A jingle is a short, catchy song or tune used in advertising to help people remember a product or brand. Companies create jingles with simple melodies and repeated phrases that stick in your head, like “I'm lovin' it” for McDonald's or the Intel computer chip melody. The goal is to make the tune so memorable that you can't help humming it, and when you do, you think of their product.

The word comes from the light, tinkling sound that bells or metal objects make when they shake together, like keys jingling in someone's pocket or coins jingling in a jar. That pleasant, attention-getting sound gave its name to these catchy tunes because both are designed to catch your ear.

Jingles work because our brains remember melodies better than spoken words alone. A well-crafted jingle can last decades in people's memories. When something jingles, whether it's your dog's collar tags or loose change, it makes that distinctive light ringing sound. If an advertisement's tune gets stuck in your head all day, you've experienced the power of a successful jingle.