HERA - PEČENÍ JE RADOST, HERA JE PEČENÍ / BAKING IS A JOY, HERA IS BAKING (1998)
Baking is a joy, Hera is baking! A slogan that has become so domesticated in the Czech Republic that no one will ever take it away from this baking product. The food company's advertising is largely traditional - it relies on classic scenes of family togetherness, where individual family members come together for the noble goal of creating a bakery masterpiece, which they then sit together over, full of joy. The visuals of the commercial look as if they have come straight out of Slováček's humorous novel Bylo nás pět (There Were Five of Us). This look is supported by both the vintage filter and the choice of the musical motif. Hera reached into the golden fund of Czech classical music and chose Humoreska by the internationally renowned composer Antonín Dvořák. All the compositions in the result form their own audiovisual symphony, during which you can't help feeling that you, too, could brush up on your baking skills and thus delight yourself and your loved ones.
Video: Hera - Pečení je radost, Hera je pečení (1998)
OSCAR - KLIDNĚ MI ŘÍKEJ BOBE / CALL ME BOB (2001)
When mobile operator Oskar burst onto the Czech telecommunications market at start of the millennium, it was entering a country where it was certainly not yet common for everyone to have their own personal mobile phone. The company decided to take advantage of this vacuum in an advertising campaign to demonstrate how life can be much easier with a mobile phone. Bob, the protagonist of the iconic advert, played by actor and singer Jiří Macháček, knows all about it. On a quiet dirt road, he meets a young hitchhiker, Sandra Nováková, whom he courts to the rhythm of the radio song Zmýlená neplatí by Tomáš Hanák. However, when it seems like is courting might be successful, his plans are thwarted by the previously extremely popular phenomenon of songs on request. In this form, his ex gave him a message of a downright personal nature, which poor Bob could have avoided if he had his own mobile phone. The change of tone and mood in the car is symbolized by the song on request - Chtěl bych se jmenovat Jan (I wish I was called Jan) by the Ostrava group Buty.
Video: Oskar - Klidně mi říkej Bobe (2001)
PODĚBRADKA - VÍCE CHUTI DO ŽIVOTA / MORE TASTE TO YOUR LIFE (2002)
At the beginning of the millennium, musicals were hot in the Czech Republic and the mineral water Poděbradka decided to make one too. It takes place in Prague's Old Town Square right in front of the Astronomical Clock. Narratively, it is framed as a wedding somewhere between modernity and the fashion of the first republic. The company went the route of its own musical motif, which accompanied its commercials for many years afterwards and became literally a national folklore. With the slogan Více chuti do života (More taste to your life), everyone at the 2002 wedding was already well stocked with mineral water - the wedding guests themselves, the attendants, the chimney sweeps on the roof and the dancing nuns. The song itself is quite divisive. Some hate her for her exuberant mood, others remember her fondly. In any case, it is a musical background that has inherently entered the history of Czech advertising. Moreover, all of our senses must still appreciate how Poděbradka managed to take advantage of a currently popular trend in his time.
Video: Poděbradka - Svatba na Starém Městě / Wedding at the Old Town (2002)
JUPÍ - TO MÁ ŠŤÁVU / IT'S GOT JUICE (2002)
The Czech music scene certainly can't complain about the lack of quirky and inimitable artists. A prime example is undoubtedly the ageless Daniel Nekonečný. He not only established his eponymous Kingdom of Delight during his career, but also became an icon of exoticism, which he promoted during every performance in a rather gloomy country like the Czech Republic. Dan Nekonečný's music undoubtedly had "juice", which did not escape the producer of Jupí fruit syrups. So in 2002, the company decided to join forces with Nekonečný and his band Šum svistu - the result is a playful advert that plays on everything audiences have always associated with the iconic singer. Palm trees, vibrant colours, authentic natives performing tribal dances with bananas on their heads - and at the centre of it all, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Pleasure himself. You won't be able to erase the visuals or the soundtrack of It's Got Juice from your mind right away, which is exactly what the Jupí marketers hoped for from this collaboration.
