NCS and JOY ANONYMOUS: From Agency Showcase to Nationwide Sync

The aim for any artist performing a sync showcase is to land an opportunity in an ad, film or TV. However, this goal is not easy to achieve. At Saatchi & Saatchi they are hoping to change this with their NCS showcase evenings. Earlier this year, us at Theodore & Wake The Town were tasked with organising these shows. And a few months later we hit our home run. 

There is a great amount of rising talent coming out of the UK, and Joy Anonymous are definitely one of the front runners. The pair are known for touring (very frequently), alongside constantly releasing new music. They also keep up a private WhatsApp group with over 1000+ members for last minute raves. 

In March this year we were lucky to be presented with the first raw version of their upcoming album from Warner Chappell Publishing, around the same time we were sat in a meeting with some of the talented agency team discussing options for a new EE advert.

The brief was to look into big British copyrights as well as some interesting new talent for this campaign. This landed the perfect opportunity to show a first rough demo, that I picked out from the album named '(JOY) In Me All The Time'. It had a vibey, rhythmic beat with an infectious brass section accompanied by Henry Counsell’s smooth vocal. 

The key elements requested for this brief were; energy, dynamism, movement and individuality. Something both the band and the song had plenty of. 

Once we knew that the track worked creatively, it was a matter of highlighting why Joy Anonymous would be the perfect selection. Knowing the energy and excitement that the band put into everything they do, we understood this was a song worth fighting for. 

But would the client go for something unreleased and lesser known ahead of something big and familiar?

We got to work finding all relevant stats, facts and information to back this option. While digging this up we realised we had a perfect opportunity to bring the vibe straight into the agency!

This leads us to our first showcase at the end of June. We had the pleasure of planning this, and later welcoming Louie and Henry from JA to play a live performance at the NCS showcase. They had just returned from playing a show in Iceland as well as a self promoted rave from a boat in Hackney Wick. They also just had their most recent single ‘(JOY)’ Head To The Sky’ listed as BBC Radio 1’s hottest record! 

The show did not disappoint, the whole venue was ecstatic. One thing is certain, if energy, joy and passion is the question - Joy Anonymous is the answer. 

With all of the above in mind we kept sharing news and stats about the band until, at the end of the summer, we had a final decision from the client. This was it, it was happening!

As music supervisors it is truly a special feeling to find a track and have it selected and licensed. With the work spent digging stats and facts, and the showcase in the rear mirror - this time, the feeling was elevated. 

All of us at Theodore & Wake The Town absolutely love being given the opportunity to amplify new talent, and this project has definitely boosted our confidence of crossing the finish line. We appreciate the openness, excitement and support from the team at Saatchi who made this all happen. 

Please make sure to keep an eye out for our next NCS event in January 2024 - plenty more talent to discover!