The Marriage of Branding and Music

Every musical piece evokes some kind of feeling or emotion. Even though not all listeners receive the same message from a certain song, we would argue that they develop an emotional state when hearing music and that the relationship created through music varies for each individual. But one musical relationship that most people make unconsciously is the one with the music in commercials.

Something we, as advertisers, must consider is, how can the audience identify themselves with the brand being presented if they can’t identify with the music behind it? Is it possible that a poor choice in music can tarnish the brand and its personality? Can the opposite happen? When a brand with a bad rap is paired with an excellent score can it become heroic? These questions may seem basic, but their answers are intricate and careful, like the original compositions created for each commercial.

Recently, we sat down with someone we’ve worked with for years, Mr. Jay Green, owner and mastermind behind Big Science Music, for a chance to actually talk about how he incorporates the image and the voice of a brand into music for a commercial.

Developing a Brand’s Sound

The first step for Jay is to get familiar with the brand and the audience. Since musical tastes and their emotions differ between each person, it’s important that Jay understands the strategic goals and objectives as well as basic information. As soon as he gets this input from the client or brand, Jay begins brainstorming. “The basis behind brainstorming is to develop crude ideas and pare them down until the client is pleased with the demo track,” Jay explains. Jay believes that all of his work must display “emotion and/or lyric content that is revealing and story-telling.” His mission is for the audience to connect and identify with the brand by connecting them to the music first.

The Perfect Sound

While some brands have an established sound that will be streamlined throughout a campaign, others are starting from scratch. Jay acknowledges that every commercial – whether a part of a campaign or a standalone – deserves, and needs, customization. Overall, Jay thinks that the “perfect components for a TV or radio spot’s music are that it sounds unique, catchy, and pulls you into the song and makes you identify with the brand whenever hearing that music.”

The Encore

That’s a tall order for any advertising professional. But Jay has been into music since he was a young kid and his brilliance in both composition and branding make it possible for him to excel with every commercial. Take a look – or a listen – to some of his award-winning campaigns, like XBOX’s Halo 3, PA Dept of Health’s 5 Things and The Pittsburgh Zoo’s Big Impressions. And here are a few campaigns he’s worked on with us: Cal U, Duquesne Light, Kennywood, Dollar Bank.

How important do you think music and sound design are in creating a brand-amplifying campaign? Any favorite examples for you?

Branding a Nation and a President

There were originally 18 design concepts for the Lincoln Cent reverse. Check out the link below to see the concepts and which one the Treasury chose.

http://2010lincolncents.com/2010-lincoln-cent-design-proposals/

Our COO, Mike Provenzano shares his opinion:

"My own preference is LP 16. Several reasons for that design. First, Lincoln was obviously a significant figure in the Civil War, one of the most dramatic conflicts ever on U.S. soil. In some ways with John Wilkes Booth as a confederate supporter, Lincoln paid the ultimate price for his beliefs of a united country free of slavery.

"Now fast forward to the New Millennium. America is a country with a changing landscape of population both legal and illegal. To celebrate Lincoln’s dramatic role in U.S. history why depend on those who MAY understand Latin (E Pluribus Unum). LP 16 says clearly “One Country, One Destiny”. If Lincoln ever had a mission statement that certainly says it. (It also contains in much smaller type E Pluribus Unum).

"Let’s just say our Secretary of the Treasury may have skipped Branding 101."

What are you thoughts? Which design would you have picked?

BP Brand Vitality Handicapped Before Day One of the Catastrophe

By Mike Provenzano

Every day it's nearly impossible not to hear or see the status of relief efforts in the Gulf Region. Much has already been said or written about BP's handling of the crisis. It seems most is negative. And deserved.

They now face potential long-term brand erosion because BP didn't initially control the message with company leadership or it appears, even have a significant Crisis Communication Plan on the shelf, considering it happened in their industry before. Even though the Exxon Valdez disaster happened in one of our most remote states, Exxon was immediate with leadership messaging to the public. CEO's were front and center from almost day one. Likewise with J&J and the Tylenol crisis. Both had well guided PR counsel that lead to visible senior executives telling the truth to the public, taking charge, day one and every week after that until their company's crisis and image were in an early phase of restored consumer confidence.

I must admit that Darryl Willis, BP VP Resources, the on-air employee who oversees claims and has ties to the region, is making a positive impression. And we might even see in the weeks ahead a series of other ads and BP middle managers with ties to the region doing the same. And yes, there is no doubt they are helping.

But in the future, will the lack of the BP CEO Tony Hayward taking charge day one in a visible public role hurt the BP brand? Only time and restoration to the region will tell. One thing is for sure, both Tylenol and Exxon are vital brands again. It seems BP might have a long road ahead.

Crowdsourcing: What's your take on it?

by Craig Otto

I was just catching up on some reading. I came across an interesting article in a recent Adweek about crowdsourcing. The article describes how it’s being used by large corporations to solicit creative thinking on logos, packaging and marketing campaigns.

Supporters of the idea say that it’s better than responding to RFPs, because participants get to compete head to head purely on the basis of their craft. Detractors say it’s nothing more than a fancy word for getting speculative work, and paying little if anything for it.

