Epidemic Sound × SXSW
A Sound for Every Story

Project information

As official sponsors of SXSW 2025’s Film & TV track, global soundtracking platform Epidemic Sound saw a unique opportunity to stand out and take a cinematic approach with it.

As part of this challenge, Bold was tasked to create a 15-second ad for this unique Epidemic Sound x SXSW matchup, which ran prior to all screenings in the Alamo Theater within the Headliners category, where all major commercial and Hollywood film and television projects are screened.

To establish that Epidemic Sound is perfectly at home in the world of immersive films, we took the brand name and represented it in the most niche, genre-bending and visually overwhelming way possible. In a frantic pace, we show our take on what an ocean-noir-post-yakuza-absurdist-culinary-office-survival-snowy-western-musical-revenge-anime-neo-greek-zombie-DIY-disaster-award-winning film could look, sound and feel like.

Because Epidemic Sound excels in scoring films and ideas that push the boundaries of cinematic genres and filmic logic.

This ad ran throughout the SXSW Film & TV festival in Austin, Texas from 7-15 March. A whole line of merch tied to the ad has also been produced as a way of expanding this campaign beyond the screen, and into the hands of festival-attendees.

Client quote

"We had exactly 15 seconds to convince thousands of filmmakers, agencies and production companies from all over the world attending the SXSW Film & TV Festival that we’re the expert in sound in content, and we knew Bold was the only team we could turn to who would bring this message to life. Now, we have some of the biggest agencies and production companies producing major Hollywood film & tv projects knocking on our door for the best music and sound effects (including ones that sound like opening doors). Thanks to Bold, you’ll probably soon hear us in a theatre near you." — Zach Harmon, Senior Experiential Marketing Manager, Epidemic Sound

Services

Concept Development Brand Activation Design & Art Direction Advertising

Project partners

Copy: Philip Westman Voice-over: Michael Krass 3D & motion: Untitled Services Custom lettering: Erik Marinovich (Nuform Type) Retouching: Parsley Studio Merch design: Epidemic Sound in-house team

Project summary

Reimagining the Epidemic Sound brand through a fever dream of genre-bending filmic tropes, creating a cinematic brand campaign screened at SXSW Film & TV Festival 2025.

Now, we have some of the biggest agencies and production companies producing major Hollywood film & tv projects knocking on our door for the best music and sound effects (including ones that sound like opening doors). Thanks to Bold, you’ll probably soon hear us in a theatre near you.

Zach Harmon
Senior Experiential Marketing Manager, Epidemic Sound

Recorded: Austin, TX, 14 March 2025