The auction list warned that royalties could drop if Folgers uses the jingle less or abandons it altogether, but that would be quite surprising considering that it has become synonymous with the brand. The Folgers auction ends Thursday, September 30 at 5 p.m. EST, so tomorrow at this time, someone could own the rights to the iconic jingle, The Best Part of Wakin' Up is that Folgers in your mug. Originally created in 1984 by Bill Vernick, Susan Spiegel Solovay and Leslie Pearl, a singer-songwriter who has written songs for Kenny Rogers and Karen Carpenter, this jingle is indisputably the best thing Folgers has ever published.
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Folgers adapted the song for a series of commercials that skew work from home. That would be a shock, however, since the song has been inextricably linked to the Folgers brand since it debuted in a television spot in 1984. He also wrote songs for Karen Carpenter, Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers before composing that absolute classic for Folgers. And if a buyer knew if Folgers is planning a big rebrand or, on the contrary, plans to restart the classic jingle, such information would be extremely useful. Like millions of people across the country, I started thinking about that memorable Folgers jingle sung over and over again in various ways, but always with the same tune.
According to Folgers, the original jingle has been adapted to country, gospel, jazz, R&B, folk, celtic and a cappella versions. A commercial for Folgers called Peter Comes Home For Christmas ran every year for more than a decade. It is a jingle that all Americans, whether they drink coffee or not, can sing by heart; Folgers has used the iconic melody in television and radio commercials for more than 30 years. It has become so ingrained in the cultural spirit that it has been covered and reorganized by Randy Travis, Paul Stanley of Kiss and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin herself; Folgers even has an annual competition to find the best new interpretation. Whether it's Folgers or some other brand of coffee, having that energy boost in the morning is and will always be one of my motivators to get out of bed in the morning and it's really the best part of waking up.
