It’s a little tricky reviewing an event that you were the host of—so let me just get it out of the way right now: The 3rd annual AMP Awards for Music and Sound at City Winery/NYC last week was awesome. Better than the first or second by far. Packed house. Deserving winners. Smart words from brilliant presenters (not sucking up, really!). At times hilarious. At times moving. Loud…often a bit too loud. (Special thanks to Cynthia Sexton, executive VP of Partnership Content, Universal Music Group, for instructing the crowd to “Shut the fuck up!” before introducing Photo Finish/Republic Records recording artist Marian Hill. It worked…for a minute.)
The AMP Awards has succeeded in drawing attention to the importance of music and sound—the sonic experience—in advertising and branding through all manner of transmissions, whether traditional TV / radio, internet, theatrical or some other magical delivery system I haven’t been told about yet. (Send me the memo, please.)
During last year’s AMP Awards ceremony, Grey president and Global CCO Tor Myhren challenged the industry to not simply “borrow from culture (music), but to create culture..” Meaning, I believe, find the original voice for your message, your brand.
For AMP, it’s our mantra. We talk, often, about the emotional and psychological impact that music and sound have on human response, interpretation, action. Each winning entry proved the point in its own unique way, starting with one of the winners in the Best Original Song category, the stirringly poignant “Safe In My Hands,” composed and performed by Eli Lieb for Allstate’s LGBT outreach campaign from agency Leo Burnett. The song was commissioned by Burnett specifically for this project—and it went on to win Best In Show for 2015 as well. Nice.
The Outstanding Adaptation trophy went to a surprising reimagination of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” for The Boxtrolls trailer, arranger McKenzie Stubbert for Walker in Portland, OR. This enchanting neo-baroque waltz also claimed honors for Best Use of Music for a Film or Game Promo / Trailer.
And in the category Best Use of a Licensed Song, the winning music danced in perfect flirtatious time with the visuals. The song, “Hey Mami” by Sylvan Esso for Samsung Gear / Galaxy, agency (again) Burnett. (One VI music producer felt it should have been Best In Show as well—it’s that good.)
Presenting the AMP Award for Most Impactful Radio Commercial was iHeart Media’s CMO, Gayle Troberman, who reminded (or informed) this smart congregation that 250 million people in the U.S. listen to radio every week. Ergo, getting their attention should be a marketer’s mandate. The winner, a hilarious spot for Motel 6 called “Autocorrect,” was created by The Richards Group in Dallas, featuring Tom Bodett and that front porch fiddle music you can never forget.
Ms. Troberman also presented the AMP Hall of Fame trophies to two iconic brands that have demonstrated, consistently and unforgettably, the power of music in telling their stories: Chevrolet and Pepsi. The screening of their historic commercial montages had the crowd roaring—in Chevy’s case for generations-spanning songs featuring Dinah Shore and Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, Kid Rock and more. For Pepsi, it was a head-spinning trip through the popular culture “tastes” of multiple eras…from jingles of the 50’s and 60’s to the biggest recording stars of the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s to, uh, right now. (Michael Jackson’s appearance brought a hush to the audience…then Ray Charles, Madonna, Brittany, J-Lo, Beyonce…)
Accepting the Hall of Fame trophy for Chevy was Steve Haener, sr. mgr. of Experiential Marketing and Brand Partnerships, and for Pepsi, Frank Cooper III, CMO, Global Consumer Engagement. Each spoke of the crucial role music has played in the success of their brands…and also of the positive impact their marketing programs have on the music and artists with whom they align. Of the importance of music to Pepsi’s branding Cooper said, “We know that a picture is worth a thousands words, but we believe that music is worth a thousand pictures.” Yes.
Other Awards category winners were presented by Paul Greco, 2015 AMP Awards Advisory Board chair and director of music and radio, J. Walter Thompson; past chairs Rani Vaz, sr. VP music and radio, BBDO, and Josh Rabinowitz, EVP director of music, Grey Group; Sarah Barclay, ECD at J. Walter Thompson, and Grey’s president/Global CCO Tor Myhren, who presented the Best In Show trophy.
When the presentations were over and the networking (imbibing) restarted, one agency head told me, “Next year we’re definitely going to enter our work in the AMP Awards.” To which I replied, “Awesome..” Clink.
Speaking of ‘awesome’, it’s the AMP Awards sponsors who get the show on the stage. (Cue Jimmy Fallon ‘Thank You Notes’ moment) So thank you Diamond Sponsors Island Records and Photo Finish/Republic; thank you 3-time Platinum sponsor iHeart Media; to our amazing agency Gold Sponsors, Grey, BBDO and J. Walter Thompson, thank you; and thank you Gold Sponsors Windfall Agency and APM Music; thank you Quietman for the brilliant show video; thank you Extreme Reach/SourceECreative, and thank you SHOOT for putting the AMP Awards on your front pages—you rock!
You can check out all of the 2015 AMP Awards winners here.
Lyle Greenfield is the founder of Bang Music and past president of the Association of Music Producers (AMP)
