Article published on Adweek on 10/9/2020 Full text below
"Election season is known to be a particularly heavy fundraising time of year. Candidates, PACs and nonprofits send emails, make phone calls and text us.
For many of us, it becomes white noise, until you see something that stands out—which is Aidy Bryant.
SNL’s Aidy Bryant took a creative approach to helping a candidate from her home state raise money for his senate run.
The Arizona-born comedian lent her voice to senate candidate Mark Kelly’s campaign by offering to sing local Arizona jingles for every $200 raised. I was raised in Phoenix and can attest to the brilliance of her performances, which banked over $2,800 in donations.
Why does this matter? Local advertising is the punchline of many jokes, denigrating more humble efforts in comparison to ads of global behemoths. But remember: We all come from somewhere, and that somewhere is inherently local to each individual.
When Aidy sings “I love my Metropolitan Mattress, mattresssss,” I’m singing along with her even though I haven’t lived in Arizona in well over a decade, and yet, the brand recognition sticks with me. These jingles likely don’t have the millions of dollars in strategy, testing and production that Mastercard’s sonic brand does, and yet there are millions of people who can belt out that “only Sardella’s makes my favorite things.”
And yes, I requested $199 Computer Store and 911 Collision Center from Tucson, and Shane Co. from Phoenix because I remember them today as much as I did 20 years ago. They take me back to a simpler time; Aidy’s rendition would bring the wistfulness to modern memory.
It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of local relevancy as well as the stickiness of audio. Arizonans made requests for their favorite local jingles and taglines. Yes, folks are asking for advertising. Ads are a part of our nostalgia and connection to place with audio components as the easiest to recall. No internet, no screen needed—just a voice.
Audio branding is more important than ever, and Aidy proves it. If you want your brand to last in people’s minds, you must capture them with something bigger than a product or service. Stick in their minds with a catchy jingle, clever tag (“And that ain’t no bull”) or uniquely identifiable voice (“You have a friend in the diamond business”) that will resonate for 20-plus years and become not just a part of ad history but a part of the city’s culture.
Aidy’s reach is broader than Arizona natives. You can’t buy this kind of support—and brand awareness for Sardella’s, Golf N’ Stuff, London Gold and Eegee’s, which, by the way, still exist in Arizona."