I Got A Brand New Pair Of Roller Skates

Who remembers that song from long ago? The singer was Melanie, just in case you are trivia oriented. 

Recently, this song popped into my head. After singing it all day long (sometimes out loud) I wondered why I kept singing it. Later in the day, as I sang it – my wife chimed in and began singing with me. 

The next day, when she came home from work, she informed me that the song had been “stuck” in her head all day. 

So what is it about that song that can remain attached in the mind – like a barnacle to a ship? For that matter, why do certain tunes and jingles stay embedded in the cranium? 

It could be simply that the tune is so catchy. Possibly it is annoying enough to lodge itself in the memory. 

Let’s look deeper at this, shall we? 

Advertising and branding is all about recognition. Companies spend millions on trying to get their jingle, slogan and product to “stick” with you. 

In the advertising world there are several techniques used to achieve this goal. 
- Present the product in such a down home folksy way that people just love it. “Like a good neighbor…” - Annoy the masses with a commercial that people “love to hate” The consumer dislikes the ad or commercial so much that they talk about it to friends, family and coworkers. This follows the thinking that there is no such thing as bad press. “Whassuppppp?” 
- Make the commercial so outrageous that everyone is talking in the break room, at the water cooler and at family gatherings how bizarre or humorous it is. “the new Coke / Coke Zero blind taste test.” 
- Have a catchy phrase or jingle “Where’s the beef?” 
So, what if it was your product or business that people were talking about in one of the four above categories? It could be………. All it takes is some creativity and an ad campaign. 

Be willing to step out – take a gamble with your business or product and just like Melanie’s roller skate song, your business or product will be on people’s lips, in their minds and in their conversations. 

Have you got a brand new pair of roller skates and a brand new key? I bet you do. 

Have a great week…… 

Ron