This month Keith Brennan from urbanmedia picks the ad which he believes is in the upper crust of radio advertising. Strong use of sonic sounds and tagline helped this become an everyday part of Irish life, much like the product itself, our daily bread.
Yes it’s a bit of a coincidence that I am plumping for an ad from a brand that is essentially my name, but this ad is much more than my namesake. It uses some of my favourite things in advertising, and in particular radio advertising; a sonic sound and a tagline to remember.
There are some classic taglines and sonic sounds in radio history that earwig their way into your head, and instantly you find yourself reciting them before they are even aired fully; Go Harvey Go and Eurocycles, to name but a few. However, Brennan’s is different, it creates a sense of warmth, comfort, and Irish-ness. It puts a smile on your face.
It reminds you of the slice of Brennans bread toasted with butter and the cosiness it brings. The tune on the violin, a great sonic sound that instantly puts the brand logo in your head, and makes you feel at home. The Iconic voice of Ol’ Mr Brennan, voiced by Bill Golding, essentially a sonic sound in itself, it to a reassuring hug. And the best tagline since sliced bread, “today’s bread today”. Are all what makes this a great ad.
The script in the ad is almost secondary to all these aspects. This was something that Brennan’s utilised, changing up the script to promote everything from their Family Pan to a bit of whippersnapper, but they kept the music bed, voice and tagline consistent on air, ensuring instant brand recognition.
When thinking of great ads that stand out on radio, a lot of ads we remember have strong sonic sounds, jingles or taglines, and I think these are great for helping an ad stand out.
When it comes to Brennans I just think the authenticity of these elements are what make it a great ad. The jingle and VO of Bill Golding are familiar and summon a yearning for a ham sandwich or toasted cheese. Just like the ones you would have had as a kid. The sonic sound is such a strong way to reconnect the consumer to the brand, and I think Brennan’s utilised this brilliantly and I almost miss it on air.
Keith Brennan, Creative Solutions