Sound That Sticks: Why Brands Are Betting on Bespoke

Photo by and machines on Unsplash.

At Warner Chappell Production Music (WCPM), the process of composing for brands is about more than volume or vibe – it’s about translation. And not everyone gets it.

“When experience and resources meet the unexpected – genre shifts, demographic preferences, etc. – we are able to adapt,” says Scott Reinwand, VP of production. But that doesn’t mean starting with a trend and moving backwards. For WCPM, custom music is a strategic asset, not an accessory.

In the case of Ocean Spray’s ‘Just Add Cran’ campaign, Scott’s team was briefed to make it fun, funny, and disruptive. “There were music options that were more obvious,” he tells me. “But we asked our team of composers for one ‘safe’ choice and one ‘wildcard.’” A heavy metal wildcard track stood out. “It made us laugh. It was unexpected, unique, humorous… and most importantly, attention grabbing.” The agency backed the risk, and the track made it in.

But when it came to Netflix’s Blue Ribbon Baking Championship, it required a different type of balance. Pat Weaver, head of production at WCPM, says the show’s Americana references could have tipped into the ocean of cliché.

“At the time, we happened to be working on a somewhat ‘invented’ genre – folk pop with orchestral layers. These were celebratory in nature with handclaps and banjos but also with stirring strings, percussion, and nuanced electronic layers.” Netflix pivoted,and that hybrid sound became the backbone of the show’s musical identity.

The bravery behind WCPM’s success comes from prioritising interpretation over literalism. “We’re translators between the client and the music makers,” says Scott. Every project starts off with a detailed creative brief that maps tone, goals, and target audience. From there, producers work closely with composers, shaping feedback into music. “Our goal is to create music that not only supports the visual narrative of a spot, but also delivers emotional impact and reinforces the brand's identity.”

It’s a process that depends on speed and control, which is where WCPM’s studios in LA and Nashville come in. “They exist to serve our internal company needs, so we’re not competing for time with outside clients,” explains Scott. “We started [a CBS Sports project] in our Hollywood studio. When it was time to record a larger string ensemble, we moved to our Nashville studio.” The integration is built for fast turnarounds without compromise.

What’s more, Pat believes that custom music can stretch even further. She puts it plainly: “Licensing an existing popular song is valid, but it’s cut with a short shelf life.” Original work, on the other hand, doesn’t carry the same baggage. “The brand is essentially co-opting a song’s existing fanbase… that association with the brand ultimately gets diluted.”

WCPM’s work for NBC’s Annie promo in partnership with Fisher-Price is a case in point. “We did an instrumental cover of the song ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’, but we used all the Fisher-Price toys to make it happen,” Pat tells me. It was a recognisable melody completely rebuilt with the sound palette of the brand. “It wasn’t a mnemonic or long-term brand statement, but it perfectly captured the joy of the Annie musical with the whimsy and fun of the Fisher-Price brand.”

In the case of CBS’s AFC Championship promo, set in New Orleans, the client had selected ‘Dream a Little Dream’, made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington – not really a sports anthem. Pat and her team turned it into a three-and-a-half-minute cinematic opener. “We used re-recorded female vocals, the iconic trumpet solo that kicks the song off, and epic, orchestral layers to add the trailer dynamics needed to pull this off.”

Flexibility, they say, is becoming non-negotiable. “Requests are all over the place these days… Sometimes we’re called upon to create a full-length song that then gets cut down to various lengths.” That variability – 90 seconds for broadcast and 06 seconds for social – demands modular composition, multiple versions, and, of course, tight edit control.

A recent initiative, Run4Cover, is WCPM’s solution to licensing gridlock. Because Warner Chappell controls both publishing and master rights for selected songs, WCMP can re-record familiar tracks from the ground up. “No more exacerbating phone calls to numerous publishers and master rights holders for a client to get clearance. “It’s one phone call,” says Pat.

Still, not every campaign demands reinvention. “Sometimes the approach is traditional,” says Scott, but “sometimes we need to try something new and fresh.” Either way, the infrastructure – like in-house studios and label partnerships – exist to remove friction. “We are able to help companies adapt to shrinking budgets by offering more production services,” says Pat. That includes voiceover, mix, music supervision, and rapid artist collaboration. In one case, WCPM pulled in commercial artists from Warner Chappell Music and delivered campaign demos in under three days.

It’s the kind of momentous logistical lift that most brands and agencies can’t begin to do alone, but WCPM’s bet is that while brands want music that works, they care more about something that lasts. “Creating from scratch can be scary for some brands,” Pat explains. “But in the end, it can be the perfect, lasting marriage of emotion and values.”