Selling Music for advertising
- Thread starter Jaycay
- Start date
Outlaws
New member
For the most part the agentcy that is producing the commercial has an in-house musician. For jingles it would be more or less the same, but you would probably have to already be working as either a studio musician for commercial music, or already have a name for yourself in the jingle community. 
The General
New member
Jaycay,
Rather than Outlaws know-nothing runaround, if you want to sell your music for commercial purposes contact the advertising agencies. All major companies have them, and any of them will tell you WHO their clients are, and accept submissions for potential use from those who approach without a terminal case of HEADUS RECTUMITIS!
There's really not a lot of money - but you can make a living - making jingles, etcetera, for local advertisers. Those, you have to approach direct. Make an appointment, leaving yourself enough time to get prepared for that specific product/service, and show up ready to do business and looking the part.
Don't be afraid to be original! Serious, humor, top to bottom. Have more than one choice of each ready to display! RE: An auto dealer might not have the equipment to handle your demos properly, so make damned sure you DO! You can't be jackass trying to wire, set up speakers, etcetera, so be mobile, be state-of-the-art, and be about NOT wasting the client's time.
As for equipment, you're better off with a simple cassette player than you are trying to unplug lamps, etcetera, trying to find an outlet to use.
If you're going to include art, make sure it contains a copyright claim and follow through with filing for copyright. To protect yourself - and support your copyright later, if necessary - take a copy all pages you're going to present and maybe leave with the client notarized and file it with the County Clerk. That will make it Public Record as of the time/date of filing and all courts are required by law to take Judicial Notice of it.
In any case, file for a copyright BEFORE you present - via registered return-receipt requested mail - and include the proper data on the inside of the Green Return card to identify what you're actually copyrighting.
Keep the receipts and filing info out of the presentation, and
BEST OF LUCK!
TDA
Rather than Outlaws know-nothing runaround, if you want to sell your music for commercial purposes contact the advertising agencies. All major companies have them, and any of them will tell you WHO their clients are, and accept submissions for potential use from those who approach without a terminal case of HEADUS RECTUMITIS!
There's really not a lot of money - but you can make a living - making jingles, etcetera, for local advertisers. Those, you have to approach direct. Make an appointment, leaving yourself enough time to get prepared for that specific product/service, and show up ready to do business and looking the part.
Don't be afraid to be original! Serious, humor, top to bottom. Have more than one choice of each ready to display! RE: An auto dealer might not have the equipment to handle your demos properly, so make damned sure you DO! You can't be jackass trying to wire, set up speakers, etcetera, so be mobile, be state-of-the-art, and be about NOT wasting the client's time.
As for equipment, you're better off with a simple cassette player than you are trying to unplug lamps, etcetera, trying to find an outlet to use.
If you're going to include art, make sure it contains a copyright claim and follow through with filing for copyright. To protect yourself - and support your copyright later, if necessary - take a copy all pages you're going to present and maybe leave with the client notarized and file it with the County Clerk. That will make it Public Record as of the time/date of filing and all courts are required by law to take Judicial Notice of it.
In any case, file for a copyright BEFORE you present - via registered return-receipt requested mail - and include the proper data on the inside of the Green Return card to identify what you're actually copyrighting.
Keep the receipts and filing info out of the presentation, and
BEST OF LUCK!
TDA
The General
New member
Outlaws,
SUCKAHOTCHIE!
TDA
SUCKAHOTCHIE!
TDA
Thank you both for your help.
Im going to have to look up info on copywrite stuff, because I've never actaully distributed my music beyond friends. Ive heard that you must make sure to do that right, otherwise companies will rip you off. Makes me wonder: If I sent a company a jingle which was not copywrited on purpose does that mean there would be a better chance of them using it... That would be funny.
I suppose, with big companies, Id want to give a cd rather than a tape, but with smaller local buisinesses I should probably bring both a tape and cd, since I'd lose quality from the digital to tape.
Again thank you
Im going to have to look up info on copywrite stuff, because I've never actaully distributed my music beyond friends. Ive heard that you must make sure to do that right, otherwise companies will rip you off. Makes me wonder: If I sent a company a jingle which was not copywrited on purpose does that mean there would be a better chance of them using it... That would be funny.
I suppose, with big companies, Id want to give a cd rather than a tape, but with smaller local buisinesses I should probably bring both a tape and cd, since I'd lose quality from the digital to tape.
