1970s.
6) Have it Your Way – Burger King
Burger King’s “Have it Your Way” slogan became famous in the 1970s.
This catchy jingle was a big hit.
It emphasized that you could customize your burger exactly how you liked it.
The commercials often showed people requesting their burgers without certain ingredients.
This showed the flexibility and choice customers had.
It was a key difference from other fast-food chains.
The jingle made its first appearance in 1974.
It was a time when people wanted more individual choices.
The slogan fit perfectly with the wave of individuality popular in the 70s.
The “Have it Your Way” campaign wasn’t just a slogan.
It became an iconic part of Burger King’s identity.
People loved the idea of getting their meal just the way they wanted.
7) A Little Dab’ll Do Ya – Brylcreem
Remember Brylcreem? With its catchy jingle, “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya,” this product became a staple for men’s hair care in the 1970s.
The jingle was simple and memorable.
Just a small dab of Brylcreem promised to keep your hair neat and tidy without being greasy or sticky.
The fun part of the jingle was its playful warning that if you used too much, the ladies would chase you down, eager to run their fingers through your hair.
This catchy phrase stuck with people, making Brylcreem a big hit.
The commercial often featured animated characters or snappy tunes that made you remember the product.
Whether it was on TV or the radio, you couldn’t miss it.
Brylcreem commercials showed debonair men with perfect hair, persuading many to try this magical grooming product.
Even today, the jingle is remembered fondly by those who grew up in the 70s.
The Impact of Jingles on 70s Pop Culture
Jingles from the 1970s not only made advertisements memorable but also became a significant part of the era’s pop culture.
They affected how people remembered brands and influenced the future of advertising.
Catchy Tunes and Memorable Lyrics
In the 70s, jingles had tunes that stuck in your head.
For example, Oscar Mayer’s “My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R” was an irresistible earworm.
McDonald’s made a splash with “You deserve a break today,” a tune that resonated with the hardworking public.
These jingles used simple, repetitive lyrics that made them easy to remember.
State Farm’s “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” became synonymous with trust and helpfulness.
Advertisers knew that catchy melodies and relatable phrases could make products and brands unforgettable.
People sang these jingles even when they weren’t watching TV, turning them into cultural symbols.
Influence on Modern Advertising
The success of 70s jingles set the stage for modern advertising.
Brands used music to deeply connect with audiences.
This era showed that a simple, catchy phrase could have a lasting impact.
Today’s advertisers still use jingles and catchy songs, following the tradition started in the 70s.
Companies realized that a good jingle could make a brand stand out in a crowded market.
For instance, Barry Manilow’s jingles for brands like State Farm and Band-Aid are perfect examples of how music can create strong brand identities.
Modern ads continue this practice, showing the lasting influence of the 70s jingle craze on current marketing strategies.
How Jingles Shaped Consumer Behavior
Catchy jingles from the 60s, 70s, and 80s played a big role in creating strong emotional connections and enhancing brand recognition.
These jingles didn’t just promote products, they helped form lasting bonds with consumers.
Emotional Connections
Jingles often evoke memories and emotions.
Think about the Oscar Mayer jingle (“My bologna has a first name…”).
It likely brings back childhood memories.
These jingles create a sense of nostalgia that makes you feel connected to a brand.
Nostalgia isn’t the only powerful emotion jingles tap into.
A happy, upbeat tune can make you feel good and more likely to have positive feelings about the brand.
This emotional connection can even lead to brand loyalty, as you grow to trust and prefer brands that make you feel good.
Brand Recognition
Jingles don’t just make you feel something, they also make it easier to remember a brand.
When you hear the “I am stuck on Band-Aid” jingle, Band-Aid immediately comes to mind.
This instant recognition is crucial for brands.
Memorable tunes help embed the brand into your memory.
So, even years later, a familiar jingle can remind you of a product you might have forgotten about.
This kind of brand recall means that when you need a specific product, the brand with the catchy jingle is likely the first one you remember.
In this way, jingles serve as an effective tool for keeping brands top-of-mind and encouraging repeat purchases.