Why Advertising Should Be Teaching the World To Sing

With the shift in production and agency models ever-evolving and with brands working in increasingly innovative ways, craft and its value is often being scrutinised. 

There are certain crafts within advertising production that are more understood than others, due to the way they lend themselves to the limelight (like the role of director or creative) but those involved in post and music have often had to battle to be valued in the same way (especially in the fast paced technological world that we inhabit).

The best of advertising makes us laugh, cry and feel the brand’s messaging.  Music is used as a vehicle to engage and transport their audience on an emotional journey through the visual narrative.  So, what would happen if clients only opted to use library music or re-records of big chart-topping songs?  Whilst off-the-shelf tracks can be effective, and a well known song can seem an easy shortcut to recognition, the uniqueness of the journey is somewhat diminished and the brand’s impact can become watered down.

In an era where more and more production suppliers are trying to remind brands why craft is worth investing in, it’s worth also remembering the important role that music can play.  There is definitely an attitude specific to UK advertising, where we have grown used to expecting high quality, bespoke results for low fees and tight turnaround times.  Yes, this is evident across a numbers of roles in the content creation work-flow but we are in very real danger of losing music talent if the trend continues. Some composers, both veteran and fresh out of college, now feel so undervalued in the process, that they’d simply apply their talents elsewhere, which would be a real loss for the industry. 

There’s something special about a brand creating and owning a piece of music unique to that campaign. It becomes part of its identity.  The most obvious comparisons are feature film scores.  Would Ridley Scott’s original Blade Runner have been half as memorable without Vangelis’s score [below]? Personally I don’t think so. That’s not to say what we’re creating in advertising is of that scale but music definitely impacts the audience’s engagement and helps connect them in a meaningful way. 

Perhaps part of the issue is the lack of interaction between the client/production company/agency with the composer and/or the actual process of creating a bespoke track.  The most positive experiences I’ve had have been when clients have attended sessions and seen first hand the craft at work. When you’re in the room, the impact is obvious.  Ever shrinking budgets of course play their part but like many in advertising, music companies will always try their best to work with what’s available.  If we lose the influx of music talent, however, that will really become an issue across the board, as library music and popular tracks have their limitations. 

Composers can add so much more that just a soundtrack to a creative idea. They can really bring ideas to life. I think we will continue to attract the best talent to the business only by composers finding the experience rewarding, not only financially but creatively too.  The most important question is how to do this across the board?

Music is often commissioned at arm's length where agencies and clients don’t get to meet composers and music company producers on every job. 

I find the best and most work comes out of a face-to-face conversation where the whole team is working together. A simple personal meeting with the music company and composer helps to create the best brief – even if the agency are clear on what they want. 

We can help develop things to the next level.  Busy agency schedules or tight turnaround times often mean that these meetings don’t happen.  But even a 15 minute meeting, in my opinion, can create great results.

As music makers we’re sensitive not only to the music but also the other elements of the film such as the visuals, SFX and VO and also experienced in what makes a music track credible whilst working with the picture. 

Recently, I spent some time working with a talented young creative team and the words they had written for a pastiche soundtrack  It only took half an hour to craft some great lyrics out of words that were 90% there but just needed tweaking to fit more musically.  The pair knew exactly what they wanted but needed some guidance in to making the flow of the words fit the music. For a composer or songwriter – it’s second nature. 

As composers and music production companies, we spend out lives crafting music to picture so why not tap into that talent? Music can be such a great process when working together so I would say to anyone commissioning music – get involved in it and be open to suggestions, however small – it will make your work and you look good and it will keep composers engaged, which will keep the talent pool buoyant.  Win/win all round.