MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Scholars argue that sonic branding and the use of original music in advertising is a form of cultural intermediation. Shifting away from but not neglecting this perspective, this essay argues that the relationship between music and advertising is one of promotional intermediation. The essays examines how advertising and music work together, forming a mutually promotional bond of intermediation wherein ads provide a distributive platform for independent musicians and the musicians provide inexpensive creative work for the advertisers.

Despite being virtually ignored by mass media and the marketplace, musician Ingrid Michaelson possesses a strong social media following and music streaming web presence. In a market as exclusive and competitive as the music industry, independent musicians are likely to find greater economic success licensing their music rather than touring. Advertising and music are entwined in this mutually promotional relationship: advertising is no longer seen as poaching from the indie but, rather, supporting it through “distribution” —alternatively, the musicians provide original music suitable for a variety of campaigns, often at little cost to the advertiser.

The apparent duality ultimately reinforces their promotional symbiosis, as is demonstrated by the case of Ingrid Michaelson. For the purposes of brevity and scope, the analysis only examines Michaelson’s music in advertising. The essay begins with a literature review of existing scholarship on music and advertising, providing context for the case study. Following this is an overview of the the contemporary music industry, that points to Michaelson as an exemplar of the changing nature of distribution methods. It concludes with a close analysis of seven commercials featuring Michaelson’s 2008 song “Be OK”. The evidence presented throughout the case study reinforces the argument that music and advertising no longer share a one-way, exploitative relationship, wherein the advertiser is the sole beneficiary, but a bond of mutually promotional intermediation.