Breaking Free
Experiments in tech entrepreneurship
How To Market Like A Rapper
In: Marketing By: Brian Armstrong
15 Nov 2008“Cutie with a bootie”.
“Junk in the trunk”.
These popular phrases spread throughout our culture like wildfire. Why?
It has something to do with the repetitive sounds in the phrase. It rhymes and is melodic. Rappers have stumbled on an interesting psychological effect with phrases like these: they bounce around in your head and get stuck there. They’re impossible to forget!
It’s not just rappers either. Have you noticed that a lot of popular brands also have repetitive sounds? How about Coca Cola (the ‘c’ sound), Google (the ‘g’ sound), or Toyota (the ‘t’ sound).
Celebrities often change their names for a similar effect. Marilyn Monroe, Jon Bon Jovi, and Chevy Chase are all examples.
It could be the vowel sound that repeats (assonance), the consonant sounds (consonance), or just the beginning letter (alliteration).
You can even win a trial by making sure “if the glove doesn’t fit, you can’t convict” is the last thing to stick in the jury’s mind.
I’ve been trying to think of a slogan or description for my tutoring business which uses the same principles. Super duper tutors? Not sure, it’s still a work in progress.
But what’s clear is that repetition of sounds is a great marketing tool.
What other examples can you think of? More importantly, how can you use this in your own business to build your brand and stick in people’s minds? Brainstorm for a second and leave us a comment below!
- Tags: alliteration, assonance, brand, branding, consonance, repetition
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Breaking Free is a collection of articles on tech entrepreneurship, business, and life written by Brian Armstrong. You can read more here »
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Walt
November 15th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I think it was “if the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit”
Brian Armstrong
November 15th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
You’re right that sounds better :) Still rhymes but shorter. Thanks!
Joey Buddha
November 16th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Brian,
I really hope your right about this one. The name of my new business venture, (drumroll)…..Konstantly Kreating!
As always, thanks for the post,
Joey Buddha
Brian Armstrong
November 17th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Sounds like a good one Joey! :)
Matt Thomas
November 16th, 2008 at 2:18 am
Interesting connection to rapping and marketing. Having any kind of catch phrase or slogan that is memorable and easily said certainly helps the effectiveness of the advertising technique.
Most importantly, I feel is that these phrases are catchy yet conjure up specific images at the same time. “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit” literally makes you picture a glove not fitting on the defendant’s hand, causing you to question their guilt.
caleb
November 16th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
How about “To Tutor or Not To Tutor”? To enhance the effect, make it one word: Totutorornottotutor.
Then make a rap song about it.
Brian Armstrong
November 17th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Haha, not bad. I realized that I used to use one that was pretty good: Students Helping Students.
This works since all the tutors are college students.
Caroline
November 17th, 2008 at 6:40 am
The only problem is that something that rhymes in the US does not in the UK as it is pronounced differently. For example ‘take a slice of my niche quiche’ In the UK we would pronounce niche as neesh where US would pronounce as nitch.
Brian Armstrong
November 17th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Good point, crossing language/culture lines can be tough for naming products. You might have heard of the Chevy Nova. They tried to introduce in in Mexico and unfortunately in Spanish “No va” means “no go”.
Supposedly this is part of the reason why Mercedes and BMW avoid naming their cars and just use letters and numbers like E320 or M3 so they can cross all countries and languages.
Daniel Massicotte
December 16th, 2008 at 10:16 am
You have good point about the names. Come to think about it had I thought of that before I set up my site I could probably have avoided having such a long domain name.
I wasn’t really thinking marketing setting up my site though. I was more focused on the topic that interested me. The key is balance between the two I’d say.
Brian Armstrong
December 16th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Quite true thanks Daniel!
Daniel Massicotte
December 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Hey! No update in a while! What’s happening?
Too busy breaking free?
Joel Owen
June 11th, 2010 at 4:43 am
Bon Jovi definitely rocks, the best rock and roll band in the planet,’*
Claudine Fortunato
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