Video: Jupí - To má šťávu / It’s Got Juice (2002)
RUDOLF JELÍNEK - RENÉ, JÁ A RUDOLF NA GOLFU / RENÉ, ME AND RUDOLF ON GOLF (2005)
Golf is one of the sports with which nobody probably associates the adjective "folk". The Wallachian distillery Rudolf Jelínek, on the other hand, belongs - with a bit of exaggeration - to the Czech national treasures. So are its products, including the popular Plum vodka. These two relatively separate worlds met in a legendary Rudolf Jelínek commercial from 2005, in which a group of friends after a boisterous party head out to the golf course to hit a few plums. The ad is meant to make viewers feel that life with Jelinek's spirits can be full of unexpected fun that knows no bounds. It's a classic "feel good" presentation designed to put a smile on your face and put you in a good mood. The chosen musical motif also works comparably - the song René, me and Rudolf originally by Jiří Schelinger is clearly offered given the theme. In this case, however, Josef Vojtek, frontman of the rock band Kabát, has taken on the vocals. In the performance of the creators of the commercial, the Sunday afternoon will definitely not become a moment of boredom for many.
Video: Rudolf Jelínek - René, já a Rudolf na golfu / René, me and Rudolf on golf (2005)
PRIBINÁČEK - PRAMEN ZDRAVÍ Z POSÁZAVÍ / THE SPRING OF HEALTH FROM THE POSÁZAVÍ REGION (2006)
The Pribina dairies in Přibyslav have been operating in the Czech lands for almost a hundred years. Its most iconic product - the creamy delicacy for children Pribináček - will celebrate its 70th anniversary on the Czech and formerly Czechoslovak market at the time of the company's foundation. Despite its long history, Pribina (which is now part of a much larger multinational concern) continues to be faithful to one particular musical motif that has been associated with the brand since the 1970s. It is Jaroslav Uhlíř's song Každý den (Every Day), made famous by the very popular fairy tale Ať žijí duchové. In its time, it was undoubtedly one of the most ingenious examples of Czechoslovak product placement - which cost Pribina only a few pallets of the aforementioned dessert. Even after the establishment of the independent Czech Republic, the ads remained faithful to this heritage. An ideal example is the award-winning ad from 2006, which includes all the elements typical of Pribina's presentation. As a rule, they feature child actors in a more or less adventurous scenario. What remains the same is that they rush to Pribináček to give them the necessary energy. There is only one original - which certainly goes hand in hand with the song, which is hummed even by many adults from time to time.
Video: Pribináček - Pramen zdraví z Posázaví / The Spring of Health from the Posázaví region (2006)
ŽELETAVA - MILUJU A MALUJU / LOVING AND PAINTING (2010)
Following the example of the musical arrangement of Poděbradka, the dairy giant Želetava decided in 2010 to prove to TV viewers that working in a cheese factory can be actually quite enjoyable. For this purpose, it chose the cheerful feel good song Miluju a maluju (Loving and painting) by Václav Neckář, which many Czechs associate mainly with the popular fairy tale Šíleně smutná princezna (Madly Sad Princess). However, the authors of the ad use it to achieve a completely new presentation that would fit in beautifully with the equally popular Czech film musical Rebelové (Rebels). The resulting spot combines love for work itself, the work team and the product itself. The reality of the Želetava cheese factories is probably a little different, but why spoil the impression unnecessarily? Specifically, the ad is aimed at promoting the cheese delicacy Apetito and conveys the intended message perfectly. It's a beautiful example of how an older song that is inherently linked to a completely different audiovisual work can find a new identity in advertising.
Video: Želetava - Miluju a maluju / Loving and painting (2010)
Aquila - AquaBabes (2014 - 2019)
Even advertising can be a promising platform for emerging musical talent. This idea is the cornerstone of the AquaBabes project, which is backed by music publisher Universal Music and spring water producer Aquila. It is a significant continuation of the extreme popularity of talent competitions with the Czech audience. The results of this campaign then dominated TV screens in the Czech Republic between 2014 and 2019 - the concept has always been the same. The expert jury put together a musical group full of talented young singers who then performed under the joint brand AquaBabes until the following year. The authors of the project wished to launch the artistic careers of aspiring female artists and at the same time support the sales of the traditional Czech brand. The individual promotional songs had viral potential and many of them became popular in their time - whether it was the first one called Neříkej mi baby or Nejsem další from 2016. The whole advertising campaign was further helped by the fact that the individual spots were essentially professional music videos. The key theme in all of them is crystal clear water and, of course, a different central girl lineup each time. The premiere of the new AquaBabes video has thus reliably become an expected event in the world of domestic advertising for a few years.
