Why Are Ads of Today Increasingly Using Cover Songs?

The annual John Lewis Christmas advert is set to cause a stir amongst the UK population. Every year the advert tells a heart-warming tale – a little boy too impatient to wait until Christmas Day to give his parents their present or a penguin trying to find love. In 2013 it was the animated friendship of a hare sharing the joys of Christmas with a bear that got the nation talking. It became a trending topic on Twitter, with over 212,000 mentions, and the licensed music, Lily Allen’s cover of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ shot to the UK No. 1. But what makes the John Lewis Christmas advert so popular? Is it the tear-jerking moments that fill us with the Christmas spirit? Or is it the clever use of a cover song, which gives the advert that cinematic feel?

Of course, its popularity is a combination of things. But with more and more brands now using cover versions in their adverts and reaping the audience popularity approval, it’s becoming clear that covers are a trend set to stay. So what can a cover bring to adverts?

Memorability

Often what makes a great advertising campaign is a catchy song. The audience is hooked and raring to know what song is being used. Advertising campaigns thrive on finding the next biggest hit before it goes viral. Audiences eager to find out what the song is use Smartphone apps like Soundhound to work it out. And if they cannot find it, they refer to it as “that advert song”. What drives the advert’s popularity then is the memorability of a great song.

Cover versions use this same technique but in reverse. They rely on the audience already knowing the song, knowing the lyrics and knowing the title – but being charmed by a new take on something they knew so well. 

Take this example below; ‘Rebel Yell’ is a song that audiences are familiar with. It’s a beat that the audience already recognise, and instead of wanting to know what that newly licensed music is, they want to know who is covering a classic.

Duncan Townshend covers Billy Idol ‘Rebel Yell’ for Lufthansa

Emotion

If you find a great cover song, your advert can move the audience and make them feel more emotionally connected. Not only being lyrically memorable, the audience will have already gained an emotional attachment to the song. They will already have ‘felt’ something when they first heard the song and hearing it again would remind them of that feeling.

Take this example of ‘The Scientist’ used in Chipotle’s spot. With the use of this emotionally charged track, Chipotle are able to move their audience to feel concern for the state of mass meat production today. Demonstrating the ‘softer’ side of the fast food business.

Caption: Willie Nelson covers Coldplay ‘The Scientist’ for Chipotle

Originality

In the case of some songs, the spot and the cover manages to surprise the audience by turning the genre completely on its head. Acoustic versions of pop or rock songs can completely change the song, bringing new meanings to the lyrics and giving the song a deeper feeling, and the advert a sense of originality.

In this Chanel commercial, Lo-Fang’s cover of ‘You’re the One That I Want’ surprises everyone by making a Grease song sound deep and not cheesy at all. Who would have expected high fashion and Grease to go so well together?

Caption: Lo-Fang covers ‘You’re the One That I Want’ for Chanel

Prestige

It’s no secret that audiences love cover versions - many covers rank high up in music charts after their appearance in an ad. But it’s not only the customer’s rating that matters, the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is also taking notice. Over the last four years of award-winners in the ‘Best Use of Music’ category (2011-2014), the number of winners using re-recorded tracks has been double that of campaigns using original syncs. 

Take this Chrysler ‘Born of Fire’ film for the 2011 Super Bowl. It features the gospel choir Selected of God performing their version of Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’. The advert went on to win prestigious awards, including an Emmy for Best Commercial and Best Use of Music Gold at the 2011 Cannes Lions.

Caption: Selected of God covers Eminem ‘Lose Yourself’ for Chrysler

There are numerous reasons why brands are sync licensing a cover version for their adverts – the music proves to be extremely popular with audiences and it’s sure to be a trend that is on the rise.