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Jingles are a popular type of music that has been used in Indian advertisements for a long time. Brands used to invest in making creative music for ads and commercial purposes that can help in marketing approaches. But the days of jingles are gone, and Indian brands have been using different types of sound and music in the background that could make the advertisement more attractive and engaging for the audience. But only background sounds were not enough to make the marketing approaches successful.
In 2025, Indian brands found out that utilizing sound for mood-setting filler is not enough for storytelling, as the music should offer some meaning to the approach. Currently, music is not being played in the background of visuals, but it’s carrying authorship by sharing the unique brand voice. Visual storytelling has been dominating in the advertisement sectors with fast edits, cut shots, vibrant colors, and so on. But in this digital era, where online users have a shorter attention span and a lot of content to see, Indian brands understood that they need solid audio that lingers in the mind rather than visuals that quickly fade away in the doom-scroll. Music, and especially songs, have the ability to offer a hook and make people remember what they saw.
With a fundamental shift in approach, Indian brands decided to reach their target audiences with confident storytelling that includes songs or parts of songs that can resonate with the audiences without creating noise. It has proven to be successful for many brands, and it is time to find out some impactful examples of how brands utilized music.
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Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin – Aditya Birla Group
Aditya Birla Group Jewellery focused on the emotional continuity in order to promote their Alka collection by re-imagining the film. They did not use the trap of nostalgia but made sure to offer an evolved storytelling that can stir the emotions. Featuring Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth, they created a warm and intimate advertisement, which is rare for luxury advertising, yet it worked. They utilized music in a non-decorative way and made sure it did not overwhelm the concept. People who aspire to have luxury products do not have to be loud, but they can manifest softly, like a hum. Indriya showcased a new marketing approach for luxury brands.
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Ek, Do, Teen – Zomato
Zomato is one of the most popular food delivery platforms in India, and food can create a direct connection with the audience. However, standing out is also important in this market full of competitors. Last year, they made a unique approach by engineering nostalgia with clarity and some quirky inputs. They utilized the song ‘Ek, Do, Teen’, which is one of the most popular tracks from the movie ‘Mr. India’, starring Sridevi. They made a twist by deliberately stopping at the word ‘Dus,’ and that was enough to work as a keyword for the brand. They made a critical promise of offering food in 10 minutes, which created backlash among the delivery agents, but audiences could already understand what the brand wanted to convey. It is a quirky, brief, and catchy approach that worked.
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Julie Julie – Fanta
Fanta also utilized nostalgia with an unfiltered and confident approach that audiences enjoyed very much. They revived the track ‘Julie Julie’ with actor Kartik Aaryan at the centre of attraction. The song offered major recognition, and hook and logic were not important in this case. The song takes over before the story, and that is the whole point of offering a quick hook that can stay with an impact. Fanta did not require elevating the song, but the song elevated the brand with nostalgia, and that worked pretty well.
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Rangeela Re – Crocs
Crocs is currently one of the most popular footwear brands in India, and they made sure to create buzz before Holi by re-imagining the song ‘Rangeela Re / Yai Re Yai Re’. The song fit the moment like an ideal pair of gloves, and it helped to dictate color, chaos, and celebrations. By utilizing the power of localization, they created a more rooted approach instead of making it appear superficial. The song perfectly offered a blend of happiness, the messiness of colors, and memories to cherish. And that is what Holi is all about. It is a playful approach that focuses on the event, and that made the Crocs Fans happy.
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Cornetto: Unwrap the OG Campaign
Cornetto is loved by the youth, and the brand has always tried to focus on this particular demographic, even through its ads. The brand came up with the Unwrap the OG campaign that featured Diljit Dosanjh along with Alia Bhatt and Siddhant Chaturvedi, and these celebrities definitely attracted the contemporary youth culture. The vibe and the mood for the advertisement are quite engaging, and audiences could easily relate to it. The music utilized in the ad was subtle and did not ask for extra attention. With this approach, Cornetto proved that it is not always necessary to churn out nostalgia, but some approaches need to be in the moment, right here and right now!
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Fittr and The Whole Truth Foods
Sometimes, brands do not utilize the entire song but parts of it, which works as effectively as utilizing music. Fittr’s ‘Khayi Na?’ and ‘Protein Ke Peechhe Kya Hai? by The Whole Truth Foods showcase that deliberately pulled sound can also provide room for conversation and clarity, which is highly important for any brand. Sound can be a greater part of the storytelling, and that is what helps to create the hook among audiences.
Evidently, it is noticeable that music is no longer a tactical layer for advertisement but has become an ardent part of the market approach that helps to shape brand perception and improves longevity for the brand with cultural relevance. Sound can help to provide continuity in this highly competitive digital landscape, where visuals might not be able to create a deep impact. Whether it is television or the screen of your phone, audio can offer a lasting impact on the brain.
Indian brands are now well aware of the fact that cultural capital comes with a lot of responsibilities, such as licensing, respect for legacy, and evolved re-creation. Audiences have also become quite mature, and they can easily understand when music is utilized as a shortcut rather than a craft. 2026 has already started, and Indian branding approaches will be getting more intentional and personal with a positive utilization of music. It appears to be a cultural phenomenon rather than just marketing. Luxury brands have understood the fact that only visibility cannot boost sales unless it can resonate with the audience, and music can help to do that.
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