This week Brighton music and sound composer Michael Bishop guest blogs on the role of music in adverts.
Lets face it, no-one turns on the TV to watch adverts or listen to advert music….
That’s why the ‘madmen’ (and women) who create these 30 second wonders have to work so hard to keep us from sneaking out for a cuppa, going to the loo or just plain falling asleep on the sofa during the break… and in times of economic hardship they have to work even harder.
Music plays a big part in their master plan.
The best ads should ‘add’ (geddit) something to our viewing experience. They’re funny like the Compare the Meercat ones or they introduce us to some great new music.
My wife just ‘ituned” (new verb), after loving the music for the Nescafe gold blend ad by Rebecca Ferguson. (you have excellent taste darling)
Some lucky bands can fast track the gig slog by getting a hit ad slot.
Recently many new licencing companies, like Musicdealers, have sprung up, hawking the work of new bands, artists and composers directly to ad agencies and film/tv producers.
Babylon Zoo's Spaceman - Music for Levi's Ad
An early example of ‘bi pass success’ was Babylon Zoo’s ‘Spaceman’ which No1 bulleted after featuring in a Levi’s ad. More recently the Dandy Warhols’ career was resurrected by an ad for Vodaphone featuring ‘Bohemian like you’.
Some music is still commissioned though. One useful tip I was given: when answering a musical brief, do a couple of cues which fit the bill absolutely and then throw in a curve ball which you personally like. Quite often they go for your favourite.
Worst ad music…Isa Isa Baby, Nationwide….Take a half decent song and destroy it with annoying neck movements….But wait, annoying sells, people remember the irritating over the bland, admen know this, hence the prevalence of the ‘Go Compare’ and ‘We Buy Any Car dot com’ type ads…the annoying music brands the brand name irrevocably into our brains.
Nationwise Isa Isa Baby Advert
In the creation of a commercial advert, music is usually the last part of the puzzle. The film is shot and then different sounds are tried. Beware the director who is also a closet Ryan Adams. He has his own ideas. Allegedly one art director dismissed all prospective cues and used a bit of his own simple (crap) guitar strumming for a MacDonalds ad..and pocketed a few grand…Burger him…
Sometimes our favourite tunes can loose all credibility when used in ads, their magical, highly personal associations thrown wide open to the masses e.g Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Axis bold as love’ heroin inspired guitar solo for PC world and James Brown’s ‘I feel good ‘ for a recent Ecover cleaning products. Puleeeeeeeeeese.
Advertising is a science, cause and effect rules, albeit a little hazily. That’s why admen split us into handy Orwellian social groups: a, b, c etc. This makes it easier to tap into our tired brains, target our needs and exploit our desires with music that suits our demographic. It’s no use selling Saga holidays with gangsta rap…(unless you’re being painfully ‘Ironic’..(viz the hells angel granny cliché ) just as its no use flogging trainers with a Cliff Richard cue (unless our hero is running off a cliff).
A broad appeal is usually the musical criteria…the kind of brief every composer dreads goes something like……. ‘can you do some thing like Coldplay…but not Coldplay…a bit more, you know, um Lady Gaga meets Coldplay ..with a bit of Michel Buble (with a cute accent) but instrumental…unless it’s opera…but not too high brow…but hey…in your own style of course.’ ….
at ease,
Michael.
Michael Bishop composes high quality music and sound for Film, TV, Radio, Advertising, Games, Websites and Events. His clients include Dulux and the BBC. Contact him at http://www.michaelbishopmusic.com/
