Music in Advertising
Music in Advertising
“On the other side of fear, we fly.”
One of the first memorable uses of “commercial music” was the radio jingle, “Pepsi-Cola hits the spot/Twelve full ounces/That’s a lot.” The early jingles jangled, and the “jingle” label stayed on long after the maturation of first-generation advertisers who created the monotonous promotions in the early days of broadcasting.
Advertising agencies and broadcasters call them spots, the public calls them, commercials.
As the media world expanded, campaigns also spread across TV, the Internet, cellphones and even into video games. The unique vocals and orchestration of the music in a given advertising campaign remains constant across media types, keeping ads on message and reinforcing a brand in the consumer’s mind.
Ad agencies and their clients expect musicians they hire to be able to perform the current styles.
Most effective spots often copy the highly selling music trend at the present time (however, it’s really all about how the music relates to the product & target audience).
Agencies often seek unusual sounds to put in their spots, those that will catch one’s attention (often merges organic and synthetic elements).
This field is a very lucrative form of music employment…thus, great deal of competition.
Great way for unknown writers to break into the business.
Composer’s Goal: form a memorable association of the music with the product (an immediate identity of music with product) (soda brand vs. funeral home services).
Music, as well as lyrics (the association is inseparable if the product name is written into the music).
Chris Brown (Double mint Gum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJbXlb4zqo
Fit the mood of the moment (ie how films are scored).
Sometimes, a melody is used from a known song and new lyrics are written (permission to alter/use the material must be obtained from copyright owner).
Sometimes, “star based” commercials are made-big star, by singing/dancing/appearing, offers a “testimonial” for the advertiser (persuades audience to buy the same product the star “uses”).
- Michael Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0jY4WvCIc (Alfonso Ribeiro)
- Britney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fugLhNbwoY
- Beyonce: –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY0tRELIdJU
–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztpgEy3bCZA
Budgets: range from several thousand dollars for a local spot to high six figures (even seven) for an elaborate national campaign.
- The most expensive TV commercials reach $2 million for 30 seconds.
- Spot business: good for musicians b/c even hometown, local advertisers need good music.
–Station Branding Logos (or IDs): one of the most widely used types of musical commercial (ie radio jingles: the z100 jingle): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83GA7JvdvmM
- Gives an outlet a “brand” image or identity.
- Many feature a small vocal ensemble & electronically synthesized sounds, as well as “real”/acoustic instruments.
- Vary in length (a few sec. vs. extended durations) – extended ones are called “image-type” logos (function more as theme songs…can be broadcast on their own or as background for announcements).
–The Role of Agencies: most advertising is handled through agencies.
- Advertisers determine exactly what can be spent in a year for advertising, then retain ad agencies to offer advice on where to place adds & the $ to spend on each (print, TV, search marketing, etc.).
- Advertisers prefer to place radio/TV spots through ad agencies b/c the agencies negotiate low ad rates.
Spot Production: all advertising is concerned w/ persuasion.
- In a 30 sec. spot, need to do this FAST (just like a good song hits you right away).
Writing Copy (written material used in advertising):
Top Writers’ Suggestions:
- Mention the advertiser’s name as much as possible.
- In radio, let the music say it…in TV, let the pictures “talk.”
- Use simple language (universality).
- Express 1 or 2 ideas over and over.
-Another school of thought in contrast to #1: capture viewer and hold them by only mentioning advertiser’s name at end.
Alfa Romeo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd0S-P4z8sw
When preparing ad copy for singers: come up w/ language that permits a natural rhythm.
Scoring Music: synthesized music is always more economical.
- Unlike popular music-making, music for commercials almost always written out.
- Improvisation is limited.
- Cardinal rule for arrangers scoring backgrounds: “stay out of the way of the words!” (Advertisers want to hear text!)
- To do this: score backgrounds in different range than the lead vocal line (also drop volume of instruments in mixing phase).
