What are the different ways we use music in ads, what are some examples of good music selection, and how do you make the right choice of music for your campaign?
Selecting music for an ad campaign can be hard. It’s easy to get stuck in the same routines. Your last few projects have used chart hits that are hard to license, or viral songs that everyone else seems to be using, and you can’t make yourself trawl through another library for more soulless stock music to go behind another summer sale announcement. When there is so much choice of genre, instruments, and ways of implementing it into your campaign, how do you choose the perfect song to make your advert pop?
The soundtrack can serve many purposes in an advert – from the bubbly backing track that fills the space between visuals and voiceover, to a full musical number that sings your brand values from the rooftops. Every type of music – and ways in which you use them – can give unique character to a campaign. An expertly selected track can be the epicenter of something truly viral.
In this article, we will outline a few different types of music for ads, and how and when to use each judiciously in order to make an ad undeniably special. Let’s jump in!
One of the most common ways of using music in a campaign is as a backing track to your visuals. Perhaps this is synced up with the edit – showing quick snappy cuts of the product – or maybe the music sits underneath dialogue between characters. This music can come from many different sources – stock music that just about gets the job done, licensed music that slots your brand neatly into the zeitgeist, or custom music that really lets the viewer into the story of the campaign you are trying to create.
This Nesquik advert uses music in one of the simplest ways. Here the track sits underneath the voiceover, underlining the get-up-and-go, morning vibe of chocolate milk, with uplifting funky guitars and an easy going drum beat. The music isn’t integral to creating a story in the ad, but defines the mood to help the viewer understand the product. The spot uses original music composed by Viral Music. Using custom music is a great way to ensure quality; selecting the wrong track can make the advert look and sound generic or even cheap!
Here is another example of music as a backing track, although here it is slightly more diegetic. This fits an advert for headphones – we hear the music just like the dancers in the ad. What sets this advert apart is the use of licensed music by Fred Again. We all know how much of a headache it can be to get these tracks greenlit, however the impact of having recognisable songs can be massive! The advert oozes with coolness, with up-to-date sounds that perfectly match the visuals and appeal to a music-loving, headphone-buying consumer. To borrow from Bose’s tagline, Sound is Power!
Creating a story with music is another technique to integrate it into your campaign. While a backing track might just convey a mood, music that creates a narrative often goes deeper. It helps tell the story of the spot: the characters, the actions, the emotions. Again, this music could be sourced from several places depending on the campaign, but what’s important is the music is playing a starring role in the plot of the advert (and even the overall brand story)!
Here is an example of using music to tell a narrative. This anti-fracking PSA uses custom music by Viral to take us on the journey of the advert. Music is the main storytelling device; we move from the joy of a children’s birthday party to the impacts of fracking on the water supply simply through the music and the visuals. Original music is tailored to every emotional beat of the ad – more than just filling silence, the soundtrack is the backbone of the emotional power of the spot.
Finally, employing music for viral appeal is a very effective way to boost your advert into the stratosphere. Original music that sings all about who you are as a brand can be a great way to capture your audience’s attention and stay in their heads – reworking licensed music to fit the product can work just the same. Virality can also come from making use of trends – TikTok dances and trending sounds can tie your brand into what’s hot right now.
One of the most successful ad campaigns of the past few years, Katy Perry for Just Eat created a viral sensation out of an original song. Singing about everything Katy might order from the app, and re-recorded for all the different local names for the brand, the music in this ad is again the most important thing. A Catchy and fun track matches the bright colors in the advert. Rather than hopping on a TikTok trend, the advert itself became the trend, with users using the sound, comparing different local versions and boosting brand recognition for JustEat/SkipTheDishes/MenuLog globally – even into markets Just Eat hasn’t entered such as the US.
As you can see, music can serve a whole host of purposes across a vast array of campaigns. Prudently selecting music for your campaign can really lend cohesion, energy and storytelling to your spots, and help you stand out to the right audience on the right platform. Music is a powerful device for making your ad shine, and using the right types of music innovatively can take you from only okay to eminent excellence.
For more guidance on how to reach your full audio potential, with composition, sourcing and licensing assistance, check out Viral Music’s services, where you can let us help you to select the perfect piece to accompany your next campaign, and take your advert to the next level.
