Monday, October 6

Day 1

9:00 AM – In person and online (Keynotes joining us online from Paris)

Keynote: A Conversation with:

• Gregoire Bucaille, Art Director/Music Supervisor, Prodigious, Publicis Production
• Maxime Rouge, Musical Artistic Director, Prodigious, Publicis Production

 Gregoire BIO: After working for the music supervision agency My Melody for 10 years, specialising in feature films, Grégoire Bucaille joined the Publicis group, and more specifically Prodigious, in 2019.

Together with his colleague Maxime Rouge he supervises the Publicis group’s advertising campaigns as well as the music strategy for various brands.

They look for songs, creative ideas and musicians to find the right solution for the needs of the group’s clients.

Over the last few months, Bucaille has worked for brands such as Cartier, Lancôme, Valentino, Orange, Garnier, Axa, Oasis, Cathay Pacific, BNP, Carrefour, Biotherm, Armani, Bulgari, Hermes, Audemars Piguet, Mondelez Group and many others.

As the group’s range of clients is wide and varied, he is always on the lookout for good encounters, particularly with young talent.

He also is a programmer for independent radio stations and curator of parties in Paris.

Maxime BIO:  With a 15-year career as a professional musician and training at the American School of Modern Music, I was introduced to the captivating world of musical sync when several of my compositions were used in international campaigns for brands such as Nokia and L’Oréal.

My second hat as a photographer and urban explorer with the Interstices collective brings a singular perspective to my understanding of music and image. Since 2015, in collaboration with Grégoire Bucaille, I have been co-directing musical art direction, which encompasses brand music strategy as well as musical supervision of campaigns for the Publicis group.

Our mission is to constantly seek out new music pieces, creative concepts and discover new talent, in order to meet the varied needs of our customers. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with such prestigious brands as Cartier, Lancôme, Valentino, Orange, SFR, Mugler, Nivea, Garnier, Axa, DS, BNP, Carrefour, Biotherm, Renault, Armani, Audemars Piguet, and many more.

Whether for modest or large-scale projects, our commitment remains constant: to propose original and daring musical solutions, in order to make a difference and add value to each project through the power of music. 

10:00 AM – In person and online

What Does Your Brand Sound Like?  Why Every Brand Needs a Sonic Branding Strategy.

Good sonic branding choices lead to greater brand recognition, greater customer loyalty, more effective marketing and more sales of products and services, with an over 8X likelihood of higher performance of creative communications.  Why is it then that so many brands – and so many brand managers – lack a cohesive sonic branding strategy? 

As witnessed by brands that do have a sonic branding strategy like Pepsico, Apple, CocaCola, Amazon and others, the advantages of having a holistic sonic branding strategy are obvious: your brand is more connected to customers, your brand is cooler, it is better defined, it is more memorable and it sells more product.

This panel will discuss how brand managers, brands and agecies can benefit from a well-defined and implemented sonic branding strategy that combines high-level ideation around mnemonics, sonic logos, artist partnerships, experiential marketing and music choices for all forms of advertising and social media to develop award-winning, effective creative.

10:45 – Networking Break

11:00 AM – In Person and Online

Who are the real music decision makers at ad agencies and brands?

At brands and ad agencies, the process of sourcing, evaluating, and ultimately commissioning or licensing music is complex and often doesn’t involve traditional music supervisors. While some agencies and brands have dedicated music departments, most rely on a wide range of individuals—many of whom are not music experts—to make critical music decisions.

This includes Creative Directors, account managers, producers, brand managers, post-production editors, legal teams, and a network of outside consultants, third part music supervisors, and licensing professionals. In short, there are many cooks in th kitchen. This fragmented decision-making process creates challenges both internally and for music makers and rights holders trying to break through.

In this panel, experts from across the brand and agency spectrum will identify who the real decision makers are, how they influence music discovery and integration, and how artists and music rights holders can connect with the right people to build lasting business relationships. We’ll also explore how the industry can streamline this process to create more clarity, opportunity, and efficiency in music-for-media collaboration.

12:00 PM – lunch break

1:00 PM – In person and online

Entry Points into the industry… Sync Agents And Publishers

1:45 PM – In person and online

Networking Break

2:00 PM – In Person and Online

Music and Social Media ProductION, Advertising and Branded Campaigns in Social Media

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Many of the most innovative and effective campaigns in advertising and branding are through social media – almost every brand uses social media to connect to its customers, sell products, build engagement and promote its brand… and all of these campaigns use music to enhance their messaging.

In this sector of the market, social media infulencers and producers – and the brands they work with, move fast, and sometimes, whether by ignorance or by design, break things, specifically the rules of music clearance and copyright.

