Many Malaysians would recognise this familiar and nostalgic jingle, alerting them that the ice-cream uncle was close by on his kapchai motorcycle.
Children would drop whatever they were doing and run out to hail the ice-cream ‘uncle’ for a delicious cold treat.
That is the power of a good jingle in advertising.
It has the ability to grab the attention of a consumer through short, distinctive phrases sung to a catchy tune and repeated over and over again until it’s lodged in their brain.
But there is more to jingles than just memorable tunes and lyrics.
Veteran jazz pianist and music producer Michael Veerapen has been in the jingle-writing business since 1982 while his son Daniel Veerapen, also a music producer, has been in the business for 15 years.
When speaking to FMT recently, Daniel explained that ironically, jingle writing and music composition were the easy parts of the process.
“The tune and words can come up anytime and anywhere. In the shower, while washing the dishes or even while running errands. The difficult part is what happens pre-and post-production.
“We need to first know and understand our market demographic for the product and once we do, the process can take between two days to two weeks depending on the client’s approval,” he said.
He pointed out that jingles were ultimately a source of exposure for products, giving the brand its distinct identity.
“Look at Pizza Hut’s delivery jingle. They don’t use the jingle so much anymore, but the number and the tune are deeply etched in the minds of many,” he said.
Michael said that a jingle’s mode of transmission has changed significantly since the 1980s.
“Back then jingles aired on RTM 1, 2, TV3 and Radio Malaysia and the reach was nationwide. However, these days with budget cuts and multiple social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, the reach has reduced.”
There are challenges that come with creating jingles. One such challenge is the pressure of having to run a production studio and satisfying clients while having an optimistic disposition.
“Take the multiple movement control orders, for instance. Many of us had to work from home and while we all faced difficulties, my son as a business owner experienced his own unique set of struggles of trying to keep the business running and producing music for clients,” said Michael.
He added that the business of producing music is an art and requires the right frame of mind to develop something laudable.
“The other challenge is of course the occasional writer’s block and when that happens, we have our own ways of dealing with it,” said Daniel.
He said he usually goes for a drive to clear his mind instead of being cooped up in the studio waiting for inspiration to strike.
Michael on the other hand said he tidies his surroundings. “I feel that decluttering my physical space declutters my mind.”
Both Michael and Daniel agreed that jingles are evergreen. “As long as there is something to advertise, a catchy tune will always be sought after,” said Michael.