One measure of an effective commercial slogan is its ability to crowd out all others of its kind. I haven't lived near a Ruma's Deli location since the '90s, but I can rarely walk past any sandwich shop without hearing the Ruma's radio jingle from the '80s in my mind. Despite not having had a Ruma's sandwich in over two decades, the slogan, "We cater to you. Made fresh, too. There's a lot to love at Ruma's Deli," starts playing involuntarily in my mind.
Obviously, the attributes in the jingle aren't unique to any one deli, but that hook, "There's a lot to love...," had to have boosted sales when it aired. The deli's touting of "old family recipes" and "the biggest sandwiches you've ever seen" in song must have been good for business, as well.
Without the jingle, the sandwich ingredients and deli service would still be the same. Yet, if you're a St. Louisan of a certain age and remember that hook, it's probably making you crave a Ruma's sandwich. Such is the power of a well-crafted jingle.
