Tag Archives: election

Rainmakers: The men behind the jingles

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I had a little chat with the members of the Rainmakers sometime in March 2001 for an election-related assignment. The group, who popularized the ballad “Binibini” in the 70’s, was active in doing (writing and performing) political campaign jingles then.

“While the time is not right for making a comeback, there should be something to keep busy at,” Luke said in an interview.

“Were more open to jingle making because there are more demand to this, mas madalas kasi ang kinukuha ngayon to do shows are the new ones.”

The Rainmakers. From left, Joel Macanaya, Luke Gaston, *Courier reporter, Joseph Lansang. Mon Villanueva was not present during the interview. Picture taken at their studio.

The Rainmakers is the voice and brains behind the campaign jingles of several known politicians including that of showbiz couple (former Senator) Bong Revilla and (Mayor) Lani Mercado.

Here’s the excerpts of our chat:

Courier: Does it always follow that jingles should suit the personality of candidate?

Luke Gaston: Sa lyrics, andoon na dapat ang power points.

For example, iniisip ko gawan ng jingle si Senator Juan Flavier (former DOH Secretary). It would a comedy approach, the tune would be something funny and witty, like the ditty “Pop Goes the Weasel.” It’s funny but it does not necessarily mean that there is no power point. Ang maganda ay ‘yung dumidikit sa mind ng masa.

One example is Loren’s (Senator Legarda) campaign jingle, which goes “Loren, Loren, sinta, instead of “leron, leron, sinta.” Very simple, very elementary.

If if would be for (Senator) Enrile, dapat medyo dignified.

Courier: How important are jingles to candidates?

Joel Macanaya: You have to capture everything in 30 seconds, you have to convey a message in 30 seconds.

In political jingle, we do one adaptation and one original song for the client. The original song or jingle should stick and identify with the candidate.

You have the power point, you have the good lyrics, you have the good things to say, but would it stick to the mind of the listener.

I think we are successful in terms of conveying what our clients want to express through our songs.

Many of our clients have won the election. The secret, maybe, is effectiveness.

The jingles, we suggest should be fast or with a little marching tune. People should be able to know the lyrics of the song and easy to memorize.

A simple campaign jingle in the early 2000 costs P75,000 for 30 seconds. If it is adaptation P45,000. For a full-length song, P100,000 to P150,000.

*I have worked with Courier, the Philippine Journalists Incorporated flagship newspaper in 2000. This article was published in March 3, 2001.

How to make winnable political campaign songs

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Political jingles are an effective tool to propel a candidate into public office.

Rainmakers
Members of the Rainmakers with former Courier and People’s Tonight reporter Miriam Torrecampo

According to Joel Macanaya of Rainmakers, jingles should be fast or with a marching tune. The lyrics of the song should be easy to memorize.

“You have to capture everything in 30 seconds, you have to convey a message in 30 seconds,” he said in an interview.

“In political jingle, we do one adaptation and one original song for the client. The original song or jingle should stick and identify with the candidate. You have the power point, you have the good lyrics, you have the good things to say, but would it stick to the mind of the listener. I think we are successful in terms of conveying what our clients want to express through our songs,” Macanaya further said.

Many of their clients have won the election. The secret, according to him, is effectiveness.

Let’s see who among the present crop of candidates has the most convincing political jingle.

Choosing the Right Candidate

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editorial cartoon july 23 2015

Image credit: N for People’s Tonight (July 23, 2015 issue)

Having trouble choosing the right political candidate? Maybe there are a few you are leaning towards, but something about them just does not sit well with you. For example, maybe one of the candidates you like advocates a push to solve global warming, but drives a gas-guzzling Hummer. So what exactly should you do?

Break it down

If you’re looking to choose the “right” candidate you should decide what exactly you are looking for in a candidate. This could depend on the leadership qualities of that candidate and the amount of experience they would bring into office. This could also depend on their position on specific issues that you care about and whether or not you see eye to eye with them on said issue. Both of those factors are very important, and you should consider the characteristics and leadership qualities that you want to see in a good candidate. Research the candidate and find out more about their background and experience. Are they honest, smart, and a good communicator? Those looking for voting records and political positions on specific candidates can check out www.votesmart.org to help make this decision process that much easier.

Leadership and ethics

Find out more about the candidate’s leadership abilities. How will you know if they work well under pressure and will be able to carry out their duties? Outside of researching their backgrounds and experience to find out how prepared they are for the job, also consider observing their campaigns. Does the candidate accept invitations to debate or to speaking engagements? Review the findings and watch the campaign develop. Your research should match what you see in the campaigns, and the campaigns should emphasize real issues that need to be solved.

Many candidates use radio, television, direct mail, pamphlets, flyers, and emails in their campaigns. Does the pamphlet that was put in your mailbox contain valid information? Read it closely and see if it mentions the candidate’s devotion to helping better the country. If their stance on family is also important to you— does their pamphlet or flyer tell you about their dedication to family values? Watch out for accusations about other candidates or false statements made that cannot be confirmed or denied close to Election Day. Television and radio advertisements are also highly popular, and a lot of candidates try to use them to their advantage. When watching ads on television or listening to them on the radio, ask yourself what you learned about the candidate.

Discerning ads

Was the ad purely designed to change your emotional feelings towards that person? Or did the ad appeal to a certain group of people such as women or senior citizens? You can learn a lot about issues that candidates deem important just from a short ad on the radio or TV. Just make sure that you are aware of how the media may be trying to influence your decision or reaction towards candidates during a campaign. Direct mail and emails are generally used to send more personalized messages to groups of voters. Candidates may break their direct mail campaign down in such a way that women rights advocates receive a different message than other organizations or groups. This, of course, is hardly ever an accident.

Campaigns

You should also rate the candidate based on their ability to run a good campaign. Campaign performance can provide clues on how that candidate will perform once they are elected into office. Is the candidate accessible and regularly meet with the press to discuss issues and give their views and thoughts on problems? Does the candidate debate with opponents and put up good arguments? Good candidates also often give clear solutions to the problems they want to solve. Are these solutions apparent in their campaign? These are all important factors that can make a big difference on which political candidate is the right one to choose. However, you should always keep in mind that you want to keep an eye out for the candidate that you feel will change your community for the better, as well as states and the country as a whole.

Always weigh both sides of the argument, and view the alternatives. Listen and view issues from all angles and think about how the pros may outweigh the cons. In this way, you can be better prepared before an election season, making things a bit easier if you truly want to vote for the best candidate on the ticket.