How to Write a Music Brief for Your Christmas Ad
HOME » Archives for 4th November 2026
How to Write a Music Brief for Your Christmas Ad
Christmas campaigns come in all shapes and sizes, from big-screen brand films to social-first edits and short-form product spots. One thing they all have in common, however, is that they’re built on emotion, and music plays a huge part in making those festive moments resonate.
But while a brief might call for something ‘festive and heartwarming’, that doesn’t give a composer or music supervisor much to work with. The right track needs to do more than set the seasonal mood: it should support the story, build emotion and land perfectly with the edit. So how do you describe music to a music library or music supervisor? We break down the key elements, from defining the mood and mapping the musical arc to choosing reference tracks and finding the right cleared music on Audio Network.
Start With the Story, Not the Song
Before thinking about genre, instruments or reference tracks, consider the story your ad is telling. Music should follow the emotional journey of the film, rather than simply provide a festive backdrop.
Think about how you want the audience to feel at three key moments:
- The start: Should the music immediately establish a sense of warmth, wonder or anticipation? Or should it begin quietly, allowing the story to unfold?
- The turn: Is there a change in mood, a moment of realisation or a shift in perspective? The music can help signal this transition.
- The reveal: Does the ending call for an emotional swell, a joyful crescendo or a more understated resolution?
Mapping out these moments gives your music search a clear creative direction and helps identify where the soundtrack needs to work hardest.
Define the Mood Beyond ‘Festive’
‘Festive’ is a useful starting point, but it’s far too broad a term to guide a music search. Christmas can mean many different things: nostalgic and sentimental, playful and mischievous, magical and uplifting, or cosy and intimate.
Choose two or three precise mood words that capture the feeling you’re after. For example:
- Nostalgic, bittersweet, intimate: For a story about family, memories or the people who matter most.
- Playful, upbeat, mischievous: For a humorous campaign with a lighter touch.
- Magical, hopeful, uplifting: For a film built around wonder, generosity or a little seasonal escapism.
- Cosy, warm, understated: For something more personal, with an emphasis on everyday moments.
It’s equally useful to define what you want to avoid. Should the music steer clear of anything too sentimental, overly theatrical, cheesy or relentlessly upbeat? Establishing these boundaries helps narrow down the options and prevents the search from drifting towards familiar Christmas clichés.
Think About the Musical Shape
Once you’ve established the emotional direction, consider how the music should develop over the course of the ad. Tempo and energy have a significant impact on pacing, while changes in dynamics can help bring key moments into focus.
A slow, gentle introduction that gradually builds towards an emotional reveal will create a very different effect from an upbeat track that maintains its energy throughout. Neither approach is inherently better; it depends on the story you’re telling.
Consider the following:
- Tempo: Does the edit need a relaxed, measured pace or something more energetic and rhythmic?
- Energy curve: Should the track build gradually, drop back at a key moment or maintain a consistent level of intensity?
- Key hit points: Are there specific moments that need a musical accent, such as a product reveal, a visual gag or the final brand message?
Think about where these moments fall in the edit and communicate any important timings to your music supervisor or editor. This is particularly useful when searching for Christmas advert music that needs to synchronise closely with the action on screen.
Choose the Right Instruments and Sounds
Traditional festive instrumentation can establish a seasonal atmosphere almost instantly. Sleigh bells, celesta, glockenspiel and choir all have strong associations with Christmas, but they’re not the only way to create a festive sound.
Consider how different musical choices might support your creative direction:
- Sleigh bells and glockenspiel: Instantly recognisable festive cues that can bring a sense of excitement, playfulness or childlike wonder.
- Celesta and orchestral strings: Useful for creating a magical, cinematic or nostalgic atmosphere.
- Solo piano: An intimate, understated choice that can add warmth and emotional depth without overwhelming the story.
- Folk guitar: Brings a natural, homespun quality that works well for personal stories and quieter moments.
- Motown-style soul: Adds energy, groove and feel-good nostalgia, offering an alternative to more traditional Christmas sounds.
- Choir and vocal harmonies: Can create a sense of scale, togetherness and emotional uplift.
The best music for Christmas ads doesn’t necessarily need to sound overtly seasonal. Sometimes an unexpected musical direction can make a campaign feel more distinctive, while still capturing the spirit of the occasion.
Use Reference Tracks Effectively
Reference tracks are a useful way to communicate the sound you’re looking for, particularly when creative descriptions can be open to interpretation. But simply saying ‘something like this’ doesn’t give your music team much to go on.
Aim to include two or three references, explaining exactly what you like about each one. For example:
- Reference one: The tempo and overall energy.
- Reference two: The vocal style and instrumentation.
- Reference three: The gradual build towards the emotional reveal.
You don’t need to find tracks that match every aspect of your vision. One might capture the mood, another the arrangement and a third the way the music develops. Being specific about what you want to borrow from each reference gives your search a much clearer direction.
It’s also worth highlighting anything you actively dislike about the examples. This helps distinguish between the elements you want to emulate and those that don’t quite fit your campaign.
Decide Between Vocals and Instrumentals
Whether to use a vocal track or an instrumental depends on how much space the music needs to leave for the story. If your ad relies on dialogue, voiceover or a strong narrative, an instrumental track may be the most effective choice. It can establish the atmosphere and build emotion without competing with the words.
A vocal track, meanwhile, can add personality and make a campaign feel more distinctive. Lyrics can also reinforce the message, provided they complement rather than distract from it.
Consider whether vocals should feature throughout or only at certain moments. A track with a gradual vocal entrance, for example, might allow dialogue to take centre stage before bringing an additional emotional layer to the ending. And always consider the balance between music, dialogue and sound effects. A great track won’t work if it leaves no room for the other elements of your mix.
Get the Practical Details in Place
Creative direction is only part of the process. Your brief also needs to account for the practical requirements of the campaign, particularly if the music will be used across multiple formats, platforms and territories.
Make sure you include:
- Final duration: Is the main film 60 seconds, 30 seconds or another length?
- Cutdowns: Will you need 15-second, six-second or other shorter edits?
- Channels: Where will the campaign appear? Think TV, cinema, online video, social media and paid advertising.
- Territories: Which countries or regions will the campaign run in?
- Licence term: How long do you need the music for?
- Deadline: When does the final track need to be selected, cleared and delivered?
It’s worth considering these requirements from the outset rather than treating them as an afterthought. They can affect which tracks are suitable and help avoid unnecessary delays further down the line.