What I find interesting in these creative crowdsourcing shootouts, is that no crowd is invited to decide which idea is best. This it would appear is the work of a select few.

To my way of thinking, having only a few decision makers pass judgment on the work of many flies in the face of crowdsourcing’s most fundamental tenet -that a large group of people is better than a single expert.

Thoughts?

The Pittsburgh Arts Challenge

by Craig Otto

Last week, I was “back home again in Indiana” to visit my dad and go to the Indy 500.

One night the two of us went out to a bistro just around the corner from where he lives. The seating is tight, so I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation at the next table.

What caught my ear, was two couples were talking about a need to brand the arts. Naturally, I couldn’t help but barge in and introduce myself.

It turns out that one of the men I was speaking to is President and CEO of the Indianapolis Art Center. His name is Carter Wolf.

I talked about how Dymun + Company was able to get the Heinz Endowments to fund a Z-Met study on the arts. I also described “The Arts Bring Life to Life” marketing campaign that we created (consisting of two TV spots, Metronome and Singer).

Everyone at the table was aware that Pittsburgh has a vibrant arts community, and expressed some interest in seeing it firsthand. Carter Wolf seemed interested in seeing a link to our work, so I sent it to him this week.

I also offered to help introduce him to our arts community.

He e-mailed me back, thanked me for the link and wrote “I have always had a fondness for the city, but would like to hear more about their arts community.”

Well, I don’t want him to “hear” about it, I want him to experience it.

So, here’s my challenge to you: IN ONE WEEKEND, HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE A COMPLETE STRANGER TO THE PITTSBURGH ARTS COMMUNITY?

Thanks for your ideas.

Inspirational Afghanistan Ad Campaign

by Shelly Perko

I don't know about you but when I hear 'Afghanistan' I hear 'complicated.' My mind immediately gets exhausted from the extensive amount of information I don't understand about this country. Through basic common sense I know turmoil blows through the desert sands. Coupled with college courses, I understand some of the religious and cultural battles between the East and the West. But as far as knowledge or intellect on Afghanistan, I have very little, if any.

Truthfully, when I see news broadcasts about the battered women in Afghanistan, or about the war, I tune out. I assume that I cannot trust everything the media have to say and I resolve to do my own research. It goes without saying that finding time to do extracurricular research on a foreign culture with deep, historical roots is almost impossible.

When I read the Advertising Age headline "U.S. Military Goes Native in Afghanistan Ad Push" I was intrigued. To be quite honest, I didn't even think advertising, as I relate to it, would even exist in Afghanistan. The article by Laurel Wentz not only educated me that there was, in fact, advertising, but it motivated me as well.

I don't want to paraphrase Wentz. I want to admit my faulty global knowledge and push the idea that anything is possible with hard work and cultural understanding. And ultimately, you need to read this article.

American news on the Middle East is so bogged down with war, suicide bombers and gender inequality. The B rolls are of mud homes, desert sand storms, army camps. And since I never found the time to do my own research, I never knew that Western media have emerged in Afghanistan by the forward-thinking, Western-educated, Mohseni family. They literally started media channels and the businesses to support them. They created industries. They're bringing 'Western' cultures to the Middle East, but they're smart enough to adapt them to Afghanistan's standards. What's even more incredible is that they're succeeding.

Take a few minutes to read this article. Not only is it educational but it includes a great ad campaign and it is inspirational. It left me thinking that if a family can start industries in a country torn by war and violence, then the possibilities are endless for you and me to make a difference too.

http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=143223

True Home

True Home

I would not have painted the living room
creme de menthe green,
or the kitchen Pepto-Bismol pink
with grey wainscot and trim.
The beige carpet would not have flooreed me.
I would not have set as a centerpiece
the orange lava lamp atop the 13-inch Sylvania TV.
Nor would I have chosen the furniture:
hodgepodge, nondescript, but functional
from thrift shops, bargain basements,
relatives downsizing or upgrading.
Except for the lavender bedroom
and a purple bedspread for my 13th birthday
there was little I picked
in this five-room suite above the landromat
in which our family tumbled and spun
the last of our 18 years together.

But I did choose you, mother -
you, who with aproned care,
laid the cheese to bubble and brown
on the breadcrumb crusts
of our tuna noodle casseroles;
who cut the cooling Christmas cakes into reindeer shapes
before decoratively frosting them.
And I chose you, father,
who marshalled us from early morning sleep
several times each summer and often through each year,
hauling the red-plaid picnic cooler
onto buses bound for the baseball stadium,
amusement park or zoo;
you, who framed Renoirs trimmed from Sunday newspapers
to hang among our childhood masterpieces
from the museums' Saturday art school
to which you gained us scholarshipped admission.

In fact, we chose each other -
mother, father, older, younger brother -
to learn from, love, assist and suffer.
And I, the last survivor, count as Home -
to which I've trued all other habitations,
centering on my mantels the photographs of you -
those first few decades of my lifeteime
when we five, by blood and karma
indelibly entwined.

by Chris Beregi