The main theme for this beautiful spot was to be able to do the impossible. Right from the very beginning, the client prioritized the music for the piece, knowing it would be an integral part in bringing their vision to life.
Our mission was to search for a recognizable song that could communicate the theme of overcoming an ‘impossible dream’. We hoped to reimagine it in a way that would speak to the client's Millennial target audience, and to find a singer who could cut through the noise. The agency’s ultimate song choice was ‘Impossible Dream’ from Man Of La Mancha, which proved to be a difficult license because it is represented by the estate of the composer. With this reality and very tight timelines in mind, we found two other song options, 'This Is My Life' by Shirley Bassey and 'Climb Ev’ry Mountain' from The Sound Of Music, to concurrently clear and cover.
The direction for all covers was ‘new soul’ (Leon Bridges, Charlotte Day Wilson, Brittany Howard etc), and finding the perfect vocalist was known to be a key part of this journey. Thanks to our far-reaching artist and producer community, as well as our trusted roster of composers experienced in ad writing, we were able to present a beautifully rounded list of 18 different covers in the initial round alone. Fast favourites were selected and put through a rigorous revision process, during which true collaboration was discovered. The eventual winner was a collaboration between an established artist producer duo and an experienced ad composer. Thanks to this combo, the track was able to strike a balance between an artist’s authenticity, and the drama required for a television ad.
The eventual winning vocalist was the very same singer who was featured in the initial demo round--Rachel Park. Her unique tone was able to bring an indie and soulful element to the piece. Other singers were auditioned later in the process, but it was found that other voices brought this track to an entirely different place. Park’s restrained elegance managed to make this song feel like the cool, creative artist’s cover that our target audience would love.
