Top 10 TV Advertising Jingles of the 1980s
For many, the 1980s represented a magical decade that introduced us to hair do's and fashion styles that still make us cringe. This was a totally radical decade for music as well, not the least of which were the many legendary advertising jingles that were released. Take a bodacious trip down memory lane with our top ten list of classic 80s jingles. (also check out our Top 10 tv jingles of the 1970s, 60s and 50s)
Juicy Fruit Gum
“The taste is going to move you!” Gum really saw a boost in popularity during the 80s due to a number of very catchy advertising tag-lines. Juicy Fruit pulled zero punches with this commercial, showing people doing some extreme skiing while chewing this tasty gum. This jingle has always been a big inspiration for the Write Me A Jingle team.
Kit Kat Jingle (1986)
“Give me a break” This long-running jingle was written by Michael Lavine and Ken Shuldman, but has since been re-done several times for re-vamped Kit-Kat commercials. In fact, the jingle was cited in a University of Cincinnati study as one of the top ten “earworms”, in other words pieces of music that inevitably get stuck in people’s heads.
Empire Today
"800-588-2300, Em-pire!" Now, here is a jingle that can still be seen on TV to this day! In what remains a true stroke of genius, this Chicago flooring and home improvement company chose to incorporate their telephone number into a catchy tune sung by a legitimate local cappella group.
Toys 'R Us (1982)
“I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid" With the advent of one-stop shopping and e-commerce, Toys R Us has struggled to maintain a foothold in this modern economy. Unfortunately, they are fighting a losing battle, but this had not been the case in the 80s. Thanks to this catchy jingle, many a parent became all too familiar with the smiling giraffe “Geoffrey”.
Maybelline (1986)
“I’m at my best with Maybelline” Speaking of the classic 80s hair, there is plenty of it getting tossed around in this commercial from Maybelline. The popularity of these products during this decade certainly had plenty of women feeling at their best!
Milton Bradley’s Connect Four (1980)
“Go for it red, go for it black, go for it..... connect four!” Here may be an example where the jingle itself ended up being as memorable as the product. This is certainly one of the best kid’s game jingles ever made.
Big Red Gum (1985)
“So kiss a little longer. Hold hands a little longer. Hold tight a little longer” Since the 50s, the Doublemint Gum classic jingle had reigned supreme on TV, but things changed in the world of songs about gum when Big Red introduced the world to this melody.
Nair (1987)
“We wear short shorts!” I think you’ll agree that the lyrics of this particular jingle have been parodied more than a few times in pop culture over the years. The Church & Dwight company certainly captured many people’s attention with this unforgettable 80s commercial.
Wendy’s Restaurant (1980)
“Wendy’s has the taste” Prior to Wendy’s famous “Where’s the Beef?!” commercial, they produced this classic jingle assuring their customers that their burgers were indeed the tastiest!
Nestles Alpine White (1986)
“Sweet dreams are made of this, N-E-S-T-L-E-S” Although it was created for a product that Nestles no longer makes, this jingle is still a potent earworm. The song itself was performed by the group Faith No More, and we think it represents the overall feel of the 80’s quite well...Hopefully, you enjoyed our favorite tv jingles from the 1980s! Oh and if you end up annoying any of your friends, loved ones, and co-workers after singing “we wear short shorts!” for the tenth time, you can just blame it on us.