Summary
Songs in ads can link a brand with a mood or memory. This 2023 guide looks at how major brands use music in ads, on streaming services, and with musicians. The guide also notes Apple’s use of Feist’s “1234” and Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” in its commercials.
Introduction
Major brands such as Apple, Coca-Cola, and Nike use music in ads and other marketing. This guide looks at ads, listening data, work with musicians, and permission to use songs. Smaller brands can apply similar ideas at their own scale.
Music in Branding: Emotional Connection
Music can change a person’s mood and help them connect with a brand. Brands use music to shape how customers feel about them. Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” campaign drew on unity and nostalgia. Its message has endured for decades.
Streaming and Social Media
Streaming services like Spotify and YouTube changed how brands use music. Listener data can help brands choose tracks that fit their audience.
Celebrity and Influencer Marketing
Brands work with well-known musicians and social media influencers to reach more people. Hyundai partnered with BTS to reach younger buyers. The group has a large global fan base.
Sync Licensing
Sync licensing gives a brand permission to use a song in an ad or another marketing campaign. It can be expensive, but a song that fits can help a campaign stand out. AI tools can also help brands find music that fits a campaign goal.
How Apple Uses Music in Marketing
Apple uses music in its ads, services, events, and artist partnerships.
Songs Used in Commercials
Apple ads pair its products with music from popular and emerging artists. These include the iPod, iPhone, and MacBook. Feist’s “1234” and Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” both gained attention after Apple commercials.
Apple Music in the Mix
Apple Music sits at the center of the company’s music marketing. Artists and fans can create playlists on the service. Apple also offers tools to help users discover new music.
Playlists and Editorial Content
Apple Music uses playlists and editorial coverage to feature artists. Some have also appeared in Apple ads. These playlists and stories help users discover current music.
Events and Product Launches
Apple uses music at its events and product launches. Sometimes artists perform live. This links music with new hardware and software.
Artist Partnerships
Apple works with musicians on exclusive music releases, live shows, and ad campaigns. These deals promote the artists and connect them with Apple’s services and products.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Brands use music in ads, playlists, and deals with musicians. AI tools can also make music for a brand; see our complete guide to AI music and the creator business.
To use music in your brand, decide how you want customers to feel, then choose tracks that fit. Watch how customers respond. Keep a consistent sound and look so people recognize your brand. See the brand consistency checklist every marketer needs. If your brand story is unclear, try the steps to turn a struggling brand story around.
Fonts also shape a brand’s look. Apple’s fonts are as recognizable as the songs in its ads. After you choose a style, keep your fonts organized with Font Wizard Pro, a font manager for iPhone and iPad.
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Our Recommended Reading
For more on music in branding, see “Hit Brands: How Music Builds Value for the World’s Smartest Brands”. The book explains how music can build brand value. It uses examples from successful companies.
Readers give the book 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One reader even said, “Music done right can instantly stir consumer passion and deepen their connection to brands… That’s why Hit Brands is a must-read.”
If you want your brand to use music more deliberately, the book is a useful next step.
Further Reading Resources
- Can Anybody Hear Me? The Power of Music in Advertising
- Effects of Music on Brand Perception
- YouTube’s Secret Weapon for Overtaking Spotify
- Billion-Dollar Brand Club
- BTS IPO
- Is Music the Comic Book Industry’s New Secret Weapon?
- FAB’s Secret Weapon in Convincing Design Brands
- Apple Music Marketing Tools
- Heard in Apple Ads Playlist
- Apple’s Strategy in Music
- Apple Commercials and Music
- Needle Drop: Five Times an Apple Commercial Created a Hit Song
Related reading
- AI Music and the Creator Business: The Complete Guide and Hub
- Navigating Rivalries and Elevating Your Brand: Lessons from the Kendrick Lamar and Drake Feud
- 10 Entrepreneurial Secrets Hidden in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
- Eminem’s ‘Houdini’: Slim Shady’s Triumphant Return and a Masterclass in Marketing
