It was like a call to arms. As primary school kids, the marching action was replicated in the school ground. The tune was an earworm that worked instantly and put the brand front and centre in our minds. No other cordial brand could come close. I even sang this jingle down the supermarket aisle as mum followed with the trolley and loaded up that green mixture.
.
This was an instant hit in our household. It was a revamp of the famous low-fi song ‘ Da Da Da’ by German band Trio. Someone very clever re-worked the song and gave the brand a massive hit served up in bite sized pieces. Simple colours, simple visuals, catchy song…bang, you got a best seller and market share owner.
This was made to inspire the desire for a BMX. I dreamed of these bikes with ‘tuffs’ and double goosenecks and this TV ad almost brought tears of joy and pure jealousy every time it aired. I begged for that Malvern Star and to top it all off, the boy got a kiss on the cheek..I was sold , hook, line and sinker. It told a story, it was a full sung jingle that every Australian 80’s kid knew like the national anthem.
I didn’t really even know what ‘ work, rest and play’ meant as I was only interested in the play part, but my 80’s desire for a big chocolate bar that was bigger than my hand and mouth was all I yearned for. I settled for the ‘bite sized’ versions but I remember our whole class singing this jingle at assembly and the whole school joining in with applause and joy. Do you think the tagline would work today?
This jingle ‘ you can’t beat a Sao for a snack’ is still a melody that repeats on me through the years. It was a call to action, it felt Australian and it made me feel good. It has Mike Brady written all over it. The rhythm track gave perfect cues for the visual, and the storyline although dated, just makes a boring cracker come to life. I looked for this brand for many years after this ad and I would have bought it forever because of that jingle.
The phone number is one of the only brand numbers I can recall years later. In a time when the phone order and delivery was everything, this jingle pushed the brand and the call to action to a whole new level. It’s a re-make of a traditional public domain piece, but for a whole new generation the tune means hot cheese and thick crust.
Ok full disclosure…we wrote this jingle. That said, it’s still one of my favourites and people sing it back to me whenever I mention that fact. There’s no doubt the imagery has a slight nod to ‘ Decore’ ( another classic remake jingle) but this tune has had a great impact for the brand and helped grab market share. I must admit I’m now a goat soap convert and my kids sing every time they use it.
I was too young to even be interested in a water system when this beautiful jingle entered my psyche but many years later as an adult when it came time to purchase a system, there was only one brand name I felt I could trust…sight unseen. I bought one and like the jingle it’s solid and works a treat.
This was an instant hit in our house. The tune was made to feel so nostalgic and Australian. Our family wasn’t so similar to those in the ad but for many years after the tune stayed with me and I sang it to whoever was in the car as we passed the stores. My fav line is ‘ to make it Sunday everyday’ Thats jingle gold.
This has become an anthem for value and D.I.Y in Australia or as my kids call it…the hot dog song. They’ve maintained the same jingle for many years, adapted it ever so slightly every couple of years but it is as essential to the brand as the Green and Red colours. May it last forever.