Again thank you
I use to do more jingle (advertising work) but as outlaw suggests, most of the ad agencies (now referred to as marketing firms) have in house capabilities (just like you and I can now have a recording studio with a laptop and a spare bedroom - so can the marketing people). So, a lot of that work has dried up. Even most of the radio stations that feature radio ads have in house studios, so a business does not even have to go to a marketing firm - just go to the radio station and be willing to pay for the air time and a nominal fee for the recorded "spot"
It is almost impossible to get your foot in the door for any national/international marketing - but there may be opportunities on a local/regional level.
On a local level, I have selected a few companies that did not appear to do audio marketing (radio ads, etc.) and I put together "spec spots" (a recorded jingle for free, hoping to entice their interest). I arranged to meet whoever was the "decision maker" brought a "boom box" and played my "demo". In most cases, I walked away empty handed - in a few cases, I did get some business (then my spec work became paid work) and I could then also try to market "music on hold" services that I can also provide.
A couple of things to be aware of. In most cases, business owners and/or marketing firms want to deal with "professionals" - this means, they expect meetings to be held during normal business hours (if you have a day gig or go to school and can only do business after 5 PM - you've already eliminated most of your potential clients.
Also, when it comes to advertising spots, it is common to provide several different lengths (a 15 sec. spot, a 30 sec. spot, a 60 sec. spot) so you have to be able to edit your demo several ways. Candidly, I've written some really clever 60 sec. spots that were never used, because the advertising budget would only allow for 15 sec spots - so the clever verse+chorus composition I slaved over came down to the hook of the hame of the company.
Which leads to anoth point - you need a hook (in most cases) something that highlights the name of the company/product) - think about all the commericals you've heard and disect what is the "hook"
Lastly - it is a very, very competitive business with realy talented people competing for the same projects (In my local market, some of the areas top musicians supplement gigging by doing jingles - and these guys are the best of the best in this market) - so make sure you are capable of producing at a very high level!
It is almost impossible to get your foot in the door for any national/international marketing - but there may be opportunities on a local/regional level.
On a local level, I have selected a few companies that did not appear to do audio marketing (radio ads, etc.) and I put together "spec spots" (a recorded jingle for free, hoping to entice their interest). I arranged to meet whoever was the "decision maker" brought a "boom box" and played my "demo". In most cases, I walked away empty handed - in a few cases, I did get some business (then my spec work became paid work) and I could then also try to market "music on hold" services that I can also provide.
A couple of things to be aware of. In most cases, business owners and/or marketing firms want to deal with "professionals" - this means, they expect meetings to be held during normal business hours (if you have a day gig or go to school and can only do business after 5 PM - you've already eliminated most of your potential clients.
Also, when it comes to advertising spots, it is common to provide several different lengths (a 15 sec. spot, a 30 sec. spot, a 60 sec. spot) so you have to be able to edit your demo several ways. Candidly, I've written some really clever 60 sec. spots that were never used, because the advertising budget would only allow for 15 sec spots - so the clever verse+chorus composition I slaved over came down to the hook of the hame of the company.
Which leads to anoth point - you need a hook (in most cases) something that highlights the name of the company/product) - think about all the commericals you've heard and disect what is the "hook"
Lastly - it is a very, very competitive business with realy talented people competing for the same projects (In my local market, some of the areas top musicians supplement gigging by doing jingles - and these guys are the best of the best in this market) - so make sure you are capable of producing at a very high level!
I wanted to reopen this thread - since I just sold a jingle using the spec method I mentioned in an earlier post.
In my area there is a small chain of Chinese "fast food" places. I had an idea for a radio spot, so I created a music bed using various samples of oriental instruments (wood flute, zither, etc.) I wrote a script and paid a friend $25 to be the "voice talent" with a promise to pay him an addition $75 if I could sell the spot.
I arranged to meet with the owner (it took some effort to work my way through a store manage and a "regional manager" - none of which spoke fluent English) I actually purchased a Chinese/English dictionary to help me communicate. I eventually convinced the owner the jingle could help his brand (it took over a month of meetings, follow-up and buying Chinese food). I then acted as the go between with someone I know who sells add time on a local "top 40" radio station. I managed to get a discount on air time (with assurances I would likely bring in other clients - which candidly, I had no other clients).
