Making Music for Japanese Sync & Advertising: How Brands Choose Tracks and What Agencies Want

In Episode 359 of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei sits down in Shibuya, Tokyo with Erik Reiff from Black Cat White Cat Music, a music agency working across advertising, film, TV series, games, and publishing. The conversation offers a rare inside look at how brands and agencies actually choose music, and what producers need to understand if they want to land real commercial placements.

Erik breaks down how music is sourced for advertising in Japan, including how creative decisions are made, why relationships matter more than cold pitches, and how Japanese and Western expectations around sync, licensing, and royalties can differ. He explains the concept of “tie-ups,” upfront fees, and why some advertising music deals function very differently than traditional backend royalty models.

They also get into practical pitching advice for producers and composers, including what makes an outreach email worth opening, why personalization matters, and how professionalism, reliability, and communication often outweigh raw talent. Erik shares his strong stance on not delivering full stems at the final stage, explaining how protecting the approved mix helps preserve the original creative intent.

The episode explores cross-cultural communication, Japanese business etiquette, and the role of trust when working with clients. They also discuss AI in advertising music, where automation may increase, and why taste, branding, human judgment, and imperfection still hold real value.

This episode is a must-listen for producers, composers, and engineers interested in sync, advertising, international music work, and building sustainable creative careers through relationships rather than hype. The episode closes with a recap on outreach, research, and telling a clear story when you pitch, along with a direct contact point for producers who want to reach out: info@bwcatmusic.com

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The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

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