Jingles are jaunty little hymns to hum while strolling down the aisles of the local temple of frozen pizzas, jarred cheeses, and fresh produce. These clarion calls of consumerism are designed to be simple, snappy, and infectious like swine flu. Beamed directly from the television to the frontal lobe, they are often more memorable than the products about which they're composed.

And that's what makes them so effective; you might not want that box of salty, over-priced flavored rice, but it's been scanned and bagged already. Why? Because you didn't even realize that your eyes had rolled into the back of your skull while you were whistling that product's happy little mind-controlling melody.

So we're celebrating some of the most important music our culture has ever produced -- tunes engineered to tickle the intersection of neural ganglia where pleasure and credit card impulses meet. We dare you to listen, remember and totally not catch yourself blurting them out later today, probably at an inappropriate time. Each of these jingles is cheesy, manipulative and one of them will probably be our dying words.

"Is there anything you'd like to say with your last breath?"

"I... I....I feel...like chicken tonight...like chicken... tonight."

10. Chili's


Chorus: "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs."
Why it's so catchy: It might just be the greatest tune that well-coiffed troupe of teen troubadours from yesteryear, 'N Sync, ever sang. This finger-snapping jingle stirs up excitement for what's essentially a plate of mealy pork bones slathered in sweet ketchup. It's funky, soulful and has the most addicting bass line in all of audio advertising. Imagine it being sung by a cross between Gregorian monks and a gospel choir.

Do you feel like chicken tonight? Betcha will, after the jump.

I'm a sucker for TV commercials. I even think they should be put on TV DVDs, though I bet some people would hate that idea.

But it got me thinking about all of the great TV commercials we've had for food over the years. After the jump, eight classics. I'm not saying that these eight are the "best" (though some could be), but they're eight that I really enjoy.

After a study, British researchers have concluded that food-related TV commercials make kids fat.

60 kids, aged 9 to 11, were studied, and researchers discovered several things. A child's weight influenced what they ate (wow, really?), obese kids consistently chose chocolate over healthier foods when given the choice (you don't say!), and all kids wanted to eat more after they saw TV commercials featuring sweets and other food.

Whenever I see a commercial for Viagra, I want to have sex.

On a related note, it's TV Turnoff Week!