Did Barry Manilow Really Write All of These Iconic Commercial Jingles?

Catchy advertising jingles have a way of sneaking into our heads and staying there. Long after the commercials end, we still find ourselves humming or singing along to those familiar tunes without even realizing it.

What many people don’t know is that behind several of the most unforgettable commercial jingles of all time is singer-songwriter Barry Manilow—long before he became a household name for his chart-topping hits.

Manilow has often credited his time in the advertising world as a major influence on his musical success. While accepting a CLIO Award in 2009, he reflected on that period of his career, saying, “I learned the most about music working in the jingle industry. It was the best music college I could ever imagine. Most of all, I learned how to write a melody that sticks.”

Interestingly, Manilow didn’t set out to become a jingle writer. Life circumstances led him there. After moving to Manhattan during a transitional period in his personal life, he began accompanying other singers and writing his own music. Since he couldn’t afford professional vocalists, he recorded his own demo tracks and sent them out himself.

That decision changed everything.

In an interview with the Television Academy, Manilow recalled receiving a call from a commercial agency looking for a melody for a Dodge ad. He was given the lyrics, wrote the tune, and it was immediately selected. From that moment on, requests for jingles started pouring in.

As his reputation grew, so did his opportunities. He began landing jobs as a background singer on commercials, which he later said was the first time he truly started earning serious money in music. At the time, he didn’t see himself as a frontman or solo performer—he viewed himself as a pianist, arranger, conductor, and songwriter working behind the scenes.

That behind-the-scenes work, however, helped shape his future success.

Here are five famous jingles associated with Barry Manilow—some of which you may still find yourself singing decades later:

Band-Aid – “Stuck on Band-Aid”
Written in 1971, Manilow created the instantly recognizable line: “I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, ’cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me.” The jingle became one of the most memorable advertising slogans ever recorded.

State Farm – “Like a Good Neighbor…”
Manilow also wrote this enduring jingle in 1971. Decades later, it remains one of the most recognizable insurance slogans in the world.

KFC – “Grab a Bucket of Chicken”
For Kentucky Fried Chicken, Manilow wrote a lively tune he later described as being “all over the place,” perfectly matching the brand’s energetic appeal at the time.

Pepsi – “Feelin’ Free”
In the early 1970s, Pepsi hired Manilow as part of its “Pepsi Generation” campaign, tapping his talent to help shape the brand’s youthful, optimistic sound.

McDonald’s – “You Deserve a Break Today”
This one often surprises people. While Manilow didn’t write the song, he did lend his voice to it. In a 1975 interview, he explained that the opportunity came after the success of his State Farm jingle.

Together, these jingles helped define an era of advertising—and quietly laid the foundation for Barry Manilow’s later success as one of pop music’s most celebrated hitmakers.