This week on The Sync Lab, I sat down with Ryan Dickinson, founder of the bespoke music library Made By Ikigai, for a focused conversation on custom music and the advertising world.

Ryan has had a deep and varied path through the industry. He started as a drummer, moved into DJing and production, then into composing for film and television, worked full time as a sound designer, and later became a creative director in advertising. That experience ultimately led him to launch Made By Ikigai.

Made By Ikigai has worked with major global brands including Amazon, Coca Cola, Nike, Visa, Adidas, Lexus, Samsung and more, creating custom music and sound for advertising campaigns.

In this episode, we cover:

• What “bespoke” music actually means in the context of advertising
• How music is created specifically to support narrative and storytelling
• Why multiple composers are sometimes hired for the same brief
• How creative directors evaluate submissions and choose the right direction
• The difference between referencing a vibe and copying a track
• Ryan’s thoughts on AI generated music and where it currently fits within commercial and sync workflows
• How composers can break into the world of bespoke composing
• The role of human taste, collaboration, and interpretation in high level brand campaigns

If you’ve ever wondered how custom music for major advertising campaigns is developed behind the scenes, this episode gives you a clear look into that world.

Learn more:

made by ikigai

Visit the Sync Lab for a free directory of music libraries and a free course on how to make money licensing your music:

THE SYNC LAB - Home