How to choose the best music for your brand’s message
Last month we talked about how music plays a huge role in creating empathy with video. Well, we’ve got a lot more to say on that topic. In 2017, empathy is the name of the game in marketing, and getting your soundtrack right is just as important as nailing down the visuals. Video has the ability to direct how the viewer feels using time-tested audio and visual cues, and choosing the right soundtrack ensures that your video hits the right note with the audience.
Tips for Choosing the Right Music for your Video
Determine the emotional content
Before you even get to the music—or the filming for that matter—you have to define the emotional goals for the video you’re producing. Make sure to sit down with the video team right off the bat and determine what the emotional focus of the video will be. Doing your homework early on will pay off big time, making for a smoother overall filming and editing process.
Establish tone and pace
Think about the soundtrack to your favorite movie–while the set, storylines, and characters are all an important part of creating a memorable emotional journey, the soundtrack can go a long way toward setting the tone of the scene, or placing it in the right context. It’s no different when it comes to creating marketing videos that highlight your brand. Soundtracks play a key role in the overall mood and tone of video and guide the viewer along the emotional journey you’re trying to create, so make sure the choice of music is adding something significant to the story.
As Alfred Hitchcock once said, “If music and pictures are doing the same thing then one of them is being wasted.” While visuals guide the storyline, music can add emotional depth, signal a shift in tone, or set the pace. Our Day in the Life video for Travelzoo is a great example of music and visuals working in tandem to set pace and create distinct emotional tones throughout.
Don’t be afraid to experiment
Choosing music to suit a video can seem like a daunting process. The music choice needs to fit both the emotional chord you’re trying to strike in the video, and the core identity of your brand. It’s a decision that can make or break a project.
The music-video synergy can often be boiled down to common sense: you wouldn’t want to choose a fast-paced song with a heavy beat for an interview with your CEO, for example. On the other hand, if you’re putting together a video like our Adidas promo for March Madness, upbeat, on-trend music works to build intensity and excitement. Don’t be shy about experimenting. Unusual musical juxtapositions can add humor, or subvert expectations and make a video more memorable. Think Mr. Clean getting his grind on in this Super Bowl ad.
Don’t leave it as an afterthought
Music’s importance in telling a story effectively and authentically cannot be underestimated. Music has the power to evoke strong emotions from an audience, and requires careful consideration throughout the production process. Music and visuals work in tandem to tell your story, so if you’ve been waiting until the last minute to think about adding tunes to your video, you’re probably not maximizing the emotional impact that should exist.`
A well-made video is a powerful thing, and we want to help you make something powerful—with a soundtrack to boot. Give us a shout when you’re ready to get to work.