The Use of Music in Modern Advertising

 Shi 1
Music 24
Oct 24 2013
The Use of Music in Modern Advertising
Advertising and music have mutually developed and evolved over the past several
decades. However, the integration of popular music into advertising itself has proven a lasting
and profitable bond. Advertising and music industries grew conjoined during the early 1800s and
they realized potential after the advent of commercial radio broadcasting in the late 1920s. The
combination of music and advertising initially saw fruition thanks to the mass media, but the use
of popular music in advertising began in 1900. Since then, advertising music has grown and
evolved from being used primary as a mnemonic device to music to stimuli to captivate and lure
the interest of a listener by altering feelings, setting, and mood (Milliman, 1982). As an
advertising tool, music changes people’s minds and therefore helps change their buying patterns.
Advertising focuses on a key demographic, attempting to allure to their senses and entice
the individuals into purchasing the product. Advertising differs from persuasive conversation
because it relies on mass media and widespread social networks to gain market share.
Advertisers seek to change the attitude and perception of a buyer to motivate them to purchase.
Print media originally introduced advertising. Advertising in early newspapers was through
short broadsheets filled with news text, creating revenue through reader subscription and word of
mouth. However, as time progressed, newspapers, magazines, online websites and social media
networks have gained momentum as modern advertising platforms. The advent of information
and technology has created multiple channels of potential marketing growth, many of which lend
itself directly towards the integration of music.
With the creation and evolution of Internet technology, music has proven a vital aspect in 
Shi 2
hooking a viewer or listener into the product, gaining their attention while the actual product
displays its potential perks and advantages over the competition. Its availability and accessibility
is now widespread since music is generated from a combination of traditional and modern
technology. The Internet has connected diverse music groups to advertisers targeting specific
demographic locations, as apposed to smaller, regional offerings and localized music styles.
Marketing remains all about directing the message towards a key demographic who proves more
likely to purchase a product. Music helps align the product with the key demographic, with rap
and hip hop aimed towards one demographic, while classical music and jazz might reflect a
different. The utilization of different music styles allows a company to directly tug at the
emotional and mental connection an individual already has with the genre and help exploit it.
(Milliman, 1982).
The fact that music has played a leading marketing role for commercial firms is not in
doubt. One can validly argue that without incorporation of music in advertising, marketing firms
would struggle to reach the same sales volume it currently enjoys, as products must produce a
direct connection to the passions of a demographic, and the best way to do this is through the
association of musical elements an individual already has. This does mean a company must
utilize the best music possible for the product and the demographic though, as the wrong music
could provide a negative impact towards the view of the product.
Integration of Cultures
Different cultures are going to alter the way individuals purchase products and view
goods for sale. These values and beliefs also influence the kind of products these people
consume and hence determine consumption patterns of particular good. As a medium of
communication, music helps connect to these individuals directly on their own personal belief 
Shi 3
and cultural levels, which drastically helps increase sales thanks to marketing companies
changing their ability to advertise to different demographics. Due to enhanced understanding,
people begin to appreciate each other as well as their goods. This way, music plays a leading role
of market penetration by introducing new goods to new markets (Milliman, 1982). Because there
are so many different sub-categories in personal demographics, being able to reach each
demographic through the integration of music into the marketing in order to bring in more sales
form the sub groups. In other circumstances, businesses innovate and create new products
altogether to satisfy their customers better. One of the best ways of providing this sort of service
is through the application of music into the advertisement (Park & Young, 1986).
Public Relations Tool
As the old adage goes, image is everything and therefore, the perception people have
concerning a particular business determines whether they are going to buy from it or not. It is
therefore a matter of importance for any business to mind t