So, I managed to make enough to pocket a couple of hundred and pay my vocal talent the extra $75 - and I barterred for a bunch of buy one get one coupons which with keep me in caryy-out once a week for the next 6 months. More importanly, my client has relatives that own businesses and I may get a foot in the door (the future clients I promised the radio station) - and I have another radio spot to add to my resume.
Did I make enough to pay for the amount of time and effort (and meals) - not really - but I gained knowledge (priceless). In particular I learned how to create some relatively authentic oriental music (not something I would nomrally be recording).
Unfortunately - this is a good example of how being a business person (more importantly a sales person) was much more relevant than simply being a musician. It was a lot of effort for free fried rice!
In my area there is a small chain of Chinese "fast food" places. I had an idea for a radio spot, so I created a music bed using various samples of oriental instruments (wood flute, zither, etc.) I wrote a script and paid a friend $25 to be the "voice talent" with a promise to pay him an addition $75 if I could sell the spot.
I arranged to meet with the owner (it took some effort to work my way through a store manage and a "regional manager" - none of which spoke fluent English) I actually purchased a Chinese/English dictionary to help me communicate. I eventually convinced the owner the jingle could help his brand (it took over a month of meetings, follow-up and buying Chinese food). I then acted as the go between with someone I know who sells add time on a local "top 40" radio station. I managed to get a discount on air time (with assurances I would likely bring in other clients - which candidly, I had no other clients).
So, I managed to make enough to pocket a couple of hundred and pay my vocal talent the extra $75 - and I barterred for a bunch of buy one get one coupons which with keep me in caryy-out once a week for the next 6 months. More importanly, my client has relatives that own businesses and I may get a foot in the door (the future clients I promised the radio station) - and I have another radio spot to add to my resume.
Did I make enough to pay for the amount of time and effort (and meals) - not really - but I gained knowledge (priceless). In particular I learned how to create some relatively authentic oriental music (not something I would nomrally be recording).
Unfortunately - this is a good example of how being a business person (more importantly a sales person) was much more relevant than simply being a musician. It was a lot of effort for free fried rice!
Good for you, but obviously havng an 'in' - the guy you know who sells radio ad time - was they key. Fried Rice is cheap, hope you get some fried shrimp too!
The "in" helped a little only because it made it a little easier to try to negotiate a lower cost on air time - however, even if I did not know someone at the radio station, I would have have to contact the station, talk to their sales person and negotiate a deal - and I'm pretty sure I could have cut the same deal. Just because I knew someone, they still had bosses to answer to and they were not authorized to "give away" air time.
I guess the point of my post was if someone really wants to get into selling music for advertising, and if they are willing to hustle there are still some opportunities. You hustle work with one client, that possibly opens up another client and you build a resume - eventually you may open doors to bigger clients or get an "in" with a marketing agency.
When I was younger, I hustled up a fair amount of "jingle" work - but I no longer have the fire or the patience to deal with the corporate politics, etc. In this case, I beleived in the product I created and was motivated to see if I could sell a "Chinese" jingle. Fried rice is cheap, but that is about 25 less meals I have to prepare (maybe I can get a few egg rolls added in
Mike J. 53
New member
Just lately I've been wondering about the music in advertising myself. In so many commercials the music sounds like original songs performed by bands and someone at the ad agency said...."I just heard this song by so-and-so and it's perfect for this commercial we just filmed."
Am I wrong or does this happen more often than not?
Am I wrong or does this happen more often than not?
TritonExtreme
New member
That is a great example. Writing music is one thing.. selling is another. You have to be professional and put on your salesman hat to get the job. Your music won't sell itself, there are too many talented professionals out there already. So you have to convince the potential client, with the personal touch, that you are the guy for the job! Outstanding work Xdrummer. I am starting to become more dedicated to recording and have thought of doing things like this when I get older and tired of playing Network Admin! I am getting my studio setup and built the way I want it so I can do it as a side business when I am ready.
MrUserNameIV
SenselessActsOfCreation
It depends.
If you have songs that are already known, that an advertiser will know has a draw, you'll be able to do it fairly easily.
If you're not in that category: Write trendy generic music that wows but doesn't stand out too much, and do it under a different name so people won't see you as "the ad guy" when you're doing music you care about emotionally.
If you have songs that are already known, that an advertiser will know has a draw, you'll be able to do it fairly easily.
If you're not in that category: Write trendy generic music that wows but doesn't stand out too much, and do it under a different name so people won't see you as "the ad guy" when you're doing music you care about emotionally.