Advertising Music
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The full spectrum of music used in advertising — bespoke jingles, commissioned scores, sound-alikes and, increasingly, licensed songs placed in commercials — chosen or written to define a spot's tone and forge an emotional bond with a brand. The sonic range is total, from a whistled hook to a sweeping orchestral cue to a cool indie-electronica track, but the craft is unifying: music that instantly sets mood, matches the visuals' rhythm and leaves room for a product message. Landmark ads have relaunched old songs and broken new artists overnight. The mood is whatever the brand needs, and the impact can be enormous.
History
Advertising music evolved from the jingle age into a sophisticated licensing culture as agencies discovered that the right song could transform a campaign, a shift epitomised by Levi's iconic commercials, which broke acts and revived classics with tracks like Stiltskin's "Inside," Babylon Zoo's "Spaceman" and Mr. Oizo's "Flat Beat." British and global campaigns turned ads into hit-making machines — Cadbury's gorilla drumming to Phil Collins, Sony Bravia set to José González, Apple's iPod dancing to Feist — while the emotional-soundtrack approach spread across every category. Music supervision became central to advertising, making a high-profile sync one of the most powerful launchpads in modern music.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Bernice Kanner, The 100 Best TV Commercials (1999)
- Billboard and Music Week reporting on ad-launched hits
- music-supervision industry accounts