When creating, evolving or embedding brand identity and emotive audience connections, music becomes a major player to separate the forgettable from the memorable. Get it right, and you could well hit the brand loyalty sweet spot. Get the selection wrong, and it can make everything seem off-kilter. 

From brand awareness to engagement, music has the power to make an instant and lasting impact with the potential to override the written word. So, where’s it all heading right now and beyond? We asked industry experts, for their thoughts and predictions on the future of music sync. 

With the rise of streaming services and the decline of traditional TV advertising, how do you see music syncs evolving in the future? Will they become more crucial or less important when building brand identity?

Music and sound can be found everywhere, across a plethora of devices or formats, and while traditional TV advertising may be declining, for social media platforms, audio is on the rise. Today, brands are realising the importance of having a strong sonic identity and are therefore exploring how music can be used more holistically across their brand. This can include using commercial tracks to convey a specific tone of voice, creating bespoke tracks for Instagram ads, or implementing in-app sounds that enhance brand recognition and instant recall.

Breaking music in a noisy environment with 100k tracks being uploaded to Spotify every day is very difficult indeed. Syncs will therefore play an even more important role in artists’ careers, with social media providing a unique, ‘endorsed’ opportunity for music promotion.

Whilst there has been a decline in traditional TV advertising, the entertainment and media landscape continues to evolve by creating opportunities for artists, including both new releases and back catalogue. We’ve seen massive growth in on-demand video services, and this will continue to grow. 

With this shift towards even more online video, new music discovery grows with it. Gen Z social media users discover music through TikTok, YouTube and playlists such as Big on the Internet, Viral Hits and TikTok Songs 2023. Additionally, brands are looking for new ways to connect with their audiences, and music brings out that emotional connection. The rise of user-generated content and social media platforms provides both fresh and huge opportunities for music synchronisation. 

With brands leveraging social media platforms to build community and get closer to their users, SyncVault offers a unique opportunity for brands to incorporate (at little or no cost) ‘real’ music within their user-generated content promotion. This not only helps to build brand identity but also increases engagement with artists and their audiences.

Sync will continue to be used across all media, even with downturns in traditional TV advertising. It can also be flipped to online for social media marketing, which can potentially reach an even greater audience or views in a more direct way. With this in mind, music should be valued highly, however, sadly that’s not always the case. When it comes to licensing music across digital and social media marketing, music can be devalued in the eyes of the brand or studio, stating it doesn't have the same budget.

As music sync continues to flourish, there are plenty of opportunities for brands to create new or renewed relationships and customer connectivity, via music and cross promo. A song or a cue can become completely synonymous with brand identity, especially when you hear a piece of music and know instantly what it was used on. 

As technology continues to advance, what new opportunities do you see for music syncs? Are there any emerging technologies that you think will be particularly impactful in this area?

Artificial intelligence (AI) generated music has the potential to negatively impact the industry. Of course, replacing certain things within commerce seems logical for more efficiency or speed, however replacing the creativity of musicians and artists, feels more like removing our culture. Not only is it a form of human expression, it also decreases the chances for professional musicians to make a living and create. Sadly, I can see studios and brands using this for financial reasons, creating a lack of passion and connection to real music.

The use of AI in music may seem intimidating, but we believe it has great potential to enhance creativity. The Beethoven Orchestra in Bonn recently performed an AI-generated version of Beethoven's last symphony, and rapper Reeps One even engaged in a rap battle against an AI named Second Self, which generated parts based on his own voice. It's exciting to see how AI and music are coming together and we can't wait to see what other innovative projects will arise from this collaboration.

The evolution of music synchronisation is adapting with the increasing advancements in technology. As with any new entrant into a market, there are moments of rapid growth that eventually level out and plateau once the market becomes accustomed to it. 

AI has become the new buzzword, permeating the music industry and driving growth in production music as a tool for composers and producers, who must keep up with high market demand. Recently, an article on MBW warned that analysts believe AI may pose an existential threat to major labels, causing worry about the industry's future. AI is already being used to analyse vast amounts of data to identify trends and patterns in consumer behaviour, which can then inform music selection and creative direction within marketing campaigns. 

