“Fearlessness,” a riveting spot about what it takes for reporters at The New York Times to get to the heart of a vital news story, won Best in Show for Wave Studios at tonight’s AMP Awards for Music & Sound in New York. The spot, part of the “The Truth is Worth It" campaign created by Droga5, uses on-screen typography, dynamic editing and a compelling storyline, all tied together with a sound design that adds to the suspense and tension of the film.
Held at Sony Hall, the awards presentation, sponsored by the Association of Music Producers, saw Wave Studios, the New York and London-based audio post, mixing and sound design company, win not just the Best in Show but also Best Sound Design and Outstanding Mix, all for “Fearlessness.”
The other top winners at the competition were Droga5 and Antfood Music. Droga5 won in the Best Original Score category for “Major” for Hennessy, featuring music by Philip Kay and Woodwork Music, and in Outstanding Adaptation/Arrangement for “Mama Said Knock You Out” for Chase, produced with Q Department. Antfood Music won in Best Use of Music and Sound in Experiential or Events for “The Ghost & The Machine” for SXSW 2018, and Most Innovative Process & Execution for “Influencers” for Maxon.
“We had a great turnout for the AMP Awards this year, across the board, from our entries to our juries and judging process to our Curatorial Committee’s contribution to the artists and DJs we’ve lined up, all the way through to our sponsors and ticket buyers,” said AMP national president Elad Marish of Swell Music + Sound. “It’s truly gratifying to be back recognizing the great work that independent music companies, ad agencies, music publishers and others in our industry are doing on behalf of brands–and that’s what the AMP Awards are all about.”
Several special honors and recognitions were noted during the AMP Awards presentation, as well as live performances from up-and-coming artists and DJ sets spun by DJs who come from the advertising music industry.
Apple, which was represented in the AMP Awards winners circle in the Best Original Song category with an entry from agency TBWAMedia Arts Lab for a spot titled “Share Your Gifts,” was honored with induction into the AMP Hall of Fame, presented for Outstanding Achievement in the Use of Music to Define the Brand. Accepting on behalf of Apple was David Taylor, head of music/original content, worldwide marketing and communication. Apple joined such advertisers as Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Mars, McDonald’s, Pepsi and VW in AMP’s Hall of Fame.
The AMP Awards also presented trophies to Lyle Greenfield of BANG Music and industry veteran Jeff Rosner, in honor of their tireless efforts to launch the AMP Awards for Music & Sound in 2013. Also honored was the late Ryan Barkan, who launched the music department at Droga5 with music supervisor Mike Ladman. Barkan passed away in 2017. AMP has renamed the Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign as the Ryan Barkan Award for Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign.
Preceding the show, the audience grooved to a DJ set from Ladman and Jay Wadley; Wadley is co-founder of the New York music house Found Objects. Opening the ceremony was the Brooklyn-based artist Idgy Dean, who brought her one-woman performance style to the Sony Hall stage. Later in the show the audience was treated to a performance by The Kraken Quartet; the Austin-based group has harnessed a unique percussive sound that fuses a range of styles and techniques. Closing out the night was Hang the DJ, aka Francis Garcia of Shout It Out Loud Music (an AMP winner tonight for Best Use of a Sonic Logo/ID) and Charlie Davis, director of sync at BMG.
Unanimous choice for Best in Show
The selection of “Fearlessness” as the Best in Show and the most-honored entry at the competition was an easy choice for the judges, according to Katy Hornaday, EVP, executive creative director at Barkley. As chair of the AMP Awards, Hornaday presided over the Curatorial Committee meeting that certified all category winners and selected the Best in Show.
“This year’s Best in Show used sound–and at times the lack thereof–to really tell a story,” explained Hornaday. “When you view this piece through the craft of music and sound, you feel this emotional journey that wouldn’t be possible without this sound design. For me, the most beautiful part of this piece is the way the design allows space for different elements at different moments in the spot. It’s not ‘music,’ but when you really listen to the way sounds have been layered and orchestrated, it’s beyond artful.
Hornaday says the committee’s decision to award it Best in Show was unanimous: “The key to our overwhelming agreement was the fact that this is a great concept; the spot is excellent. Then when you dig into its craft, it makes you love and respect it even more.”
Overall, the Times campaign has been taking top honors at other advertising awards shows this year, and Hornaday isn’t surprised. “It’s really amazing,” she observed. “The story is emotional. The message is perfect. And then every detail is perfect. Perfect craft can’t elevate a poor concept. And a great concept can’t overcome poor craft. But when you’ve got both in one piece–superb concept married with excellent craft–it’s universally revered.”
To view the AMP Awards winners, click here. And here’s a full list of this year’s AMP Awards winners.
Best in Show
Wave Studios
“Fearlessness”
The New York Times
Droga5
Best Original Song
TBWAMedia Arts Lab
“Share Your Gifts”
Apple
TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Best Original Score
Droga5
“Major”
Hennessy
Droga5
Woodwork Music / Philip Kay
Outstanding Adaptation/Arrangement
Droga5
“Mama Said Knock You Out”
Chase
Droga5 / Q Department
Best Use of Licensed Pre-Existing Recording
Droga5
“Way to Wonder”
Google Pixel
Droga5
Fred Rogers
Best Sound Design
Wave Studios
“Fearlessness”
The New York Times
Droga 5
Ryan Barkan Award for Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign
Venn Arts
“Jaybird Presents ‘Run Wild’ (A Global Film Series)”
Jaybird
Camp4 Collective
Best Use of Music in a Promo or Trailer for Film, TV or Game
SixtyFour Music
“The Favourite”
Fox Searchlight
Best Use of Music and Sound in Experiential or Events
Antfood Music
“The Ghost & The Machine”
SXSW 2018
The Mill
Outstanding Mix
Wave Studios
“Fearlessness”
The New York Times
Droga5
Best Execution of a Sonic Logo/ID
Shout It Out Loud Music
“Comedy Central Sonic Rebrand “
Comedy Central
Comedy Central and Loyal Kaspar
Most Innovative Process & Execution
Antfood Music
“Influencers”
Maxon
Foam Studio Berlin
