“We’ve been good at talking about the functional benefits,” Watford said. “In looking for ways to modernize the brand, we wanted to get above that.”

Impassioned journey

“A Life in Sound,” from decorated director Kim Gehrig, officially dropped on International Women’s Day in its full 3-minute length. It made its TV debut during the 96th Oscars on ABC in its 1-minute version, which will also air during the Eras film. 

The cinematic piece traces a woman’s impassioned journey—expressed in dance—through various stages of her life, from young girl to senior citizen. The genre-blending soundtrack includes voice clips of Sirius hosts John Mayer, Conan O’Brien, and Nikki and Brie Garcia, with music samples from Doja Cat, Bat for Lashes, Soul II Soul and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, among other artists.

The audio came first, according to Leonard, with the casting and choreography layered on top. For the creative team, that translated to time “spent in rooms with our eyes closed listening carefully” to decide how the action should unfold. 

Also key for creatives was showing the passage of time, from carefree girl to mature woman, and the rollercoaster of emotion that punctuates life’s different chapters. Attention to detail was important: Eagle-eyed viewers, especially of the long-form ad, may notice the light changing as the scenes play out, representing morning to night of one complete day.

Superfans in the spotlight

“A Life in Sound” comes on the heels of several other marketing programs, including the cheeky “Metal Sweater” mini-movie and the Guest DJs initiative with Beastie Boys, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Alice Cooper and other artists taking over the service.

“A Life in Sound” falls under the “Closer” marketing umbrella launched earlier this month, aiming to show how the service brings fans “closer” to the music and celebrities they love. The campaign will also includes out-of-home ads starring real-life Sirius superfans.

The static and digital billboards tout hip-hop and country music lineups, along with sports podcasts, with placements in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Boston and Atlanta.

Content shot behind the scenes will begin rolling out soon, Watford said, and more work under the “Closer” tagline will continue through 2024.

“The goal has been to capture the relationship our listeners have with the service,” Watford said, “where there are actual humans talking to other humans.”