In addition, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) provide exciting opportunities for immersive music experiences. Brands can use VR and AR to create interactive experiences that incorporate on-demand music, sound and visuals to create more engaging and unique brand experiences.

Looking ahead, Web 3 offers incredible opportunities in terms of IP management, decentralised engagement, ownership, and utilisation. It will be interesting to see how web3 platforms and the metaverse will incorporate AI technology. For example, we may see the emergence of AI DJs in the near future.

While technology has the potential to take us anywhere, we should also consider how it benefits us, and whether it brings us together or drives us apart as a community. The rise of social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube has led to the expansion of music synchronisation, allowing for the growth of brand identity through viral tracks and music. This has opened doors for independent and major artists alike. However, the importance of community remains crucial throughout this process.

In the era of social media, how do you see music syncs being used to build brands online? Will there be a greater emphasis on creating viral moments, and if so, how will this change the way brands approach music syncs?

This is already happening and looks set to gain more momentum. Depending on the nature of the use of the music, its logical that a brand, if desired, can connect more to the music they use only, bringing the buyers or listeners to the music by direct links to artists pages.

Sound is everywhere these days. While in 2019, social media users were all about muted, landscape video content, now we're seeing the rise of short-form videos with catchy tunes and trendy sounds that are impossible to ignore. This trend isn't just limited to Instagram and TikTok, either. More people are listening to music and podcasts than ever before, as evidenced by the increase in headphone purchases.

Music has an incredible amount of power when evoking emotion and identity, and brands that understand how to harness this power, to accompany their digital storytelling, can create very successful advertising campaigns. 

Social media is changing the way that brands advertise online. You only need to take a look at TikTok to see that the traditional video ad format doesn’t work - the content may as well be invisible, as users scroll on by. Instead, brands need to work harder to create authentic content that resonates with their ideal audience. Working with influencers to create impactful campaigns and incorporating the right music is key. 

We recently worked with a brand that is incredibly successful in creating a connection with their audience, however, they had said that they felt limited by TikTok’s audio library, as so many other brands are using the same sounds. To create an advertising campaign that felt authentic, they opted to work with a producer to create a bespoke track that paired perfectly with their brand, resonating with their target audience to encourage interaction and UGC creation.

This is an area that SyncVault is keenly focused on, as well as music promotion, our platform now offers brand promotion through our network of thousands of verified creators, across the major social media platforms including YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram. SyncVault enables brands to create their social media campaigns using pre-cleared music, so it’s a winning combination for both the artist and the brand.

Finally, how can brands use music syncs to create more immersive brand experiences for their customers? Are there any emerging trends in this area that you are particularly excited about?

That’s a difficult question as it depends on the nature of the use. For example, a product that isn't likely to excite a music listener, may make it tougher to see anything beyond the licensed use. However, a brand can benefit when the music has a connection to both the brand and the listener, exploring cross promo and brand support in different ways, such as tour support branding. 

Also, by utilising more brand partnerships there are different departments across brand marketing that could be more connected around the use of the music and artists, reaching beyond the initial ad use. In some cases, exclusive versions or mixes could be created, therefore making it connected to the brand with further opportunities for special appearances at events.

Sound is flexible and ethereal, moulding to many different spaces and situations, including vehicles, home devices, and events. Big brands like Apple and Netflix are already taking advantage of this by using advanced mixing processes like Dolby Atmos and Binaural Audio, plus our studio has definitely noticed more clients wanting to incorporate this into their brand experiences. 

Brands can use music synchronisation to create more immersive brand experiences by incorporating music into various touch points of the customer journey. For example, music can be used in brand videos, social media campaigns, and in-store experiences to create a more cohesive brand identity and emotional connection with the audience. 

One emerging trend that I am particularly excited about is the use of personalised music experiences. With advancements in technology, brands can now use data to create personalised music experiences that are tailored to the individual customer. This can help to create a stronger emotional connection and increase engagement with the brand.