The sound of effectiveness: how music choices can double your marketing ROI

When advertising stays in your mind after watching, it’s often the sound or music that has had an impact. How many of us can remember an ad with a great song? For me, it’s the iconic Sony ad with colourful bouncing balls set to José González’s ‘Heartbeats’ – itself a reinterpretation of The Knife’s original – or the iconic Levi’s and Mr Oizo’s ‘Flat Beat.’  That perfect synergy between picture and sound stays with you.

It’s no wonder the teaser for the Christmas John Lewis ad was simply a record playing, leaving us guessing ‘what song will it be?’ It understands that the music choice has become just as powerful as the imagery. 

Back in 1926, Wheaties was minutes away from being discontinued until a regional radio jingle, ‘Have You Tried Wheaties?’, transformed the brand’s prospects. In the months that followed, a staggering 40,000 out of the 50,000 boxes sold in the US came from the region that had heard the song. An early example of the power of music as an effective tool in driving brand growth.

Music has always been one of advertising’s most powerful tools. It shapes emotion, captures attention, and helps people remember brands faster than visuals alone. Yet despite its influence, music has historically been chosen as decoration, an afterthought based on a feeling or budget restriction, rather than any real evidence.

There have been various pieces of research over the years proving the value of sonic assets; however, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive study on advertising launched last month finally unveiled its true impact.

Produced by MassiveMusic and the IPA, in partnership with Les Binet, Prof. Daniel Müllensiefen, and CloudArmy, the study examines the role and impact of the full music soundtrack used in advertising, not just the short brand audio cues or jingles.

The results reveal a lot of what we’ve been talking about for years: that campaigns featuring highly engaging music have a direct impact on marketing ROI, achieving an average increase of 32%. 

Engagement that brings results 

This proves that music, when chosen intentionally, can do far more than set the mood. It can shift how people feel and behave towards a brand.

Philadelphia’s 2024 campaign song choice of David Essex’s Hold Me Close wasn’t just for nostalgic effect. It invited emotional attention, and that connection translated directly into performance. It drew viewers in and held them there, creating a connection that went beyond recognition. 

The campaign relied on the song to create emotional focus, giving the audience a reason to care. In doing so, it softened the sell, signalled warmth and intimacy, and made the brand feel human in a category that can often feel simply functional—a point now backed by evidence: Hold Me Close was ranked among the top three tracks for engagement in the study. 

A different music choice, one based on emotional appeal rather than the understanding of how music is interpreted, would likely still have been nice. But with this choice, the ad became more meaningful. Well-chosen songs don’t just feel right; they drive measurable connection.

Harmony drives value

Music matters most when it works in partnership with visuals. High-fit music increases perceived quality, drives value and even affects willingness to pay.  

As we’ve seen throughout its recent seasonal work, John Lewis has long understood this. Its Christmas ads often feature reimagined musical pieces that beautifully enhance the narrative (this year, music even becomes the gift itself).

In 2015, its “The Man on The Moon” campaign featured an ethereal reworking of Oasis’s Half the World Away by Norwegian artist Aurora as the soundtrack. With not only the instrumentation but also the lyrics seamlessly fitting the narrative, this ad scored high on Fit in our study, as it is a great example of how music and visuals can create a sum that’s bigger than its parts.

When sound and picture move in sync, audiences respond differently. They notice more, feel more, and assign greater value to the experience. With high-fit music, there’s seven times the likelihood of reducing price sensitivity. After all, pricing power is the single clearest marker of long-term brand equity. 

Therefore, high-fit music does something media planners love: it increases willingness to pay. In this sense, music is more than just a storytelling tool; it’s a commercial lever. 

The power of a musical plot twist

Even when the music fits, it’s the surprise that stays with us. Advertising that uses unexpected music that aligns with the brand’s tone of voice leaves a lasting impression. Our research shows that in some cases, it is up to five times more likely to achieve high brand fame.

Take KFC’s 2024 Kentucky Fried Turkey Christmas campaign which used Puccini’s powerful Nessun Dorma. On paper, it shouldn’t have worked. The music pairing was bold, memorable, and incongruous. But in reality, that is exactly why it did. 

Safe music rarely makes for famous work. Instead, it is distinctive, surprising cues that capture attention and create cultural moments that last. They give campaigns personality and help brands cut through the noise, even in a crowded media landscape. 

Another finding is that music can be one of the strongest cues for memory. If people remember the song, they are more likely to remember the brand, as it serves as a gateway to emotion. People react 17% faster to sound than they do to visuals alone.  In fact, research shows that high-recall music can make brands up to four times more salient. 

Costa’s 2016 campaign re-recording of ‘I was Made for Lovin’ You’ by KISS  proves this. The track was odd, characterful and therefore memorable. And a sound that could not be confused with anything else in this category.

Distinctive music isn’t about picking a track that people like. It’s about creating something they can own, recognise and remember after the advert ends. Because when a campaign’s music sticks, the brand sticks. And a world where attention is fragmented and fleeting, stickiness is everything. 

The strategic case for music

For too long, music has been treated as a final flourish rather than a strategic choice. However, the research is now clearer than ever. Campaigns that engage, align, surprise and stick musically outperform those that don’t. 

The most effective campaigns do more than just use music; they build it into the storyline. They develop motifs that carry identity across touchpoints, travelling with the audience from moment to moment. In doing so, they will survive a noisy, fragmented media landscape and actually increase a brand’s ROI. 

Now more than ever, those who listen closely will find that the right music does more than just entertain the audience; it can amplify a brand’s results.

Roscoe Williamson is global strategy director at MassiveMusic