Chi Mai was composed by Ennio Morricone and first appeared in the 1971 film Maddalena, before reaching a wider audience in the early 1980s. In France, its use in Royal Canin television commercials for puppy food linked the melody permanently to images of young dogs in the minds of many viewers. Generations who grew up with those adverts now share short excerpts online whenever a pet moment needs instant nostalgia, which is why the tune still circulates far beyond its original film context.