Two iconic brands will meet on stage at the AMP Awards for Music and Sound next month, as Chevrolet and Pepsi are honored for their long history of making music a key part of their stories. Both will be inducted into the AMP Hall of Fame at the Association’s 3rd annual awards show, set for City Winery in New York on May 5th, in recognition of “Outstanding Achievement in the Use of Music to Define the Brand.”
Chevy’s use of music as a central part of its marketing goes back to the earliest days of television, when “See the USA in your Chevrolet” was one of the first jingles to cross over into the popular lexicon. Pepsi was also an early and enthusiastic user of music, with its “Pepsi-Cola hits the spot” jingle—also among the most memorable ad tunes of the 20th century.
The two companies have consistently used music in all forms as key components of building relationships with consumers. Chevy brought back its legendary “See the USA” jingle in a big-budget musical TV spot produced for the Super Bowl in 2011 and starring the cast of the Fox series “Glee.” Over the years the brand has built memorable campaigns using licensed songs such as Bob Seger’s “Like a Rock” for Chevy Trucks as well as original hits like its “Heartbeat of America” jingle. The brand is also a high profile sponsor of music events ranging from SXSW to the Country Music Awards, hitting just about every genre in between.
Pepsi has a long tradition of tapping the power of popular music, celebrity and hitmakers to build its image as the “choice of a new generation” in the U.S. and around the world. From Michael Jackson to Ray Charles, Britney Spears, Madonna and its current relationship with Beyoncé, Pepsi has always aligned itself in positive ways with the rhythm of contemporary culture. It continues this tradition with an extensive program of sponsoring music events and artists, and has devoted a significant part of its digital media efforts to linking its brand with music offerings covering diverse genres and audiences.
“Each year, our goal is to honor brands that have put music and sound at the core of their messaging in ways that are arresting, surprising and memorable,” said AMP National Board president Marlene Bartos, managing director of Yessian Music in New York. “As such, we’re delighted that our membership has chosen these great advertisers for induction in our Hall of Fame. It’s an honor that’s well-deserved.”
A special committee comprised of past and present AMP Board members and AMP Awards Advisory Board members from the music industry at large is tasked with developing a list of nominees for the Hall of Fame honor, explained Lyle Greenfield, founder and partner at Bang Music, past president of AMP and one of the co-founders of the AMP Awards. “We look for remarkable advertisers who’ve consistently demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the power of music to connect with consumers on an emotional level,” he says. “This year, as in years past, we all felt strongly that our nominees would be worthy of induction in the Hall of Fame.”
The shortlist was then submitted to the full AMP membership for a vote. Among those participating in the process were JWT’s Paul Greco, director of music & radio, who is serving as chair of the 2015 AMP Awards Advisory Board, along with past Advisory Board chairs Rani Vaz, sr. VP and director of music and radio production at BBDO, New York, and Josh Rabinowitz, EVP/director of music at Grey Worldwide.
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
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