Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of what could be argued as one of the most influential pop songs of the last decade, the Crazy Frog Song, officially titled ‘Axel F’. This undeniably grating track became the UK’s third best-selling single in 2005 and dominated charts across eight European nations. Remarkably, in its debut week, it outsold Coldplay’s ‘Speed Of Sound’ by a staggering four to one. How did this happen? Through a potent combination of nostalgia and advertising, a strategy that has since been embraced by pop icons from Beyoncé to Britney Spears.
A decade ago, the digital landscape was vastly different. Twitter and Instagram were non-existent, and Facebook was still in its infancy. For artists aiming to launch a hit single, television and radio were the primary marketing channels. Even if the song was, shall we say, less than stellar.
Whether ‘Axel F’ is considered ‘good’ music is a debate for another time. However, the crazy frog song remix arguably deserved to be confined to the deepest, darkest corners of musical history. It wasn’t destined for Radio 1 playlists or primetime sports trailers. Yet, thanks to ubiquitous TV advertising, the track became inescapable.
The Crazy Frog was the animated mascot for Jamba!, a premium-rate subscription service offering mobile phone ringtones. If you were watching MTV, Nickelodeon, or any satellite TV channel during that era, you were bombarded with the blue amphibian. It relentlessly “ribbited” its way into your consciousness every fifteen minutes, tempting you into costly phone charges. Jamba!’s advertising blitz was so extensive that in 2004 alone, they invested €90 million on German airtime.
Considering the high cost of advertising and the competitive ringtone market, a revamped version of ‘Axel F’ was conceived to further promote Jamba!’s services. While a hefty marketing budget isn’t a guaranteed path to success, Jamba!, alongside Ministry Of Sound, had a strategic advantage: the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop. ‘Axel F’ was already a UK Number 2 hit in 1985 and remained instantly recognizable. This confluence of commercial strategy and retro appeal created a perfect storm, a formula that has been replicated ever since in the music industry.
Nowadays, when artists like Beyoncé or Rihanna are set to release new singles, often the initial exposure comes through advertisements. Brands such as H&M or Dior eagerly associate themselves with these artists, seeking to enhance their own image of coolness and credibility. This practice of featuring songs in advertisements is known as “sync licensing” within the industry, and it has become a significant revenue stream and marketing tool.
“We often work on campaigns before anything has even been shot, sometimes even clearing a track the day before an advert airs,” explains Adam Gardiner, Head of Creative Licensing at Universal Music UK. “The first major sync I landed was for Willy Moon’s ‘Yeah Yeah’ on a global Apple campaign. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that something you’ve pitched will be seen by millions of people.”
The collaboration between brands and musicians is not a recent phenomenon. Think of Elvis Presley and Coca-Cola, or Michael Jackson and Pepsi. The success of the crazy frog song, however, marked a turning point. It solidified sync licensing as a dominant marketing strategy for both established artists and emerging talents.
Last year, Apple reportedly allocated $100 million to promote its iPhone 6 campaign featuring U2. More recently, Sound of 2015 nominee Rae Morris was featured in advertisements for the fashion retailer Boohoo, and Spector debuted their new single ‘Kyoto Garden’ video on Topman’s YouTube channel. While once, having a song in an advert was a sign of reaching stardom, it is now a common tactic for generating income and boosting music awareness. Rae Morris’ ‘Love Again’ advert became one of the most Shazamed commercials of that year.
The Crazy Frog’s nostalgic take on pop culture also set a precedent for the music industry in the 2000s. It revived the past in a way that underscored the power of nostalgia for music marketers. This influence is evident in the constant stream of retro-themed videos artists release today. Just in the past month, numerous artists, from Britney Spears to Fidlar, have presented their own versions of ‘Weren’t the 90s great?’ in video format.
Discussions about commerce and music in 2015 inevitably lead to PC Music, the London-based record label known for its dial-up internet-inspired pop and for selling energy drinks at $20 a can. Specifically, this brings us to Sophie, a key figure in the collective, who gained prominence with ‘Lemonade’ and now produces for major artists like Madonna, Charli XCX, and Liz.
Liz, signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label, embodies the post-crazy frog song music landscape. The self-proclaimed ‘millennial pop baby’ spent years channeling Destiny’s Child-esque R&B, creating captivating tracks like ‘Hush’ and ‘U Over Them’. While her Facebook page still features Y2K tributes, the New York-based singer shifted direction with her latest single ‘When I Rule The World’. Packed with jarring synths and attention-grabbing elements, the song is as close to Top 40 as PC Music gets, and it is slated for a major push from Columbia Records. This follows its extensive exposure on platforms like YouTube. ‘Samsung’s new advert is so bad I never want to use technology again,’ TechRadar wrote about the track’s branded visual accompaniment.
While that might be a harsh assessment, it accurately reflects the current state of music marketing. Thanks to a cartoon amphibian with a catchy (albeit annoying) tune, musicians are now expected to employ any means necessary to capture attention – even methods they might have previously rejected. The crazy frog song, despite its initially irritating nature, proved to be a pioneering, money-making blueprint for both established and emerging pop stars.
In a week where Apple is again attempting to reshape the music industry with its new streaming service, it is important to remember the unexpected tech-driven creation that was similarly revolutionary: the crazy frog song.
(Alt text for image): Animated Crazy Frog character promoting Jamba! ringtones, highlighting its role in popularizing the “Axel F” crazy frog song and mobile content marketing.
