Why Today's Ads Need Amazing Soundtracks
The way musicians and advertisers work together has undergone a revolution in the last decade. For starters, brands no longer get by with a friendly jingle—instead, they search for songs that tell stories, conjure memories and forge genuine connections with people.
"Music is the feeling. It's the emotion in the spot," Joshua Rabinowitz, evp, director of music at Grey Group, recently told Adweek.
And only a few years ago, pop and independent artists—as well as many of their fans—considered it "selling out" to align with brands or sponsors. It wasn't until the early 2000s that this thinking began to change. After the electronic musician Moby released his fifth studio album, Play, to faint fanfare, he had little to lose by licensing every track on the album to movies and commercial spots. Eventually, Play sold 10 million copies.
Today, artists are looking for ways to monetize their work. And they've warmed up to the idea of brand collaborations, which can propel marketers and musicians to new levels when done right. This new wave of advertising has essentially led to branded music videos.
In this video, Rabinowitz and Jingle Punks CEO Jared Gutstadt explain the importance of music in advertising—and how it benefits brands, artists and consumers.