How to Use Music to Elevate your Product Launch Video

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Hello Friends,

When someone says they want their product launch video to “feel cinematic,” they’re probably not asking for lens flares or dramatic drone shots. What they’re really after is something that feels emotional, engaging, and more like a story than a pitch.

Music plays a big part in making that happen. So let’s talk about how to actually use it to elevate your product launch video.

Start With the Story

Before you even think about picking a track, get clear on the story. What’s the product? Who’s it for? What’s the shift it creates?

Music can’t save a muddy message. But when the foundation is solid, the right track can lift the whole thing, sharpening moments, adding weight, and helping the story land.

Build Atmosphere First

Try starting with sound design before the music kicks in. A little ambient noise, footsteps, a door creak, the hum of a city that can set the scene fast. It helps the viewer feel grounded in the world you're showing.

Let the music come in after that moment’s established. When you ease into it instead of starting with a full blast, it hits harder. It feels earned.

Let Music Support the Emotion

Good music doesn’t need to compete with the story. It should follow the emotion, guide the pacing, and lift the key moments without taking the spotlight.

Start with your dialogue or visuals, then bring in music that complements the flow. Don’t be afraid to trim the track, loop a section, or shift the structure so it fits. You’re not stuck with a song as-is. Shape it to your narrative.

Use Music to Mark the Moments

The right shifts in music can carry the story without words. A slow build can add tension. A drop can make the reveal feel bigger. A sudden stop can create space for something to hit.

Think of these as signals. They help guide the viewer through the journey without spelling it all out.

Take for an example the Sony Bravia “Bouncy Balls” ad, the one with thousands of colorful bouncy balls rolling down a San Francisco street and the music plays a quiet but powerful role.

It starts with José González’s “Heartbeats,” a stripped-back acoustic track. No big drums, no intense rhythms. Just a gentle melody that lets the visuals breathe.

As the video builds, the pacing of the music stays steady, even when the visuals go wide and colorful. And that restraint actually makes it feel more emotional. The calmness of the track lets the surreal imagery speak louder, and when the brand finally appears, it lands with more weight.

There’s no narration. No list of features. The music is the emotional throughline. It marks the transition from curiosity to wonder to impact, all without a single word.

Think About the Full Blend

Great launch videos don’t feel like ads. They feel like stories you just happen to remember the product from. And that comes from how music, voiceover, sound design, and visuals all work together.

Music should feel like it belongs in the world you’ve built, not like it was slapped on top in post. The better everything fits, the less it feels like you're trying to sell something, and the more it sticks.

That’s what we’re after.

More soon,
–Nathan

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Are you a visual storyteller in media? My team and I are excited to explore how we can bring your stories to life with distinctive soundscapes. Get in touch and let’s discuss how music and sound design can transform your project.

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