Now that jingles are out and recycled hits are getting old, agencies are turning to music stars to write original music for commercials. Rock band They Might Be Giants is behind songs in new Dunkin'
Donuts spots, while country's Toby Keith has just composed a new tribute to the pickup truck for Ford. Jip-hopper Jadakiss is writing raps for Reebok.
The trend is part of the attempt to
win in the 18-to-25 market--a group that doesn't like in-your-face pitches and wants fresh music. To young consumers, "someone who had a hit two years ago is an old fogey," says Robin Batteau, a
Connecticut jingle writer, whose credits include past campaigns for Chevy's "The Heartbeat of America." Avoiding that tag is part of the problem of finding the right tune for a product. Past hits can
trigger nostalgia in older consumers, leaving them "so caught up in old memories they miss the ad's marketing message," notes Ford spokeswoman Whitney Drake.
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