Amex - A Quirky Card

The Creative Brief

Amex wanted to launch their new business travel card with sound that was less corporate and more nerd-core. The goal was to make something that felt bouncy, fun and playful but also had a level of sophistication to the overall sound. They definitely wanted strings and woodwinds.

Developing the Concept

I started by building out a the musical palette with a good template: a full string section (violin, viola, cello, bass) and a collection of woodwinds (clarinet and flute). I also found a nice warm sounding acoustic drum kit to fill out the rhythm section. From there it was a process of building up the track layer by layer, making sure that I was hitting the beats of the edit carefully. It was important to add a few breakdown sections to give the editor something to cut to as well.

Takeaways

This project was a great exercise in orchestration. Getting all of the individual instruments to weave in and out of each other without it ever sounding crowded or chaotic. There is a beautiful balance to writing for strings and winds that is so rewarding. This project was the perfect opportunity to make something that felt playful and quirky, with a touch of class.