Hey, RealTruck Team!

When it comes to music, there are a million and one options. To help sort through the noise about noise, we put together this resource that describes a few musical possibilities in greater detail.

Below, you’ll find information about sonic branding/mnemonics, custom music, and sound design. We can talk about this stuff forever, so we’ll try to keep it short, but give us a shout if you have any questions or if we leave anything out!

Audio Branding & Mnemonics

Audio branding is great for adding dimension to a brand. So much time is spent on marketing visuals, ad copy, and the logo that a brand’s sound can often get overlooked. Audio branding can be a signature song (think Home Depot or Burger King) or it can be as simple as a tag for punctuating marketing materials (think McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” tune).

Pros:

  • Add dimension to marketing

  • Uniquely representative of the brand

  • Bolster public recognition

  • Can solve music needs for the life of the brand

This was for Dove's International/European brand. They wanted something feminine while possessing some authoritative gravity. We originated the lyric.

Cons:

  • Can be more abstract to create

  • The exclusive, buy-out nature of these projects can be expensive.

Our Process

Overall, we strive to carefully review the brand history and aspirational brand direction. In cooperation with the client, we create an audio branding objective brief, which includes branding goals, sonic directives, and serves as a guide for the development of the audio.

With the brief as a jumping off point, we work closely with our client to create the perfect branding element that will have two key features: simplicity and memorability.

Examples

We can't lay claim to the note combination, but we created these sonics which were used in many Outback spots in various forms.

Custom Music

Custom-scored music is sort of our thing here at Howling Music. It’s the best way to underscore an ad with exactly the right tone and vibe while matching the edit speed and energy. For a piece of music that is tailored specifically to a project, custom is the way to go.

Pros:

  • Music is written to the picture/concept

  • Can impact pacing/enhance editing

  • Library tracks can serve as inspiration or can be tweaked to go final.

Cons:

  • Single use nature of a score (luckily, we can tweak later if needed)

Our Process

For custom scores, we like to start with a creative call with our client. In the call, we learn about the energy, tone, and vibe of the piece. We then discuss what the creatives would like the music to accomplish, as well as build a list of references.

From there, we get some of our top-notch composers on the job and start a demo round. Once all the initial demos are in, we confer with the client to either pick a direction or go back to the drawing board.

Examples

NFL | Football Is For Everyone

Buchanan’s Whisky | Fútbol 2024

Give us a shout.

And by shout we mean it, we’ve got the tunes cranked!

What People Are Saying

  • "Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Howling Music and their team of musical savants. Not only are they incredibly talented, but their spirit of collaboration and who they are as people, make the journey even more rewarding."

    David Angelo, Founder / Chairman David & Goliath

  • “I’ve been a fan of David Grow’s since he was a puppy. A very talented, pleasure-to-work-with puppy. Always delivers. Throw him a job and see what I mean. Good human.”

    Cameron Day, ECD Two Headed Cam

  • “They make us look like geniuses. No matter where I’m at, Howling Music stays in my contacts. They’re go-to for me.”

    Alan Whitley, Group CD Wunderman Thompson ATL

  • “You guys have amazing gifts! Thank-you for continuing to share them with us at GTB.”

    Kirk Sieder, Creative Director GTB, Atlanta

  • “Howling Music not only brings incredible talent to every assignment, but they continually push to top themselves every step of the way.”

    Margaret Bond, VP / Group CD LGA

  • “These guys are so bad at their job that I keep going back to them with music briefs. I keep hoping that they’ll fail so I can finally tell them to GTFO. But, they keep nailing it, so I guess I’ll keep running back to them.”

    Ann Truong, Producer David & Goliath

  • “Howling Music has done first class work regardless of the size of my budget. That’s the mark of true integrity.”

    Ken Butts, Creative Director Zimmerman Advertising

  • “Outside of having great original composition skills, Howling Music’s library hits the spot.”

    Celestina Lucero, Producer Innocean USA