This can lead to litigation, takedown notices, as evidenced by cases like DSW versus Warner Music Group, resulting in massive punative fees against brands, agencies and the infulencers and companies that work with them on social media campaigns…

There has to be a better way for the music industry and to work with social media campaign producers, infulencers, companies and the agencies and brands they work with.

In this conversaiton, we’ll have a frank discussion on music usage in social media, and what methods, companies and solutions exist and should be employed to help both educate brands, advertisers and producers and to allow social media campaign producers to quickly discover and clear music for their campaigns.

2:45 PM – In person and online

Networking Break

3:00 PM – In Person and Online

HOW MUSIC MAKES GREAT CREATIVE: A CLIO MUSIC SHOWCASE

Since 1959, the Clio Awards have recognized excellence in the bold work that propels the advertising industry forward, inspires a competitive marketplace of ideas and fosters meaningful connections within the creative community.

Clio Music celebrates the visceral power of music to connect consumers and brands around the world. The program is dedicated to awarding the creative contributions of the marketers and communicators that push boundaries, permeate pop culture, and establish a new precedent for artist promotion, music marketing, brand collaborations, and the use of music in advertising and trailers.

This panel featrues a conversation with Clio Music Award winners and representatives from the Clios to highlight and discuss the best of creative work in advertising, and how the effective usage of music makes camigns more creative, more interesting and ultimately more impactful and effective.

3:45 PM – In-person and online

Afternoon Keynote: A Conversation with Damien Escobar, Global Chief Music Officer, Havas Creative & Havas Health Networks

Damien Escobar isn’t just a violinist — he’s a force. A two-time Emmy Award winner with over 20 years in the game, he’s broken barriers, redefined genres, and built a lane entirely his own. From topping Billboard charts to selling out tours worldwide, Escobar has flipped classical music on its head — all while staying unapologetically authentic.

But music is just the beginning. With no blueprint and no shortcuts, Damien built an empire from scratch. Through his company, LCM Entertainment, he’s helped rising artists find their voice, applying the same branding brilliance that launched his own career.

His creativity doesn’t stop at the stage — brands like Nike, Fenty Beauty, Crayola, and Disney have tapped into his visionary spark. Now, as Global Chief Music Officer at Havas, Damien is leading a new wave of sonic innovation. He founded Art of Sound, Havas’ premier sonic marketing agency, where he’s crafting music-driven experiences that move audiences and shift culture.

Escobar isn’t just playing music — he’s rewriting the rules. In a world where attention is everything, he knows how to make people stop, feel, and truly listen.

4:30 PM – End of Day One – networking at the Heritage Grand Bakery Bar…

A Word ABout Our Sponsor Ghidrah Music

Tuesday, October 7

Day 2

9:00 AM – In-Person and online 

Morning Keynote: THE AGENCY PERSPECTIVE – A BREAKDOWN From Ben Dorenfeld, Director of Music, anomaly and their work WITH MUSIC AND  CLIENTS.

Ben Dorenfeld is a distinguished professional in the music and advertising industries with over a decade of diverse experience. Currently serving as Director of Music at Anomaly, a leading global creative agency, Ben is responsible for overseeing music supervision, original music production, and music brand partnerships for clients around the world. His innovative approach and strategic vision have earned him multiple industry accolades and solidified Anomaly’s reputation for excellence in music-driven campaigns.

Before joining Anomaly, Ben honed his expertise at Grey Group, where he played a pivotal role in music supervising award-winning commercial campaigns for high-profile brands including Volvo, Ketel One, and Pantene. His comprehensive skill set spans music supervision, brand partnerships, live entertainment, and licensing, reflecting a deep understanding of the intersection between music and marketing.

Ben’s extensive career is marked by his ability to craft compelling musical narratives that resonate with audiences and drive brand success. His leadership in music strategy and his commitment to creative excellence make him a prominent figure in the world of music and advertising.

10:00 AM – in-person and online

Where does music belong in the ideation process?

When developing an ad or product marketing strategy, the initial creative process typically blends product knowledge, market data, copywriting, and visual direction—guided by both the ad agency and the brand team. However, in most campaigns, music and sound are not considered until late in the production cycle—often during post-production.

This delay overlooks the fact that music and sound are among the most emotionally resonant and memorable elements of a campaign. Treating them as an afterthought weakens the overall creative impact and can diminish audience connection, brand recognition, and sales performance.

This panel explores why integrating music and sound strategy from the earliest stages of campaign ideation leads to more effective storytelling, stronger audience engagement, and better results—and why brands and agencies must bring music and sound into ideation at its onset, every single time.

