How Demo Love Is Redefining Music Libraries With Touring Talent

There's a reason the era of silent film is long dead - for audiences, good sound and music is integral to the magic of movies. Why is it then, that so often sound is an afterthought? And with rights restrictions tying their hands, sometimes creators are begrudgingly left with little choice than to squander huge chunks of budget. 

Music and sound company, Mean Machine, has been working on something that has the potential to democratise access to quality music for advertisers and content creators. It isn’t merely about access, though. Mean Machine co-founder, Clemente Bornacelli, drew from his extensive experience creative directing adverts and leading projects at renowned agencies.  For him the symbiotic relationship between sound and visual in creative storytelling is pivotal. After spinning successes at places like BBDO, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Deutsch, Omelet, and Mother, he could see a clear gap in the market. He thought, ‘Where was all of the high-quality music that also had emotional resonance? Couldn’t this work to elevate advertising and film, beyond the ordinary?’

That’s how Demo Love was born–and it’s here to save your storytelling from being drowned by elevator music. 

Demo Love boasts a meticulously curated library of nearly 1,000 tracks, distinguishing itself by offering real songs with the potential for airplay. Unlike conventional libraries, each track in the Demo Love collection has been crafted by professional artists and producers who have lent their talents to A-list artists such as Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga. 

LBB’s Tará McKerr sat down with Mean Machine music agent, Louisa Bisio to find out more about the music library that could change it all. 

LBB> How does Demo Love differentiate itself from traditional stock music libraries? What makes it a better alternative for filmmakers and storytellers?

Louisa> Curation from ad professionals along with the calibre of musicianship of our co-founders sets Demo Love apart from traditional music libraries. While other libraries offer a vast quantity of tracks, they often fall short in delivering music that truly connects with an audience on an emotional level, and most times, they sound like stock. This is where Demo Love shines:

Authenticity and Quality

Each track in Demo Love is created by professional musicians and producers with an impressive fanbase and credentials. Our artists also have experience creating music for ads, which for some is their side hustle when they aren’t touring. This pedigree ensures that every piece of music in the library is of the highest quality, capable of bringing genuine emotion and depth to any project.

Curated Selections for Storytelling

Unlike traditional stock music libraries that prioritise quantity, Demo Love focuses on curating a selection of tracks that are specifically designed for storytelling. This curation process ensures that film editors and storytellers can find music that perfectly fits the narrative and emotional tone of their projects without sifting through countless generic tracks. We make sure that the tracks have enough dynamic movement to be able to move through the various evolving visuals and narratives.

Ease of Use and Accessibility

The library is organised in a user-friendly manner, searchable by keywords like tempo, mood, and genre. This accessibility makes it easier for creators to quickly find the music they need, streamlining the creative process and saving valuable time. We also are happy to conduct the searches for you.

In essence, Demo Love is more than just a music library; it's a collection of the top works from REAL artists that advertisers can access as a tool to enhance storytelling, and a solution for the industry's need for accessible, high-quality music that can genuinely connect with audiences.

LBB> Could you walk us through the process of curating the music? How did you select the songs and artists featured in the library?

Louisa> At the heart of this process was leveraging the extensive network of talented musicians and producers we've had the privilege of collaborating with over the years, including those who have worked alongside our co-founders, such as Clemente Bornacelli, Martin Estrada, and Devin Hoffman.

The selection process began by reaching out to our most talented contacts within the music industry—individuals known for their exceptional craftsmanship and creativity. We invited these artists to contribute tracks to Demo Love, ensuring that each piece of music met our high standards for quality and emotional depth. This approach allowed us to compile a diverse collection of songs, each with its own unique story and ability to connect with listeners on a profound level.

LBB> Who could benefit from using Demo Love? What kind of projects or genres is it suited for?

Louisa> Demo Love is a dynamic music library designed to serve and inspire a wide range of creative professionals across the realms of advertising, content marketing, film, and beyond. Its extensive diversity in music genres and emotional depths makes it an essential tool for:

Advertising executives and brand strategists: Looking to embed their campaigns with music that strikes a chord with their audience.

Editors, film producers, directors: In pursuit of the quintessential score to complement their narrative storytelling. Editors, in particular, will find Demo Love invaluable for sourcing high-quality temp tracks that could seamlessly transition into the final edit, enhancing the cinematic experience without the usual back-and-forth search for the right music.

Content marketers and digital creators: Aiming to boost their content across digital platforms with music that increases viewer engagement and retention.

LBB> How are clients reacting to it?

Louisa> Clients have been really impressed telling us, “[there are] lots of bangers in here.” They’ve been using it to kick off brainstorming ideas for custom tracks. In contrast to other libraries, everything in here does not sound like library music—because it isn’t. These are real tracks from artists who make music for radio play and fans, not ads. But that’s what makes the potential for these great for ad use–especially as advertisers have the opportunity to move into the realm of A&R: discovering new artists and being responsible for catapulting their stardom .

LBB> How frequently is it updated with new music? Do you have plans to expand the library further in the future?

Louisa> We update as and when we hear new music we love, meet emerging artists that we think will break soon, or as we have conversations with execs and realise we have a catalogue gap. 

Martin Estrada and I (both Filipino) are working with a Filipino production company to grow our hiphop catalogue. We have some exciting talent we’re enthusiastic about bringing into the catalogue (TBA). 

Filipino artists, known for their exceptional musicality, bring a unique blend of cultural richness and modern sounds to hip-hop, a genre that thrives on storytelling and rhythm. This collaboration promises to deliver fresh, culturally resonant music that can significantly enhance advertising narratives, making them more engaging and relatable to diverse audiences. As we introduce talented Filipino hip-hop artists and producers to fill the gap in our library, we're not just diversifying our offerings but also tapping into the global trend towards more inclusive and culturally varied content. This move is expected to resonate well within the advertising community, eager for authentic and innovative music solutions that connect deeply with people worldwide.

You can find out more about Demo Love here.