In October, Johnnie Walker, produced its edgiest campaign to date. A campaign that used music to stake the brand’s claim in pop culture. Australian music supervision agency, Trailer Media, brought some of the world’s most famous music together to make that campaign happen. One of the “biggest global syncs of 2021”, a mash-up of hits by Run DMC feat. Aerosmith’s, Lou Reed and Loretta Lynn, presented a challenging set of clearance issues across the various rights-holders. And ultimately a triumph for Trailer Media during its 20th anniversary.
“The brief was to bring some of the most iconic music together in one mix for the campaign,” stated Trailer Media founder, Anton Trailer. “Wrestling the likes of Steve Tyler through to the Lou Reed Estate took a mix of planning, patience, dogged resilience and some negotiating.”
Licensing these works individually would have been a task but bringing together such huge rights in a mash-up for advertising was a first. According to Trailer, there were early doubters that the idea could even be pulled off. It was, and one label head commented afterwards that “this was one of the most rewarding projects we’ve been involved with”. Sony Music London (Aerosmith & Run DMC & Lou Reed) gave equal praise, saying it was the “biggest spot of the last decade and a first for a number of reasons”.
Keep Walking is a jewel in Trailer Media’s crown. It sits there beside the company’s first major Australian collaboration in 2005 for The Glue Society’s awarded Virgin Mobile 5 Cent Campaign.
In its 20 years, the company has used its global network to find music that stands out for agencies on brands such as the NRL (on both sync and live events), Virgin Australia, Qantas, Hyundai, Audi, Kia, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Optus, Belong, Virgin Mobile, David Jones, Kmart, Bonds, Kings Living, 7 Eleven, Aldi, Coca Cola, Pepsi Max, Fanta, Cadbury, Nescafe, KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Masterfoods, IAG, NIB, Visa, Cricket Australia, NRMA, Samsung, LG, OPSM, Macquarie Uni and Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Last year, Trailer Media received its first feature film music supervision credit in Australia, for Justin McMillan’s psychological thriller, Sweet River.
Explore Trailer Media’s work here.
Music credits for Keep Walking are:
Director: Glen Luchford
Agency: Anomaly, UK
Agency Director of Music: Ben Dorenfeld @ Anomaly
Music Executive Producer: Zach Pollakoff @ Heavy Duty
Music Supervisor: Anton @ Trailer Media
Johnnie Walker keeps walking into edgier places