Video: AquaBabes - Neříkej mi baby / Don’t call be baby (2014)
Video: AquaBabes - Nejsem další / I’m just another one (2016)
Kaufland - Z lásky k Česku / For the Love of the Czech Republic (2014)
In 2014, the German wholesale chain Kaufland launched an advertising campaign that clearly targeted the Czech audience. The presentation was subtitled "For the love of the Czech Republic" and this identity fully dominated all aspects of the campaign, not only the one for television. The heart-shaped logo in the colours of the Czech tricolour, breathtaking drone shots of panoramas of the Czech countryside - and the indispensable music of the folk-pop band Čechomor. Kaufland's marketers were well aware that it doesn't always pay off to localise a presentation for other markets. So they created something that oozes Czech nature. The spot itself puts great emphasis on Czech traditions, not coincidentally often associated with feasting and drinking, which is exactly the domain of Kaufland's business. For the purposes of the campaign, Čechomor composed the song Tady jsem doma (Here I’m at home), the instrumental parts of which then underscored all the sub-advertisements throughout the campaign. The leitmotif is the chain's presence on a regional level and the effort to cooperate as intensively as possible with smaller local producers - which further reinforces the message that despite the fact that Kaufland came from Germany, it has managed to build up enough Czech genius loci to make even Czechs feel at home.
Video: Kaufland - Z lásky k Česku / For Love of the Czech Republic (2014)
ŠKODA AUTO - Teď na to máte / Now you've got it! (2018)
In its presentation, ŠKODA AUTO, the largest Czech car company, relies on the idea that its cars should be the obvious choice for all Czechs. The company often presents bargain discount promotions, offering popular models at unbeatable prices that almost everyone can afford to pay. In 2003 it was the original Fabia, in 2018 its technological successor named Trumf. The look of the advertising campaign, however, is the same even fifteen years apart. The iconic song Já na to mám (I got it), probably the biggest hit song of the Czech alternative band Natural, popular mainly in the 1980s and 1990s, was used again. Lyrically, it would be hard to find a more appropriate song. In the commercial, the protagonists bounce merrily right into the seats of their new Fabias, and the energetic pop song will make even many a TV viewer jump. It is both proof that ŠKODA AUTO is intrinsically linked to Czech culture despite its current ownership, and a guarantee that the iconic 1984 song will remain relevant in many playlists for many years to come.
Video: ŠKODA AUTO - Teď na to máte: Nabídka, které propadne každý! / Now you've got it: An offer everyone will fall for!
And one extra bonus...
Penny Market - Žijeme s vámi 25 let hezky česky / We have been with you for 25 years in a nice Czech way (2022)
This year, the Penny Market department store chain sought out one of Michal David's megahits from the family comedy Diskopříběh (Disco story). Opinions regarding the quality of the idea and the execution may way - but the ad cannot be denied its viral potential, despite the fact that it's a bit bizarre. Penny Market presents itself on the Czech market as a reliable domestic brand that always delivers exactly what the customer needs. In doing so, it puts an increased emphasis on that Czech heritage. That is why the chain celebrated its campaign for a quarter of a century on the market with one of the most popular hits not only for the master Michal David, but also for Czech popular music in general. It is the disco classic Nonstop, whose name rhymes rather aptly and quite coincidentally with the word "compote". Every customer who realizes at the checkout that he forgot his compote can be glad for his personal Michal Davids, who will deliver it to him at the till. Going shopping and meeting Michal David in every aisle is probably to some extent a matter of personal preference, but the artist himself has thus breathed new life into his hit and ensured that his brand will be talked about again for some time. Even such advertising can be highly effective.
Video: Penny Market - Žijeme s vámi 25 let hezky česky / We have been with you for 25 years in a nice Czech way (2022)
As has already been presented, Czech advertising is very rich in terms of the appropriate choice of music. The examples given above should certainly not be taken as a list carved in stone, nor necessarily as a selection of the ten very best. A lot depends on the personal taste of each viewer. However, we have no doubt that everyone carries some such music-based advertising in their memory wherever they go.