–Production Companies: these days, TV & radio are grouped together w/in a single company.
-Staff consists of: producer, director, office personnel, and sales staff.
-Production company will sometimes use outside hires: Both audio & video technicians, art director, graphic artists, and musicians.
-TV Production companies lease or own their own studios.
-Besides creating commercials, they write original music tracks for their TV/radio/ad clients.
-They also offer library services, including “commercial beds.”
-30 or 60 second music tracks (in all styles) arranged for use w/ whatever ad copy the station or advertiser wants.
-ie dignified-sounding music for bank/insurance companies, and
CHR (contemporary hit radio) -type beds for teen clothing stores.
-Also “neutral” tracks for advertisers not seeking a particular musical trademark or association.
–Artists & Fees: both advertisers and agencies pay creative fees for music & texts.
-Composers generally work for ad agencies on a buyout basis (they engage in what’s called “work for hire” & give up all copyrights in their work).
-Composers w/ CLOUT should never give up the copyright.
-Then they can use the song to pitch for artists or other opportunities.
-Sometimes major composers can collect “writer’s share of performance income.”
-For large national campaigns, ad agencies often engage a music production house for a flat fee.
-In small markets, advertisers often seek a package deal.
-A composer/arranger discovers a small client who has say, $7,500 for a musical spot.
-The musician agrees to take on the complete package for that fee and composes the music and perhaps also the text, scores, rents studio, and delivers master to client.
-In national campaigns, package deals are less common. Instead of an individual taking on the whole project; an ad agency will engage a music production house for a flat fee.
-These companies determine their budgets on two levels:
- Above-the-line costs (creative fees, the “talent”).
- Below-the-line costs (studio rentals, music copying, recording etc.).
–Artists’ Contracts:
-Singers, instrumentalists, arrangers, and copyists employed on national spots are members of their respective unions.
-The total dollars earned by The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) members working in the spot field rivals the amount earned by union musicians scoring TV movies and theatrical motion pictures.
-The national contract covering AFM members in this field covers employment in radio and TV commercials, as well as their use on commercials for in store videos, movie theatres and online.
-The contract also governs the employment of AFM instrumentalists, leaders, contractors, orchestrators, music librarians, and copyists, but not composers.
-A leader may be a conductor or an instrumentalist who has some extra responsibility during a recording session.
-Instrument doublers make extra wages of varying percentages for the first double, then in many cases extra fees for additional doubles.
-If orchestra contractor is an individual other than the leader, the contractor earns double scale.
-For national campaigns: Often extended use & new use payments – for use of music past the initial 13-week pd./cycle, and for all new uses, respectively (page 381 on bottom).
–Local & regional campaigns often get around use/reuse payments (simply engage in straight buyouts).
-Historically, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) claimed jurisdiction over professional singers on radio and most of television and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) claimed jurisdiction for some television.
-SAG-AFTRA-for the spot business, this union has set special scales for solo, duo, and group (3 or more) singers.
-One of SAG-AFTRA’s important tasks is obtaining payments for each use of its members’ recorded work.
–Production Sequence (TV): Advertiser instructs advertising agency to come up w/ TV campaign for new product. (page 382)
- Agency’s creative director decides on concept and calls a production meeting.
- Creative department creates a storyboard (visual rep. of the sequence of events scheduled to occur on screen).
- Agency develops a detailed budget.
- Agency’s creative director or house producer contacts music houses (production comps), or freelance composers to submit appropriate music.
- Agency contacts casting agent/casting director to seek out actors.
- House producer selects best composition – then, a negotiation regarding publishing ensues.
- Recording date is set for the selected composition – studio is booked – engineer is chosen.
- Orchestra records said composition.
- Singers record their parts.
- Final mix is created.
- Actors lip-synch their parts to the musical recording.
- Agency files work reports and pays those involved.
-What happens simultaneously to 8 & 9? Film producer begins filming all parts, EXCEPT the actors’ lip-synching clips.
