Dive Brief:

• Meow Mix is promoting its new Tasty Layers cat food with the release of a collectible vinyl record with remixed versions of its iconic jingle. The "Meow Mix ReMix LP" spans pop, jazz, heavy metal and Latin dance genres with tracks by "artists" like "Hearts & Paws" and "Endless Hiss," per an announcement from parent J.M. Smucker Company.
• The limited-edition record is available for pre-order on Amazon for $9.99, and includes a coupon for a free bag of Meow Mix Tasty Layers cat food. Cat lovers can visit Meow Mix's website to stream the remixed songs from Spotify, view music videos and read more about artists like Luna, Sweet Teddy Pepperjaw and Gatocito.
• Meow Mix's release of its collectible record is the latest extension of its ongoing campaign to distribute remixed versions of its jingle. In November 2019, the brand released R&B, Latin, heavy metal and country remixes on its website, Spotify and YouTube.

Dive Insight:

Meow Mix's release of the "Meow Mix ReMix LP" comes as sales of vinyl records have seen a resurgence among collectors and nostalgic consumers. Sales of vinyl records last year overtook CD sales in the U.S. for the first time since the 1980s, though audio streaming has become the biggest source of revenue for the music industry, according to data cited by CNN. Meow Mix can tap into that nostalgic sentiment with the sale of its remix collection, while also promoting its new Tasty Layers cat food.

The J.M. Smucker cat food is among the brands that have revamped jingles as music has become a bigger part of marketing efforts in the digital streaming era. Some industry experts have proclaimed that the jingle, a classic marketing approach, is dead as more brands license songs from recording artists for use in commercials. At the same time, jingles seem to be enduring as marketers seek to affirm stronger sonic identities that link a sound or short tune to a brand. With more consumers listening to podcasts and music on streaming platforms that carry advertising, reaching them through connected devices that support audio like smart speakers and mobile phones has become a bigger priority for brands.

Jingles today are being reimagined in ways to encourage participation with tech-savvy consumers, especially as people seek the comforts of familiar and trusted brands during the disruptions of the pandemic. With popular social media platforms like TikTok urging people to create their own versions of music videos, brands like E.l.f. Cosmetics have created original tracks for consumers to use in their creative efforts. Other brands, such as Popeyes and Juicy Fruit, have sought to engage consumers by asking them to remix their own versions of jingles.