Name Dropping and Product Mentions: Branding in Popular Music Lyrics

ABSTRACT

Product placement provides a unique advantage over traditional advertising as it can be integrated into program content through a symbiotic relationship. A content analysis of the Billboard year-end top 20 songs for Rap, Country, R&B/Hip-Hop, Adult Contemporary, Rock, and Pop over five years (2009–2013) was conducted to determine the use of celebrities, product placement, and nonbranded product mentions in song lyrics. Results found male artists used celebrity mentions and product placement more than females, Rap contained the most mentions (73% of songs), clothing and shoes was the most prevalent product category, musicians were the most common type of celebrity mentioned, and nonbranded product mentions were in 54.5% of songs. The paper concludes by discussing practical implications of utilizing branded, nonbranded, and celebrity mentions in song lyrics.

KEYWORDS:

• brand mentions
• celebrity mentions
• content analysis
• music
• product placement