Cutting Budgets Doesn’t Have To Mean Cutting Compositions

Yellow Boat Music’s head of production, Paul Cartledge and creative director and composer Philip Jewson, reflect on the value of composed music in advertising in today’s culture of budget restraints.

When we started Yellow Boat Music in 2006 the music creation business had changed - large facilities with huge recording consoles and giant analogue tape machines had become a liability rather than an asset. We were working for Joe & Co at that time and their long term lease on an enormous basement, filled with legacy technology, in Soho ended. We knew we had to find a new way forwards, to meet the challenges of music composition and production in the brave new world.

The advertising world is changing more rapidly than ever before and as its purpose is primarily to inform consumers then it will need to seek out platforms where those consumers are engaged. A lot still watch TV, but we are seeing a migration towards online which offers a myriad of creative opportunities for advertisers to exploit.

In recent years there music libraries and music sync has become more popular with agencies and creatives.  Although these methods can seem like a safer option and cheaper than a composed solution they can end up being just as expensive. What’s more, when it comes down to licensing for multiple outputs, the pre-existing nature of the music content might not be the best fit for the brand.

We’d like to change the perception that composition is expensive and risky. We’d like young creatives to be encouraged to get along to music sessions and experience the process first hand. Original music is amazing, it can completely transform a campaign and make a huge difference to the core communication. Not to mention it can be so versatile when adapted across the multitude of new platforms.

The requirement for music in advertising can only grow as more channels open up and we believe that a personal touch will be key to future success of campaigns. Particularly as we see the power to affect brands transition more and more into the hands of consumers. It’s important that whoever provides the soundtrack for a campaign knows the industry inside out but can also bring a strong musical understanding, creating innovative, powerful and appropriate ideas.

Ultimately, we want to be known for providing excellent music solutions in a timely and efficient manner and being a great music partner. It’s mine and Philip’s belief as owners of the business to always have a hand in the projects personally.

Paul and co-founder, music composer, Philip Jewson have developed this unique approach through years of experience in the business covering television, film, radio and digital. Paul Cartledge was taken under the wing of Tony Visconti at a young age, record producer to David Bowie among others, he became the studio manager of Visconti's 'Good Earth Studios' in London. Later moving on to work for Joe & Co, he had the opportunity to work with some of music’s greats, from Frank Sinatra to Dusty Springfield. Philip Jewson had an equally interesting start as a protégé to composer Harrison Birtwistle. He met Cartledge when they were introduced to each other by advertising music gurus Joe Campbell and Paul Hart.