The Power of the Jingle

2 Classes
General Music (Grades 6-8)
Overview
In this unit, students will examine how producers of advertising jingles use the power of music to influence our
purchasing decisions. Students will study several ad jingles, discuss and explore their respective elements, and
use that knowledge to develop a jingle of their own.
Standards
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology.
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
CREATING MUSIC: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
EX6.4.1 Compose short melodic and rhythmic patterns for voice or instruments within established guidelines.
RESPONDING TO MUSIC: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines
outside the arts.
EX6.8.3 Identify music related to a contemporary event or topic such as Black History Month and explore
interdisciplinary connections that involve music performance, dramatization, related art, reading, writing, and
other potential activities.
Resources
Student Response Form
Access to a laptop, netbook, or desktop computer for each group
Finale Notepad (music writing software)
Online Resources
http://money.howstuffworks.com/commercial-jingle.htm/printable
http://www.ehow.com/about_4679389_commercial-jingles.html
http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a4312-how-to-write-a-jingle.html
Video Examples of Jingle Elements
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8uXH7yCKi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkVXBHnHXr8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSLLe7s9h6g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLRhsxJ8_GE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUQD2KIhSR0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZE1zfVaJR0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUUQm31NO6I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDu5c73OHFY
Video Camera or Voice Recorder for each group
http://www.purple-planet.com/ (Free Music to include as part of jingle)
http://www.jamstudio.com
Jingle Rubric (last page of this document)
Theory to Practice
“Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of messages using image,
language, and sound" (Ellis, 2005).
“While more young people have access to the Internet and other media than any generation in history, they do
not necessarily possess the ethics, the intellectual skills, or the predisposition to critically analyze and evaluate
their relationship with these technologies or the information they encounter” (Jacobs, 2010, p. 139).
Our society is subconsciously influenced by media on a daily basis. This project was designed to provide
students an opportunity to understand both as a producer and a consumer of media the impact advertising
techniques have on our purchasing decisions. The language of media has to be presented to these students just
as much as written and spoke language has been presented. In this unit, students will have the opportunity to
dissect those elements used in advertising jingles, analyze how they are used to influence consumers, and create
their own original jingle to synthesize their new knowledge.

Resources/Technology Needs
Before beginning the unit, be sure to check all online resources to be sure they are available using your
classroom technology. If possible, have enough video or voice recorders for each group. However, it is
possible to do this project with less, but it will require groups to take turns, and it will take more time to
develop. If doing audio only, digital recorders are best, but an “old school” cassette recorder will do in a pinch.

Student Objectives
The students will:
 activate prior knowledge of advertising jingles,
 learn terminology of advertising jingle elements,
 compose an original advertising jingle,
 record an original advertising jingle.
Activities
Day 1
1. Activate students’ prior knowledge of commercials by asking them, “What commercials do you
remember seeing recently? How many of these commercials included music?” Invite volunteers to sing
jingles they remember.
2. Based on student examples, list elements that commercials use to keep their products memorable on the
board, smart board, or through your presentation station.
3. Distribute student response forms to each student. Show students examples of commercials. (You can
use the ones listed in the resource section, or you can choose your own selection of commercials). Ask
students to place a tally mark next to each element as they recognize them in the commercials.
4. Break students into groups of 2, 3, or 4 depending on the number of students in class and the number of
resources available to the class. Be sure to group students into multi-ability groupings of special needs,
ESL, and gifted students. Tell them to choose a real or imaginary product for which they would like to
write jingle lyrics.
5. Give the students the rest of class to compose their jingle.
6. Before students leave, let them know they will have an opportunity to perform original music to their ad,
so they should bring in anything they may need (such as a guitar) to perform if they wish.
Day 2
1. Introduce students to http://www.purple-planet.com/. Explain that the music at this site has been
provided, because the composer has written these with educational usage in mind. We have permission
to use this music as long as we give credit to the composer without infringing upon copyright law.
 2. Provide each group with access to a computer and video or audio recorder. Students need to set their
lyrics to a musical example from the website and record their original jingle. (Students can also create
original music for their accompaniment).
3. Allow students to play their compositions for the class if time allows.
Assessment Strategy

Throughout the process of the jingle creation, the instructor will observe how well each group member
contributes to the overall product. This will be reflected on their jingle rubric (see last page of this document).
Using this rubric, the instructor will also evaluate the student response sheet for identification of advertising
jingle elements as well as the recording of their original jingle.
Strategies for UDL
Gifted – Students will also be given the opportunity to compose their own composition using finale notepad,
www.jamstudio.com, or any other means available to the students to compose their accompaniment. For
example, a guitar player could bring in their instrument to perform a live accompaniment to their original lyrics.
This will not be required, but time and resources will be made available to support students in this endeavor.
Extra credit will be offered to any group taking this route.
ESL – Students will be offered extra credit if their group performs a translation of their jingle in a second
language (even if the translation is provided by a native English speaker in the group who speaks a second
language). This will be presented to the class as an opportunity to increase profits for the product based on a
larger demographic. This will allow ESL students an opportunity to see their language skills as an asset rather
than a deficiency. Given the multi-ability group of the class, ESL students will receive support from their peers,
as well.

Special Needs – Special needs students will be offered the same accommodations and support as outlined in
their IEPs. Given the multi-ability grouping of the class, some of this support will be offered by their peers.
However, each member will be expected to contribute to the final product to the best of their ability.

Student Example

Follow link for example: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/586224/Cataclysm.WMA

(Original lyrics and music by Jason Krug. Performed by Jason and Ellen Krug).

References

Ellis, K. (2005, July 13). Students evolve from consumers to critics and creators. Edutopia, Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/media-literacy-skills

Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: essential education for a changing world.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD, pp. 133-152.

Scott, L. M. (1990). Understanding jingles and needledrop: a rhetorical approach to

music in advertising. The Journal of Consumer Research, 17(2), 223-236.
 Name: _______________________________
Fellow group members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________

Place a tally mark for each time you hear an example of the following:
Product Name
Assonance (Repeated
Vowels)
Alliteration (Repeated
Consonants)
Puns
Repetition
Rhymes
Onomatopoeia
Hyperbole (Extreme
Exaggeration)
Simile and Metaphor
Creating an Image
Listed Attributes

Product Name (Remember, it can be real or imaginary).

_______________________________________________________________________

Lyrics (These can be placed on the lines below, on the back of this sheet, or on a separate
sheet stapled to this worksheet. Remember to use at least 5 of the elements above in your
jingle).
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_____
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
___
_______________________________________________________________________
_Credits (Did you use someone else’s music for your accompaniment? If so, list the
composer here). __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
 
 Student Name ___________________________
 Date ___________________________




CRITERIA Exemplary- 5 pts. Proficient – 3 pts. Needs Improvement – 1 pt. Totals

Advertising The student correctly
Element identified each of the
Identification elements throughout the
jingle examples.
Original The student composed an
Jingle original jingle including at
Composition least 5 advertising
elements.
Jingle Student performance of
Performance original jingle was well-
planned and executed.
Collaboratio Student worked well with
n their teammates,
contributing to the overall
product.
+3 Bonus – Original
composition for
accompaniment
The student identified The student struggled with
some of the elements in correctly identifying elements
some of the jingle in the jingle examples.
examples.
The students composed a The student completed the
jingle including at least 3 project, but the jingle lacked
advertising elements. originality or was missing
most of the advertising
elements.
Student performance of Student performance of
original jingle was original jingle was sloppy
executed with a few and/or disorganized.
“snags.”
Student contributed to the Student did little to contribute
overall product. to the group.
+3 Bonus – Jingle Total /20
presented in more than
one language