11:00 AM – in person and online

The New Era of Music Partners: How Creators and Companies are Redefining their Agency and Brand Services

Music for Ads and Brands comes from a lot of sources – in-house and third-party composers, custom music houses that work with brands and agencies to help define and execute on music to internal/external production music libraries, sync agencies, labels, publishers and artists – basically wherever we can find or whoever can create the music that makes the campaign or branding effective, memorable and impactful.

And, as music needs, campaigns and sonic branding evolves, so does the role of the music provider.  On this panel we’ll discuss the evolving role of the people and the companies that make and provide music for ads and brands, including the services they provide, the focus of those services, their diversification and expansion into areas like sonic branding, sound design and ideation, and how they are evolving their businesses to meet the challenges and opportunities of AI and technical automation and integration in all its forms.

12:00 PM – in person and online 

Lunch Break

1:00 PM – in-person and online

Turn On, Tie In, Cash Out:  Creating Successful Artist-Brand Partnerships

At their best, artist-brand partnerships are a true win-win. Brands gain cultural credibility and access to new audiences by aligning with an artist’s music, lifestyle, and influence. In turn, artists benefit from expanded exposure, funding, and integration into high-profile campaigns that can drive ticket sales, music streams, merchandise revenue, and fanbase growth.

But successful partnerships only work when there’s a genuine connection between the artist and the brand. When authenticity is lacking on either side, campaigns can fall flat—failing to move product or connect with audiences.

In this roundtable, industry experts who develop and execute artist-brand collaborations will share real-world insights, highlighting what makes these partnerships succeed, what causes them to fail, and how to build impactful, mutually beneficial relationships between artists and brands.

1:45 PM – In person and online

Networking Break

2:00 PM – in-person and online

The Future of Music In Ads: ai, Evolving Tech, Tools, and Music in the Creative Process

The landscape of ad production is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in technology that are reshaping how advertising producers create, edit, and execute their campaigns. From AI-driven editing tools to music generation platforms to real-time collaboration platforms, the technology available today is transforming the creative process.

This panel will explore how these innovations are streamlining workflows, enhancing creative possibilities, and allowing for greater precision in ad execution. Additionally, we’ll dive into the impact of music creation, management, and discovery tools—whether AI-generated soundtracks, adaptive music libraries, or dynamic syncing platforms—on the way music is integrated into advertising.

Our experts will discuss how these cutting-edge tools are empowering producers to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced, tech-savvy advertising environment while maintaining creative integrity and elevating brand messaging.

3:00 PM – in-person and online

A Spotlight on Independent Music for Ads, Brands and Messaging With A2IM

Independent artists, labels, publishers, and managers are the backbone of music licensing, sonic branding, and original composition for media. From crafting custom tracks for ads and experiential campaigns to licensing catalog music and partnering on brand initiatives, the indie sector delivers quality, flexibility, creativity, and pricing that meets the demands of agencies and brands alike. Whether it’s a reimagined cover, an existing track, or a bespoke composition, independent music consistently delivers impact—both creatively and economically.

In experiential marketing especially, indie musicians offer a unique advantage: authenticity, agility, and the ability to directly engage with audiences through meaningful brand partnerships that drive sales and cultural relevance.

Still, the independent music community faces growing pressure to compete—with major labels, custom music houses, AI-driven platforms, and a crowded market of providers. Now more than ever, a focused, strategic approach is needed to showcase the value indie music brings to agencies and brands.

Presented by Sync Summit in collaboration with the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), this panel will explore the evolving role of independent music in branding and advertising, share real-world case studies, and highlight how indie creatives are shaping the future of music in media.

4:00 pm – In person and online

CONCLUDING KEYNOTE: EXPERIMENTAL MARKETING, ARTISTS AND BRANDS WITH Artists For Artists Management Co-Founder NEAL SaiNI

For our final discussion, we’ll discuss experiential marketing, its impact for brands and its Impact for good.

Our keynote Neal Saini’s 20+ years of music industry experience spans a wide cross section of skill sets and expertise. From touring the world as an artist, running the Fan Experiences and VIP program at Warner Music Group and co-founding Artist For Artist, a New York City-based full service talent management, label, special projects and events collective.

He has worked with some of the world’s most recognized stars and brands including John Varvatos, WWE, Shawn Mendes, Gene Simmons, Cardi B, Wiz Khalifa and Green Day. His rare 360 degree view of the industry has made him uniquely qualified to manage the logistics, operations, revenue growth and creative vision for hundreds of successful campaigns. His ability to intuitively understand key stakeholder needs and perspectives drives his passion and determination.