Sonixphere Wins Three Tellys
April 18, 2012—Sonixphere, a global resource for everything related to music and sound, has won three 2012 Telly Awards for the music and sound design it created for the Illinois Lottery spot Cash For Life. The humorous :30, produced via Energy BBDO, garnered Silver Tellys (top honors) for Best Composition and Best Use of Music for a Local, Regional or Cable TV Commercial, and a Bronze Telly in Sound Design.
“It’s a big win and a true honor for us,” says Greg Allan, CEO and Creative Director at Sonixphere. “Winning Tellys in all three sound categories for this one spot affirms the solid team work that transpired between Sonixphere and the EnergyBBDO creative team. Our goal was to create a sonic story that was minimal, yet impactful, enhancing the black humor of the accident-prone lottery winner.”
Briefed by EnergyBBDO’s Group Creative Director Grant Tennison, writer Miller Jones and art director Aaron Pendleton on the “sonic flavor” they wanted for the spot, Sonixphere’s composers and sound designers created a contrasting aural story. A soothing score is interrupted by abrasive sound design elements each time Steve, the spot’s main character has a close call—he’s hit by two cars, sticks his hand in a chipper and falls off his roof. The mix of Foley and sound effects serve as a leitmotif for the spot. Sonixphere also performed final mixing and audio finishing.
“Juxtaposing the naïve score with the sound design achieved a contrast that accentuated the story,” notes Allan. “The music evokes the simple life, much like the old Andy Griffith Show.”
Chosen from nearly 11,000 entries submitted from all 50 states and numerous countries, Cash for Life was one of the first spots Sonixphere was awarded when it launched nine months ago. The global creative team has since accrued a significant body of work including the noteworthy national spots Ice Course for Columbia Sportswear (Butler, Stern, Shine), and Kris for Aleve (EnergyBBDO), as well as upwards of 25 network and cable TV shows.
“Cash for Life was one of the first spots we were awarded upon launching Sonixphere,” Says Allan. “We love to work on projects like this where we get great direction and input from the agency, but then are given free rein to explore the creative possibilities. Our goal is to arrive at a sonic destination our clients never dreamed of while providing sound solutions that are strategic, comprehensive and make the visuals come alive. It’s what drives the Sonixphere engine and Cash for Life is exemplary of that approach.”