The theme song for Merit’s commercials. A popular jingle.
Since its release in 1970, Merit shampoo has been beloved as Kao’s flagship product.
Over the years, many commercials have been produced, featuring a wide variety of songs as CM tracks.
Some were original songs created specifically for the commercials, others used popular hits, and more recently, cover versions of iconic Japanese rock songs have also drawn attention.
In this article, we’ll introduce all the songs that have been featured in Merit commercials to date!
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Merit’s commercial songs. Popular commercial songs (1–10)
Go, go, me!Honma Kinu
This is the song used in the Merit commercial featuring Satoshi Tsumabuki.
It’s a perfect match for the ad’s understated, unspoken atmosphere.
Kinuko Honma, who sings “Ike Ike Watashi,” the track used in the commercial, has worked on many CM songs.
“Ike Ike Watashi” is marked by its lively, rhythmic singing and fun vibe.
Its simple, straightforward lyrics and melody are easy on the ears—you could listen to it forever.
It’s an approachable CM song that makes you want to hum along.
It’s likely to put you in a positive mood.
O mio babbino caro from the opera Gianni SchicchiGiacomo Puccini
Here is the song from the Kao Merit Shampoo commercial featuring the couple Toru Nakamura and Isako Washio.
The piece is “O mio babbino caro” from a Puccini opera, and it’s very popular even among classical works.
Since the theme is a scene of coming home after playing with Dad, the title of the song fits perfectly.
Original songmiyazon
It addresses the fact that even with adorable children, there are times when odor becomes a concern and parents worry about whether they’re washing properly.
With Merit, it’s gentle on the scalp and can clean thoroughly even with a light touch—something that’s also conveyed through the expressions of Shunsuke Kazama and Kumiko Aso.
The parents’ concerns are further expressed through Miyazon’s original song performed as a piano-and-vocal piece.
His bright singing voice, which matches the light, airy piano tones, is striking and conveys a positive feeling, as if those worries are being resolved.
Merit commercial songs: Popular TV commercial tunes (11–20)
Bud of excitementYaita Hitomi
This is a commercial depicting Takashi Fujii and Otoha watching over their child, while also conveying that Merit is perfect for sweaty summer days.
A child enjoying summer to the fullest and working up a sweat, and the parents washing that sweat away with Merit to keep them comfortable—together, these scenes convey a gentle sense of happiness.
Further highlighting the tender atmosphere of the visuals is Hitomi Yaida’s “Dokidoki no Tsubomi.” The calm, piano-forward sound combined with her smile-evoking vocals really makes the happiness come through.
CanonJohann Pachelbel
In a 2001 commercial, Naoki Hosaka and Saki Takaoka—who were actually married at the time and later divorced—appear as a married couple.
Pachelbel’s Canon is used as the background music.
In Japan, this piece became widely known partly because Tatsuro Yamashita’s “Christmas Eve” is considered an homage to it.
Original songTakagi Masakatsu
This commercial conveys, through Ayami Nakajo’s movements and narration, that using Merit Pyuan keeps your hair beautiful for a long time.
She cheerfully shares an experience of feeling at ease when someone touched her hair because it had stayed well-maintained.
The music by Masakatsu Takagi further highlights these fond memories depicted on screen.
With a bright, march-like feel, the track exudes a sense of confidence, as if moving forward with strong, determined steps.
dazzling tomorrowYasuda Rei
A Kao Pyuan commercial that highlights its gentle lather—while thoroughly cleansing, it softly envelops your hair.
The ad simply shows Ayami Nakajo using Pyuan, but the bright world-building paired with her smile clearly conveys a sense of joy.
Further emphasizing the commercial’s cheerful atmosphere is Rei Yasuda’s song “dazzling tomorrow.” Its calm sound—featuring piano, strings, and acoustic guitar—combined with her powerful vocals evokes a positive image of slowly but steadily moving forward.