Denna uppsats grundar sig i kommunikationens värld där det konstant byggs nya varianter av kommunikationsmedel. Music branding är ett kommunikationsmedel med musik som sitt verktyg. Med sin emotionella kraft används music branding av företag för att marknadsföra och bilda varumärken. Syftet med denna uppsats är att ta reda på vad music branding innebär, och hur musik kan bära budskap för varumärkesprofilering. För att ta reda på innebörden av musik som ett kommunikationsverktyg har musikartister blivit uppsatsens andra stora ämne, vilket flyter samman med music branding processen då erfarenheter har visat att artister faktiskt i sig är budskapsbärare och ger effekt på hur ett varumärke profileras. Arbetet avgränsas till sändarperspektivet i kommunikationsprocessen och tre olika respondenter har valts ut för att besvara lika många centrala frågeställningar. Respondenterna har varit en artistgrupp, en music branding-konsult, och en produktmanager på ett skivbolag. Frågeställningarna har varit: hur varumärken kommuniceras med musik? Vad har artister för roll i varumärkesprofileringen och vilka effekter eftersträvas? Hur ser artister på det egna varumärkesbyggandet? Resultaten är baserade på kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer och litteraturstudier på tidigare forskning kring ämnet, och kan sammanfattas med att musiken är en viktig del av människors liv och något som berör oss dagligen emotionellt. Just därför har dess funktion betydelse för hur våra känslor, uppfattningar, och tolkningar skapas, och slutligen att varumärkesprofilering behöver musikens närvaro.

The use of leitmotifs in films has often been critiqued. Theodor Adorno and Hanns Eisler went as far as to claim in 1947 that "The whole form language of current cinema music derives from advertising" and that leitmotifs were in part to blame. While I take a more neutral stance, I argue that Eisler and Adorno's critique is partly correct, especially in regards to film series produced from the 1960s onwards. The analytical work undertaken for this research suggests that multiple franchises use elements of their scores as branding tools. I argue that these melodies, which have often been referred to as leitmotifs in film music scholarship, should be described as something else: title tunes. It seems that over time, they come to represent not just one or two movies, but entire franchises. They also appear to possess a marketing value not necessarily present in leitmotifs. As such, I would argue these title tunes resemble much more sonic logos as described in the sonic branding world than leitmotifs. This thesis is an exploration of title tunes. My thesis focuses primarily on mainstream Hollywood film franchises from the 1960s onwards. Various case studies from different time periods and different movie genres are analysed to describe and understand this new category of promotional film music. This thesis first takes a historical look at the concept of title tunes, explaining how other sonic branding practices used in radio, television and cinema appear to have influenced the creation of title tunes. From the sample of films analysed for this thesis, I argue that title tunes share commonalities, yet the commonalities seem to vary slightly across movie genres. The analyses undertaken also suggest that title tunes are dynamic entities, that some title tunes are more complex than others (featuring multiple components), and that some franchises can feature more than one title tune. My interpretation of the data also suggests that these title tunes are used as emotional and nostalgic tools and that specific orchestrations and arrangements might carry additional emotional power. While the majority of this thesis explores the use of title tunes in films, their use in trailers and other commodities is discussed. Finally, I suggest how title tunes might change in the future and why certain franchises have omitted using such recurring motifs.

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M. Tech. (Department of Visual Arts and Design: Graphic Design, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The way in which people consume music has changed over recent times, and the relationship between music and graphic design, once dominated by the ubiquitous album cover, has evolved. Along with cover art, musicians make use of branding, marketing, and promotion for all aspects of their published image, music performances, and products. The graphic designer working with musicians has had to adapt artwork to new formats, and build entire branding systems, which are prevalent in pop music, but seemingly less overtly utilised in classical music, which the study concentrates on. Due to waning attendance at live classical music concerts and increased streaming activity, both in audio and video, an opportunity exists within classical music, the focus of this study, to develop new audiences and nurture existing ones. The many tangential points that exist for graphic designers to consider in the music industry can be described as musicking, which pertains to all activities, processes, products and people involved in music-making, listening, recording, performing, producing and so forth, as explained by Elliott (1995) and Small (1999). This theoretical framework provides a lens for the graphic designer to view the totality and elements of the music industry and reconsider opportunities for collaboration and involvement. The goal of this study was to explore how one can use the principles and dynamics of graphic design to engage with and capture the dynamics of musicking in a branding project. In order to accomplish that, the main aim was to triangulate graphic design theory, musicking theory, and insights gleaned about and from a case-study client, to culminate in a practical case study using graphic design to support or capture the client’s musicking, so that the potential for refocusing the branding onto the musicking approach could be explored and interrogated. The literature revealed challenges and opportunities within the context of global consumption of music classical music and graphic design. The case study provided insights into a classical musician that records, teaches and performs, and his needs in terms of a practical project. The practical design project emanating from the exploration of musicking as an approach served as a culmination of insights gleaned from literature, the musician himself, and action research that may be transferable to designers working within the field of music branding, or musicians wishing to brand themselves. Findings showed that graphic design elements have the potential to echo the character of music, can act as a bridge to the artist and his or her stature, play an identifying and/or expressive role, and experientially transport listeners into meaningful engagement with the music. Recently, activities such as streaming have stripped music somewhat of the special, tactile context of physical packaging, but honouring audience expectations in a similar way in performance through graphic communication and artwork (including programs, screens, video and installations) offers other channels for reference points, as do online platforms for branding and engagement, that serve an interactive, dynamic interchange between artist and listener, promoting loyalty and support. As both the classical music industry and graphic design fields experience new demands brought about by technological advances, consumer behaviour and the vast options available to those digitally connected, great opportunity lies in the field of branding musicking. Classical music could potentially benefit from adopting a more audience-centric approach and consideration of a multisensory experience, as audiences have become spoiled for choice not only in music options available, but within the broader entertainment arena clamouring for their attention in a visually branded and captivating world. It simply is not enough anymore to believe that “[i]f you build it, he will come” (from the film Field of Dreams, in Parr 2015:4) and meaningful engagement with listeners through various touch points, builds lasting relationships and supportive fan bases that can ultimately affect a musician’s livelihood.