What About The Music

In this episode of What About The Music, we sit down with Julian Cohen, Creative Director at nice&frank, to explore the role sound plays in shaping creative ideas, selling concepts to clients, and ultimately bringing campaigns to life. If you're a creative, marketer, or filmmaker, this episode highlights why music isn’t just background in advertising, it’s part of the storytelling. 🎧 About the Podcast What About The Music explores the intersection of music, creativity, and advertising through conversations with leading creatives and industry voices.

What if brands have more power to launch artists than record labels or streaming platforms? In this episode of What About The Music, Claire Jordan, Executive Creative Director at Proof Advertising, joins us to unpack a major shift in the creative industry. Brands now have the reach, budgets, and cultural influence to launch artists in ways traditional record labels and streaming platforms can’t. sostereo.com

In this episode, SoStereo founder Beto Azout sits down with Matt Heath, co-founder and creative at Partyland, to explore the power of sound and the art of original music in advertising. Matt shares insights from standout campaigns produced by his agency, revealing how custom-composed music shapes emotion, storytelling, and brand identity. Together, they dive into why the right sound isn’t just a finishing touch, but actually the heartbeat of a great spot. sostereo.com

Join us on this episode of What About The Music? as we sit down with Monty Montalto, Head of Global Marketing at Etsy, for an inside look at the world of Etsy. Monty shares insights on creativity, marketing strategies, and the brand’s unique collaborations with artists like Kacey Musgraves and major partnerships like the WNBA Icon Collection.

In this episode of What About the Music (Podcast), SoStereo Founder Beto Azout sits down with Trenton Ubben, Founder and Director at The Rec League, to unpack the creative vision behind the new campaign for '47 and more. Whether you're a music supervisor, creative director, or just love a good behind-the-scenes ad story—this one's for you.

In this episode of What About the Music, SoStereo co-founder Beto Azout sits down with Brian Siedband and Gordy Sang, co-CCOs and co-founders of the creative agency Quality Meats, to talk about the role of music in advertising and why a song can make or break the feeling of a spot.

In this episode, Beto Azout sits down with Jeff Cruz, Global Executive Creative Director at MRM, to explore how music transforms advertising and creates lasting emotional connections. They discuss the role of music in shaping iconic ad campaigns, from Pontiac’s unforgettable soundtracks to Harley-Davidson’s rebellious anthems. Jeff also shares the incredible story of Lady Gaga getting a tattoo in the back of a Pontiac Vibe and what it reveals about the power of branding. Tune in to hear how brands use music to leave a cultural impact and why the right track can make all the difference.

In this episode, Beto Azout sits down with Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Wolfgang, Colin Jeffery to talk about the journey through his career, how to convince clients to take risks with music as well as AI as a tool and the need for human authenticity.

In this episode, 72andSunny's Head of Production for North America, Lora Schulson lays out a playbook for directors, producers and creatives on how to organize, plan, and execute music in their campaigns. She also doubles down on why music is so important and the positive outcomes it can create when embraced early.

In this episode, Mo Said founder of Mojo Supermarket shares how his early passion for music and film led him to discover the world of advertising and the evolution of music's role in the space. The two discuss using an unreleased Mr. Rogers song in a Google campaign, current reliance on stock tracks, and how real artists will outlive stock and AI-generated music.

This week’s guest is Orlando Wood - Advertising Effectiveness Author, Researcher and Chief Innovation Officer at System1. Orlando’s research and publications have helped shape the advertising space for many years and has garnered numerous awards. Orlando is also the co-host for the advertising podcast “Never Mind The Adverts” which discusses the biggest news and the opinions on advertising.

This week’s guest - Frank Garcia is Executive Creative Director at Golin. As a musician and creative, for over a decade Frank has been helping lead ad creative for brands like Coach, WhatsApp and Under Armour. His work has been featured on CNN, The New York Times, SNL, and has received numerous accolades at Cannes Lions, The Webbys and many more.

