From Music to Marketing: A Conversation with Josh Butt - Part 1

“Usually the thing I love about sound is how it answers the question within a very short period of time. You don’t have to listen for very long, right? If you hear a message twice, you go, ‘Oh, that must be their message.’ Turned up in two ads, you know, like it becomes a current. I mean, to me, it’s obvious pretty quickly.” -- Josh Butt

This episode’s guest is the Chief Production Officer of Ampel and an award-winning content creator of podcasts, TV, audio ads, and video content with over 25 years of experience. With an ear for sonic logos, musical stings, and funny ads, his work makes audiences laugh, think and act. He’s won a number of awards along the way and has previously worked at MediaCom, Storylab, ABC, and Triple M. A VCA and Monash Business school graduate, he’s a past participant of The Observership Program, a former lecturer at the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School, a former board member of Co-Curious / Curious Works, and he currently sits on the Create NSW Multi-Arts Board.

His name is Josh Butt and if you’re interested in learning more about the correlation between sound and memory, where humor fits into advertising, and how companies can make the best impact with curated sound, stay tuned because you’re going to want to hear what he has to say!

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests.

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(0:00:00) - From Music to Advertising

We start off with a look back at Josh’s early memories of sound, which, in his case, turns out to be the infamous “your door is ajar” car alert from the ‘80s. “It was a cool car,” he recalls. “I mean, sorry, it wasn’t a very cool car, but it had a great sound. That’s probably the first sound that I can think of.” Josh tells us about the importance of being adaptable in the Australian market, and how it led to him taking on a range of audio roles. “I had a business degree,” he says, “and so falling into the producer line sort of became my thing because I could communicate with all the creative people.”

(0:07:14) - Analog vs Digital Media and Sonic Branding

Josh also tells us about his early work with analog tape vs. digital audio, which one he prefers, and how his early days in podcasting led him into audio marketing. “Sonic branding has really been a focus of mine,” he explains, “as well as making radio ads and podcast ads that are for the audience.” We talk about some of the famous brands he’s worked with and the enduring impact a sonic brand can make. “They’ll be reaping the rewards from this,” he says about the famous McDonald’s jingle, “for twenty years because what they’ve done is put it into twenty years’ worth of young heads.”

(0:23:56) - Understanding Advertising Channels and Client Uniqueness

Our conversation turns to the ins and outs of developing a sonic brand, and how he works with clients to build a unique brand identity. “A lot of people don’t exactly know their audience,” he explains. “Some know them absolutely, fantastically, right. Some it’s a bit in the middle.” We also talk about the shift from jingles to voiceover ads to podcast host reads, and finding the right balance when it comes to audio marketing. “This is not statistical,” Josh says, “but 80 to 90% of my clients have tried something before and it’s not working, or they’ve never tried it before and they have nothing.”

Episode Summary

Josh’s early musical influences and versatility in the entertainment industry.
His career journey, from writing and comedy to podcasting and radio ads.
Understanding a client’s needs and finding the best fit for their audio brand.

Tune in next week as we talk about the explosive growth of podcast advertising and what it means for sonic branding, the challenge of making a unique impression in a world of AI sound, and the power of audio logos to condition and shape our impressions for generations to come.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://www.ampel.com.au/

Connect with Josh Butt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshbutt/

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