Case Study: Key West - Stephen Arnold Music

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The Florida Keys & Key West | Tinsley Advertising

Sonic Branding • Custom Music • Tourism & Destinations

The Florida Keys & Key West invite visitors to come as you are, a theme Tinsley Advertising, the Keys’ agency of record for over 30 years, knows all too well. When concepting the latest promotional campaign for Key West, Tinsley wanted audiences to feel its diverse, quirky, and genuine island vibe, and this meant bringing the sound of the Keys to life as much as the sights.

SAM was brought in to create original music for 5 promotional spots ranging from 2 minutes to 15 seconds, and all had to feel deeply authentic — no cliché, life’s-a-beach bumper sticker music here. Tinsley was after something that aligned with their Key West theme, Close to Perfect, Far from Normal, and getting the sound right meant drawing on the soul of the island — its all-accepting culture, carefree lifestyle, adventurous spirit, boundless creativity, and unique energy.

Using Key West’s vivid imagery for inspiration, SAM’s composers tapped into the vibe, recording live acoustic guitars, bass, and percussion to create a warm, organic tone. We sought to highlight the inviting, human element of the island with a very ‘performed’ piece of music — something played by human beings in real time.

The result is a set of custom music that works seamlessly with Tinsley’s VO and imagery to showcase the life, color, and variety of Key West in its own unique and inspiring way.

Hear what sonic branding can do for your destination.

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