Worldwide
The case
BBDO Energy Chicago’s SVP of Music brought Tracks & Fields in early on Pearle Vision’s campaign, before the shoot rather than at the offline edit stage. The ask was specific: find existing songs from emerging artists that feel organic, follow the emotional arc of the film, and match the story lyrically in a subtle way, avoiding anything that might tip into cliché.
The client was clear they did not want a commissioned production or “library” feel; they wanted the authenticity that tends to live in released music by real artists. At the same time, the music budget was fixed and relatively tight, so every song had to be viable not just creatively, but also financially and rights‑wise.
Final film:
What the industry playbook suggested
The budget pointed towards independent or upcoming artists; a huge but highly fragmented universe spread across thousands of small labels, publishers and self‑releasing musicians. The usual approach in that situation is to narrow the search:
- reach out to a handful of known rights holders or sync agents with small rosters;
- accept a limited number of options;
- and, if needed, compromise on either lyrical fit or exact mood to stay within budget and timing.
In many cases, that means the song is chosen late in the process, once picture is locked, and the edit is cut to a “mood track” that may be unaffordable or unavailable. The risk is high: either the final track doesn’t quite fit, or the team falls in love with something they cannot use.
What our infrastructure unlocked
Tracks & Fields approached Pearle Vision’s brief as a scale and precision problem, not just a creative one. Starting months before the shoot, they were able to keep the search tightly aligned to the script, the client’s references and their own music strategy rather than chasing a vague “vibe” against picture.
Researching before a shoot involves a constant reminder of the requirements of the script, briefing and our own music strategy every time we listen to a potential piece of music to make sure we stay on the right path.
Two key pieces of infrastructure made this workable:
- A large, hand‑picked catalogue: Instead of relying on a small roster, the team could draw from hundreds of thousands of tracks curated specifically for sync potential; songs with clear rights, strong storytelling and usable structures. This allowed them to find options that felt like they belonged to the film, not just on top of it.
- Systematic outreach to independent rights holders: On top of the in‑house catalogue, they had the ability to reach independent labels, publishers and self‑released artists at scale. A focused music briefing went out through this network (without exposing confidential campaign details), and responses were filtered for mood, structure, lyrical fit and budget; with terms and budget pre‑approved as an integral part of the outreach process.
Because creative fit, rights criteria and budget were all built into the same system from the start, the result was a strong shortlist assembled quickly, with every option genuinely executable within the concept and constraints.
The result
Because Tracks & Fields’ infrastructure combined a large, hand‑picked catalogue with systematic outreach to independent rights holders, Pearle Vision and BBDO didn’t have to compromise on either authenticity or fit. The team could find and clear a song that genuinely felt like part of the story, matched the script’s emotional arc and lyrics, and stayed within the fixed budget. That choice helped the film stand out, contributing to its recognition as a finalist at both the New York Festivals and the Golden Award of Montreux, with the music understood as a core reason the campaign resonated rather than just a layer on top.
If you want your next campaign to touch your audience with music that feels authentic yet still fits your story, budget and timeline, Tracks & Fields can bring that together: combining early, script‑based searches with infrastructure that reaches the right emerging artists at scale and keeps every option truly executable.