With 20+ years of production experience; Tanya LeSieur is working at the intersection of culture, marketing, creativity, technology, and media. Tanya is currently the head of production of MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER and has worked for brands like Sonos, Audi, Staples and many others. Episode Highlights:03:25 - Tanya shares her first interaction with music in the world of advertising09:00 - Beto & Tanya discuss the importance of starting the music process early13:50 - Tanya dives into a Sonos campaign and its musical process20:25 - Tanya shares the background of a campaign she worked on for Runaway train24:50 - Tanya shares advice to fellow producers More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Ad Age Small Agency of the Year’s Tasha Cronin, head of production at Mojo Supermarket, joins the podcast to break down the significance of music in advertising. With deep experience in the world of production working with brands like Meta, HBO, and even working on an award winning campaign for DojaCode, Tasha dives into her process and shares key advice for fellow industry professionals. Episode Highlights:05:05 - Tasha shares a few things she wishes she knew when she first started in the music-for-ads world09:00 - Tasha discusses some of the most difficult things she faces when working in production13:00 - Tasha dives into the importance of starting the music process early16:45 - Beto shares how he thinks music can best be leveraged on social media18:20 - Tasha gives an in depth look at an award winning campaign for DojaCode28:25 - Tasha shares key takeaways and advice More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Veronica Beach, co-founder & partner of the poolhouse, joins Beto Azout to unlock the marketing power of music. Previously the Director of Production at Pereira O’Dell and a founding member & Head of Global Production at DAVID, she has worked with many brands like Burger King, Coca Cola, and Kraft-Heinz. Veronica walks us through her over 20 years of experience in the content production space, shares a key perspective on ‘ballparking’ and budgeting, and breaks down the musical process behind a prolific Dove campaign.  Episode Highlights:05:25 - Veronica shares her take on how music and advertising go hand in hand08:00 - Beto and Veronica ponder why music is typically a last line item14:10 - Veronica discusses her typical approach to music18:25 - Veronica dives into one of her favorite campaigns and the role that music played in it26:30 - Veronica shares the background behind the poolhouse More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Award winning Creative Directors Bryan Barnes & Shannon Murphy at adam&eveDDB join the podcast to break down the music-for-ads industry. With experience working with brands like JetBlue, Volkswagen, Molson Coors, and Mountain Dew, the pair dive into tackling music from a creative perspective. Episode Highlights:05:30 - Shannon discusses her introduction to music in the advertising industry12:00 - Shannon dives into a project for Blue Moon, and the key role music played in the campaign17:00 - Bryan shares how he navigates music terminology in the production phase19:00 - Bryan dives into the background of a powerful project for P&G and the custom music process24:20 - Shannon & Bryan share their key advice for fellow creatives More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com 

Founder and CEO of amp Michele Arnese joins Beto Azout to discuss all things sonic branding. With decades of experience in the advertising sector, Michele is one of the world’s foremost experts in the audio branding industry. The pair discuss the development of sonic identity awareness and the intricate role music played in a Mastercard campaign. Episode Highlights:02:55 - Michele shares the background of his company08:10 - Beto & Michele discuss how awareness surrounding sonic identity has developed over the years11:40 - Michele discusses his work with Mercedes Benz17:45 - Beto & Michele ponder why brands may not prioritize music and why that should change21:50 - Michele shares his advice for how brands can best approach music More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Award winning industry executive Jon Drawbaugh, Head of Production at Argonaut, joins Beto Azout to unlock the power of music. With a history of producing high-quality creative, Jon has worked for some of the industry’s top creative shops including FCB West, DDB San Francisco, Mullen LA, and more. Jon discusses the significance of music in all aspects of production and shares how one of his favorite bands got involved in a prolific spot. Episode Highlights:00:50 - Jon shares his journey into the world of advertising & production04:35 - Jon shares how freelance work allowed him to bring new ideas to the table09:15 - Jon dives into his musical process and how he tackles each project20:20 - Beto asks Jon to share any pivotal moments in his career that were centered around music27:45 - Jon discusses the direction he’d like to see music in advertising take in the future  More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Award winning creative, speaker, author, and host Bernice Chao joins Beto Azout to discuss the importance of music in advertising and current trends. In this week’s episode of ‘What About The Music,’ the Head of Integrated Creative at Zambezi shares the prominence of music in her career and the impact it made on an influencer campaign for Nissan. Episode Highlights:03:10 - Bernice dives into her first role with TBWA\Chiat Day and how her position touched music08:00 - Beto & Bernice explore the concept of budget and how it comes into play when finding the perfect track for a spot09:20 - Bernice talks Beto through her role at Zambezi and the significance of music in some of her exciting new projects12:30 - Bernice discusses the key role that music played in a Nissan influencer campaign More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com

Soundtrack Your Brand’s Founder, CEO & Chairman Ola Sars needs no introduction. Previously co-founder and COO of Beats Music, acquired by Apple and transformed into Apple Music, and co-founder of Pacemaker, the world’s first DJ driven music platform, Ola joins the podcast to deliver extraordinary insights on the music-tech industry.To kick off Season 3 of ‘What About The Music,’ Ola shares his research on how music drives sales, discusses the importance of transparency in the music-tech space, and shares key advice on how brands can best approach music from a strategic standpoint. Episode Highlights:06:00 - Ola explains how music can drive consumer decisions, diving into the background of Soundtrack Your Brand11:30 - Beto & Ola ponder why the music industry is always playing ‘catch up’ from a tech standpoint18:30 - Ola shares his take on how a business can best approach music strategy23:30 - Ola explains the sizable impact that music can have on a business’ success More on SoStereo:SoStereo makes it fast and easy for brands & agencies to use real music by real artists on their video content. Our goal is to help brands unlock the marketing power of music; to elevate content & better connect with consumers. Find out more at sostereo.com