Two yet-to-be-named brands with a lineage of deploying great music as part of their marketing/advertising strategy will be inducted into the newly created Association of Music Producers (AMP) Awards Hall of Fame during festivities on November 14 at City Winery in New York. At the same time, this tribute to ad music history also reflects AMP’s watchful eye on the future as it looks to broaden its base in order to best serve the organization’s membership and the industry at large.
The inaugural Hall of Fame induction is the the centerpiece of a “coming-out party” at City Winery during which the launch and details of a more encompassing competition will be announced–namely the AMP Awards for Music & Sound.
The first annual AMP Awards for Music & Sound are slated for late 2013 and will honor the best in music and sound for advertising and branding in all media. The comprehensive show will recognize original music, licensed recordings, adaptations and sound design.
The AMP Awards in turn represent a move to diversify AMP as an organization. “It’s transformative,” assessed AMP’s past president Lyle Greenfield, president/founder of Bang Music. “AMP is looking to build a bigger tent for the present and future, recognizing other music providers, including labels and music publishers, music supervisors and other artists. We’re inviting their participation. It’s AMP broadening its base of the past 15 years beyond original music, which we continue to recognize and celebrate.”
Current AMP president Larry Pecorella, founder/creative director at music/sound house Comma, noted that AMP’s core member companies for the most part “already touch every facet of sound. We do original music, rearrangements, licensing, sound design, mixing. Bringing others into AMP like labels and publishing companies reflects the diversity of the music and sound business. And having these other voices in AMP is not just important for our awards show but also for setting standards and practices for the industry and raising consciousness of how valuable music and sound are–in all its forms–throughout the commercial world.”
Josh Rabinowitz, sr. VP/director of music at Grey New York, will serve as the first honorary chair of the AMP Awards for Music & Sound. He will also have a hand in the rollout event in November. Rabinowitz told SHOOT he was drawn to both the AMP Awards and the prospect of AMP becoming a broader-based organization. Rabinowitz, Pecorella and Greenfield are part of a still developing AMP Awards Founders Advisory Board that also includes Ed Razzano, VP at BMG/Chrysalis; Jeannette Perez, VP at Sony Music; Bex Schwartz. head of on-air promos, VH1; and Mark Huffman, executive production manager, Procter & Gamble.
“The different facets of the industry these people represent are what I deal with all the time on the agency side,” related Rabinowitz. “To have an awards show and an organization encompass all this makes for a go-to place for the best work, the best standards and practices, the best perspectives on business and creative issues.”
Greenfield added that more key people from varied walks of the business will also be invited to serve on the Awards Founders Advisory Board, offering their perspectives and expertise.
Catalyst
Pecorella observed that the industry party on Nov. 14 will serve as “a catalyst” not just for the awards show but to bring all the players together at the same time and same place. “It’s a calling card for what we’re trying to build, a springboard to expand AMP’s board and membership, to get the ball rolling so that we become the trade organization for all music and sound within the advertising community,” affirmed Pecorella.
Greenfield noted that partnered in the November get-together in an effort to make it as successful and inclusive as possible is Stillwell Partners, which has a pedigree that includes running Advertising Week in New York.
Also key is AMP’s nearly 10-year relationship with the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP). Greenfield described the AICP as “a kind of sister association” to AMP with AICP CEO and president Matt Miller in particular consulting and advising AMP on varied industry matters and issues. As for the AMP Awards, Greenfield related that Miller has been “in the discussions for years, and now the ideas and ruminations are coming to fruition. What he–and the AICP–are bringing to this is the experience from 20 years doing the AICP Show, and making sure that, at its foundation, is the excellence, the craft of the work and the process…The AMP Awards must first be about raising awareness of the importance and value of music and sound [across all platforms]. And then, in our own music-driven way, it should be a memorable party that will be the must-attend event of the season.”
Greenfield envisions that the upcoming November 14 festivities–with the Hall of Fame ceremony, the announcement of the AMP Awards, and featuring live entertainment, DJs, food, spirits and networking–will prove inspiring, particularly with the screening of clips showing notable work, including that of the Hall of Fame inductees.
The two inductees are to be chosen from a group consisting of Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Nike, McDonald’s and Budweiser. AMP members were at press time voting on the Hall of Fame selections for this year, with ultimate oversight of the final choices under the jurisdiction of the AMP Awards Founders Advisory Board (which arrived at this year’s five finalists after culling through dozens of leading candidates). Future annual Hall of Fame inductions will not be limited to brands. Plans call for other entities or individuals to get Hall of Fame consideration down the road. Inductees are to be recognized for their track record as well as their ongoing commitment relative to music and sound.
For more info on the November event, log onto ampnow.com.
