Award-winning creative director and composer continues a legacy of innovation at the renowned bicoastal audio shop.
Brent Nichols takes on the national Executive Creative Director position at the bicoastal award winning audio shop, <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias. Nichols, accompanied with his rich experience and unparalleled passion for creativity, brings a fresh vibe to the <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias team.
Growing up in Virginia, Nichols discovered his musical influences early, listening to Jimmy Page, The Clash, Michael Jackson, and Prince. His idolization of these artists’ songwriting and styles inspired Nichols to study music theory and guitar. This passion for music was cemented within his career path when Nichols met composer/producer/DJ, Sam Spiegel. The creative collaborations between the duo landed Nichols in a double-threat position as Creative Director and Composer at Spiegel’s music house.
After nearly a decade in the industry, Nichols brings his finely-tuned ear to <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias. His coveted ability to execute musical ideas for any genre has garnered him top industry awards, such as his original composition on Spike Jonze’s Adidas spot “Hello Tomorrow” featuring Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which went on to win a One Show award, 4 AICP awards, 7 Clio Silver awards, and 2 Cannes Gold Lions, including the Award for Best Use of Music.
Nichols’ stand-apart skill for developing a brand’s musical voice has been recognized worldwide. His work with the project “I’m Here”<a href="http://imheremovie.tumblr.com/“> for Absolut Vodka was highly decorated at the AICP’s and Cannes Lions Festival in 2010, along with Nichols’ innovative composition on “Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular” for Target that won an AICP Next Award for “Next Experimental” and a D&AD 2011 Yellow Pencil.
Nichols’ philosophy finds him in perfect alignment with <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias‘ mission to use the emotional power of music as a vehicle for the story needing to be told. This keen sense for pairing visuals with sound in the role of Creative Director can be seen in his work for Match.com titled “Piano,” which won Several British Arrow Craft Awards among other industry accolades, as well as in the Sci Fi Channel project “Human Suit” which was the AICE Winner for Storytelling.
Brent Nichols is excited to continue his musical story as part, he says, “of the legacy of <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias. They are always looking to do new and cool projects within any spectrum of music.” Case in point, the first project that Nichols creative directed in his new position engaged the entire <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias team, from founder Jonathan <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias to the newest composer, on the groundbreaking Intel+Toshiba social film “The Power Inside” for Pereira & O’Dell directed by Speck and Gordon. The <a href="www.eliasarts.com“>Elias collective created a refreshingly original score for the blockbuster-class film showcasing a diverse range of genres, indicative of the creative capacity of the company and the direction Nichols will continue to forge.
Contact:Media: Alison Williams Raconteur Contact Alison via email 310 621 9839
Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More