Using dancehall music in ads
Over the past few months, Sports and Games, a local sports gear merchant, started using popular dancehall songs for its ads. Rewording the lyrics of the song to highlight Sports and Games selling points, the songs maintain their same rhythm etc, and are performed by the dancehall artiste who sang the song in the first place.Having taken to listening to the radio on my trusty Nokia as a way to ignore transportation problems on a morning, I’m constantly hearing the ads. The first one that caught my attention was the one by Shabba Ranks, in which he sings to the tune of “Ding a ling a ling”. Piece of it goes like this, “ding a ling a ling, school bell ring, Sports and Games for back to school ting”, mimicking the original, which goes “ding a ling a ling, school bell ring, knife and fork and fight fi dumplin”. Now, at first I laughed saying, “oh gosh, ting ha to be bad for Shabba to be doing small ads”. But I’m guessing the man got paid good money, and besides people seem to love it. You can view his video for the song on YouTube.com.
Mr Vegas also appeared on an ad using his hit Hot Wuk. Personally, I’m not a fan of the original song’s uncensored lyrics. Another song that has been widely popular is Macka Diamond’s Hula Hoop, and it’s always amusing to me when I see people start to dance to the Sports and Games ad, singing the lyrics as well, which is exactly what Sports and Games wants.
With that sort of repetition, you hearing the actual song on radio, then hearing the ad on radio, then singing the tune, and dancing to it, surely Sports and Games is the first thing on your mind when you need to get sports gear or a new sneakers for your child. Popular local, Dj Shal Marshall provides the narrator’s voice. Now, Sports and Games enjoys a fair share of the market, so what’s the point of this whole campaign:1. It positions Sports and Games as being trendy.
2. It captures the attention of the youth market.
3. The ads are easy to recall, seeing that people already know the tune to the songs, and like them (have you ever seen anyone stand still while Hula Hoop is playing?).
Other sports gear stores such as Francis Fashions and Shoe Locker, which are sister stores, are also being hip when it comes to their advertising campaigns. They’ve also used popular, local, reggae acts such as Royal Dainties. Francis Fashions now has an ad that features Akon. The ad uses several of Akon’s songs at various points in the ad, as well as a voiceover from Akon, who cheekily tells you to blame Francis Fashions’ low prices on him. You’d think that after all the bacchanal (drama) surrounding Akon and his raunchy dance at the Zen nightclub, Francis Fashions would have thought twice about using him. But indeed the ad gets your attention because from the outset you realise that Akon is speaking directly to the Trini public. You can tell that they didn’t just copy and paste his voice. Plus, Akon’s music is the type that makes you bob your head, unless you exercise your will not to.
Trinidad and Tobago is the home of calypso, soca and the steelpan. So one may say why aren’t they using indigenous music. Well Francis Fashion has successfully used Maximus Dan in the recent past. However, the fact is that the Trini culture is one that holds onto external cultures, and in the youth culture, dancehall is a must for music. Trinidad and Tobago’s popular, youth radio stations, Red 96.7 FM, 96.1 WEFM, and Boom Champions 94.1 FM, has a very healthy menu of dancehall and reggae, sometimes at the expense of local music. Hence, the marketers behind these sports stores advertising campaigns are simply going with the trend.
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Comments
Lol, after hearing them I pulled out some vintage Shabba. But I mean, whenever I need sportswear I go to Sports and Games anyway. We’ve been conditioned that they, Francis Fashions or Kenny’s are the places to get sportswear - the same way you go either KFC or Royal Castle for chicken and chips!
But everyone is fighting for number one. C’est la vie.
Karel, I had the pleasure one day of being in a Maxi for an hour and a half and hearing a 4 year old boy sing the Shabba ad every time it came on the radio. It must have come on at least 10 time and the kid just would not shut up.
anyway I have to say I was a little surprised at the Shabba ad and completely taken aback by the Akon one. Not so much that at the controversy surrounding Akon, but that Francis fashions could afford him.
I agree with you when you say they must be effective. after bearing with the child in that maxi that day, how could I disagree?