Music in Advertising: Evolution, Formats and Functions with a gender perspective.

This guest lecture was delivered in November 2022 in the "Music as Communication and Creative Practice" module at the Department of Media, Communication and Cultural Studies of Goldsmiths, University of London, during my visiting research fellow scholarship (RECUALI/7).  

This lecture explores the intricate relationship between music and promotional culture, focusing on "musicvertising." This term encapsulates how these two fields have evolved symbiotically, from early radio jingles to contemporary branded content. In promotional culture, advertising serves as one-way communication primarily used by brands to inform, persuade, and engage potential customers. Brands spread persuasive messages to sell products, maintain a brand presence, build image, and entertain. These messages inherently carry the brand's values, meanings, and identity, unified by an underlying ideology of consumerism. As music becomes a tool for communication, brands increasingly produce their content, blurring the lines between commercial and artistic production. This shift has led to the rise of branded content, where brands act as music producers, merging entertainment with advertising to generate engagement across various platforms. The lecture will critically assess whether this relationship fosters diversity or promotes homogeneous tastes dictated by commercial interests. We will explore multiple advertising formats where music is pivotal, such as jingles, soundtracks, and branded content, analyzing their roles in enhancing advertisement appeal and evoking emotional responses.

Additionally, the lecture will address the ethical implications of this practice, questioning if it represents a symbiotic collaboration or a parasitic exploitation. We will also observe whether brands reinforce gender stereotypes via brand placement. By examining these dynamics, students will gain insights into the strategic use of music in advertising and its broader cultural impact, fostering a critical understanding of how music shapes contemporary consumer culture.

I thank Dr. Wendy Jordan, convenor of Music as Communication and Creative Practice, for the opportunity to deliver this guest lecture at DMCCS of Goldsmiths, University of London.