Have you ever wondered how some brands find a way to draw you into a commercial’s scene even as you have the remote in hand ready to ff the f out of there? A big part of winning our oh-so-valuable attention involves music, and the right track is especially crucial when a brand has mere seconds to avoid getting their message zapped into the ether.
, our Supervisor of the Month, has made his career out of connecting brands like Chevrolet, Doritos and Verizon to just the right music for their very different needs.“There’s a perfect song out there for EVERYTHING,” he tells us is his personal motto, while maintaining that being organized and connected is just as important as being adept at music-brand matchmaking. Learn more about this (and other fun Todd stuff) in our Q&A right here:
ALIBI: How did you get into music supervision?
Todd: I was working at ad agencies in the late ‘90s producing commercials. I would help find music for our ads and other content, but when it came time to license the songs, we could never seem to get what we wanted, so I started reaching out to bands, labels and publishers directly to help solve this problem. It became a career. ;-)
ALIBI: What do you enjoy most about your work?
Todd: Seeing live music, discovering new artists and new songs from well-known artists and helping make the connection between brands and great music.
ALIBI: How do you find inspiration on an average work day?
Todd: Well, lots of ways, tbs! I think the biggest inspiration is seeing the difference the right piece of music can make to a message, the process of looking for that track and having that emotional and physiological response… when you know you’ve got something special, you’re excited to share this experience with the client team.
ALIBI: What projects are you most proud of when you think about your career?
Todd: Well, I’d say the larger contributions to brands’ audio strategies – specifically getting brands noticed for their use of music and their engagement with artists. I feel like I made meaningful contributions for brands like Chevrolet, Doritos (and other Frito Lay brands), Meta, JanSport and (most recently) Verizon.
ALIBI: What is the biggest lesson you have learned career-wise?
Todd: Publishing is power… hahaha. Well, the biggest lesson is that it’s NOT just about having great taste in music; it’s about being connected, being organized and having a process that makes clients and rights holders happy while also getting you paid.
ALIBI: What’s your personal motto?
Todd: There is a perfect song out there for EVERYTHING.
ALIBI: What musical instruments do you play, if any?
Todd: I own a LOT of instruments: ukuleles, guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, drums, etc. I DON’T practice… so yeah, I make no claims here.
ALIBI: Quick – give us your 5 rapid-fire favorites:
Todd:
Band/Artist?
, , lots of the newer hardcore bands right now, and then mellow stuff like . Loving some of the retro French psyche pop happening right now too.Film/Show? I’m terrible about modern episodic shows.
Food? Pizza and tacos FTW
Vacation Spot? Just got back from San Sebastian, Spain. That is one of my fave spots on EARTH… fun surf, great food, rich history, amazing.
Hobby? Surfing all over the world… kinda more than a hobby at this point. ;-)
ALIBI: Tell us one crazy or interesting fact most people don’t know about you.
Todd: Here’s TWO! I DJ’d Timothy Leary’s wake and was also in an Insane Clown Posse video.
ALIBI: What do you wish more people understood about what you do?
Todd: Again, It’s not just about having great taste in music; it’s that AND being able to get the tracks you need for the money you have. Strong relationships with rights holders are KEY.
ALIBI: What is your best advice for others hoping to get into your line of work?
Todd: Join the
, seek knowledge and mentorship from the BEST people in the biz!ALIBI: Any side projects or activities you’d like to promote?
Todd: Currently producing a spoken word project, “Sounds of San Francisco.” It’s the second in a series (the first was
), which features notable SF people telling stories about the city I live in. The project will be pressed to vinyl and will be made available as a podcast, and all proceeds go to local charities.ALIBI: How can people follow your work?
Todd:
and are probably the best places to see updates on recent projects.