Turn Your Brief Into the Right Track With Audio Network
With a clear brief in place, the next step is finding music that brings your creative vision to life. At Audio Network, our extensive catalogue makes it easy to explore different sounds, moods and musical styles, with intuitive search tools and pre-cleared licensing to help keep your production moving.
Here’s how to get started:
- Search by mood and instrumentation: Use descriptive mood terms and instrument filters to narrow down the catalogue. Whether you’re after a nostalgic piano arrangement or upbeat soul with a festive feel, you can explore tracks that match your creative direction.
- Filter by tempo: Find music that complements the pace of your edit, from gentle, atmospheric builds to high-energy arrangements.
- Explore alternate versions: Many tracks offer alternative arrangements and edits, making it easier to find the right musical shape for your film.
- Use stems for cutdowns: Where available, stems let you isolate or remove individual instruments, giving editors greater flexibility when adapting a track for different durations or making space for dialogue and voiceover.
- Explore curated Christmas playlists: Discover collections of seasonal music covering everything from traditional orchestral arrangements to contemporary pop, soul and playful festive sounds.
And when deadlines are tight, pre-cleared licensing makes it easier to find and use music without getting caught up in lengthy clearance processes. If you’re searching for royalty free Christmas music, it’s worth understanding the difference: Audio Network doesn’t offer royalty-free music, but provides professionally created, fully licensed tracks with clear usage terms for your production. Our team can help you find the right option for your campaign and understand the permissions you need.
Getting Christmas music licensing right means thinking about where, how and for how long your music will be used. With the right brief and licensing in place, you can focus on finding a soundtrack that makes your campaign memorable.
Ready to find festive music for adverts? Explore Audio Network’s curated Holidays collection and discover music that’s ready to bring your next campaign to life.
Read More
So now you know all about writing a music brief for your Christmas ad, why not read more of our expert deep dives including how to build a music brief from a mood board and how to get ahead in advertising with music. And don’t miss Audio Network’s guides to selecting music for short-form and long-form content, and how to find music for YouTube videos, TikTok or Instagram.
DISCOVER MORE

How to Write a Music Brief for Your Christmas Ad

How to Create Tension With Music: Lessons From Horror Films

The Ultimate Guide to Licensing House Music for Your Content
How to Write a Music Brief for Your Christmas Ad Read More »









You must be logged in to post a comment.