Music gets my attention. Real people make me consider buying.
I have said plenty of times that I do not like advertisements. But recently, I caught myself watching entire commercials on Facebook. What made me stay? Music, storytelling, and enough creativity to make me curious about what came next.
That made me reconsider my complaint. There are advertisements I enjoy. I just want marketers to give me a reason to pay attention.
When Advertising Had a Soundtrack
Growing up, commercials could get stuck in your head for years. I still remember the Oscar Mayer bologna song and the Toys “R” Us jingle. Just thinking about them brings back their melodies and a little piece of childhood.
Those advertisements had personality. Their repetition came with a tune I could remember, and that memory stayed with the brand long after the commercial ended. I think social media marketers could learn something from that.
Some Facebook advertisements I have recently watched use what appears to be AI-generated music to turn a sales message into a song. They tell a story, and I find myself listening until the end. For someone who usually wants to scroll past advertisements, that is an accomplishment.
But getting me to listen and getting me to spend money are two different things.
Music Gets My Attention. People Influence My Purchases.
As much as I enjoy the creativity of musical advertisements, I am still more influenced by real people showing their experiences with a product.
For example, I bought an entire outfit from Walmart after seeing a woman model it. My reaction was simple: “That looks cute on her. I think it will look cute on me.” Seeing the clothing on a person helped me imagine wearing it myself.
That demonstration gave me something a catchy song alone could not. I could see how the outfit looked when someone wore it and decide whether it appealed to me. A relatable content creator or everyday customer can make a product feel more relevant to my own life.
This is where I see an opportunity for Facebook marketing: combine the music and storytelling that stop me from scrolling with a credible human demonstration that helps me evaluate the product.
Finding the Right Combination
Imagine a clothing advertisement that opens with an engaging song, then features a real person styling the outfit, showing its fit, and discussing what they like and what could be better. The music draws me in. The person gives me a reason to consider buying.
For businesses, those elements serve different purposes. Creativity can capture attention and help people remember a brand. A useful demonstration or honest customer experience can answer questions and build confidence. Together, they could make an advertisement both entertaining and informative.
Still, the product needs to be memorable, too. I have enjoyed musical advertisements without remembering the company’s name afterward. If I remember the tune but cannot remember who is selling the product, the advertisement has not fully connected its creativity to the brand.
Keep the Human Connection—and the Honesty
My interest in AI-assisted advertising does not mean I want AI to take over the music industry. I value human creativity. What interests me is how these tools might support storytelling while leaving room for real people and their experiences.
Those experiences must also be presented honestly. A testimonial can make me curious, but one person’s results do not guarantee mine. That matters especially when an advertisement makes health or weight-loss claims. I want to know when someone is being paid to promote a product, and I want the claims to hold up beyond the song.
For me, the strongest combination is creativity, music, and a human connection I can relate to. Earn my attention, show me something useful, and give me enough honest information to make my own decision.
Make me hum the jingle, not hunt for the skip button. Then show me the real person behind the recommendation.
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