Don't Ignore the Music!

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato once said, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”   I love that quote because I believe it is so true, not only in general, but also when it comes to producing an effective marketing campaign. 

For me, finding just the perfect cut of music to enhance, and sometimes drive the message is vital.  Music is just as important as the script, the video and the graphics.  I have even been known, on occasion, to send a producer back to the edit bay to find new music because it was clear they had treated their music choice as an afterthought.

Take these three spots for example...when I produced them, I spent a few hours listening to hundreds of music cuts, searching for just the right ones that matched the personality and feel for each of the talent featured.  If I had just picked the first music cut I came to, these promotional spots would not have been nearly as effective.

Sadly, more and more creative industry facilities have diminished the creative process...they’ve adopted the “hurry up and get it slapped together” mentality where producers feel pressured to get it done quickly, so they ignore the important element of choosing the perfect cut of music.

“Please Don’t Ignore the Music!” Give it the same respect that you give to the script, the cinematography and the edit.

Here’s a simple tip when pressed for time:  When you are searching that database of music, you'll find cuts you like but may not be right for your current project.  Don’t pass them by, download them right then and add them to a maybe file for later use.  And when you are pressed for time, go to that folder.  After a while, that internal database you’ve created will be full of great cuts you can find and use quickly.

Remember, Music gives life to everything, including your next video project.

to vo or not to vo

One of my all-time favorite spots is a PSA for seat belt use produced by Sarah Alexander of the UK.  This PSA has no voiceover, just music...and it brings chills to my spine every time I watch it.

I have always been an advocate of spots that are driven by music with little or no use of a voice.  I won my very first Addy award many years ago with a sports promo that had no voice, just music.  I believe it is an effective way to grab a viewer’s attention, and in today’s cluttered world of advertising, producers and ad managers must consider every option to help a message stand out.

Think about this…when you are watching TV, or just have it on in the background, there is always a voice coming from it…someone is always talking.  But when the talking stops, what happens…you turn and look at the TV…the lack of a voice grabs your attention.  That ‘disruption’ is one of the main reasons for using ‘no voice’ as an intentional effect for your production.

This is by no means a push to get rid of voiceovers…I have produced hundreds, if not a thousand or more ads in my career, and the overwhelming majority have included a voiceover.  In most cases, a voice is necessary to help drive the intended result.  However, there are times when going with just music, and/or sfx results in a much more effective spot…one that grabs your attention and provokes emotion.

I was the Creative Services Director at WVEC-TV when we produced this 'Bottled Water' special report promo.  We originally had a voiceover cut, but after looking at (and listening to) the spot with the voice, it was apparent that it would be considerably more effective if we removed the voiceover and utilize just music and sfx.  The result was not only a bump in the ratings that night when the story aired, but this promo went on to win an Emmy for the station and our creative team.

So, the next time your ad agency or production team says they want to produce a spot with no voice, listen to them, and give it serious consideration as a viable option for your marketing message.