Music plays a crucial role in advertising by forging emotional connections with the audience, reinforcing brand identity, and enhancing the overall message.
It also has the power to influence consumer behaviour, distinguish a product or service from competitors, and increase attention and recall.
However, leveraging music in advertising requires careful consideration of legal and ethical issues, especially regarding the acquisition of music rights.
There are two main categories of music commonly used in advertising:
Commercial Music: This includes songs that are already released and popular, often by well-known artists or bands.
Production Music: This refers to music specifically composed for media purposes, such as jingles, soundtracks, or library music.
Each type has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the process of securing rights for each involves different procedures and costs.
Music rights are the permissions granted by the creators and owners of music to those who wish to use it, such as advertisers, agencies, or broadcasters.
These rights cover various aspects of the music, including the composition, lyrics, performance, and recording. Protected by copyright laws, these rights require users to pay fees or royalties to the rights holders, which may include composers, lyricists, performers, or record labels.
Securing music rights is essential for advertisers who want to use music in their campaigns. The process differs depending on the type of music:
For Commercial Music: You must contact the record label to secure the master rights (for the recording). In certain instances, the publishing rights (for the composition) may be acquired through MCPS; however, if that's not possible, you'll need to obtain them directly from the publisher. MCPS can also offer further guidance on who to reach out to.
For Production Music: You typically need to contact the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS), which can issue a license covering both the publishing and master rights.
