Conoco’s Lo-Fi Mix Will Make You Fall in Love With Audio Again

We haven’t heard as much about it lately, but audio, especially ASMR, has had a moment over the past few years. From beer sounds featuring Zoe Kravitz to some genuinely bizarre things like 60 minutes of grilling meats for Applebee’s and Lynx’s, er, valiant effort to use the technique to illustrate “manscaping,” there have been multiple attempts to glom on to the trend. There are also plenty of playlists from brands roaming the landscape (looking at you, KFC). But what if there were a way to mash up both music and relevant sound effects to create something that's less of a novelty and that people would actually want to listen to over and over? Conoco and Carmichael Lynch may have cracked the code on this one with a new 47-minute recording. [kickout id="2"] The Conoco Lofi Glug Glug Mix—“glug glug” refers to the sound of gas going into a tank, of course—is, similar to other projects of its ilk, something that a cynic would say is a brand forcing something not so great upon consumers. But, from the jump, it's an outstanding assortment of music that just so happens to have a bunch of driving sound effects interspersed in it. Horn beeps don’t get in the way. Key jingles add a layer of sonic goodness. Revving engines sit cautiously in the background. The 16 tracks from artists DJ Douggpound (a personal favorite for obvious reasons), Longfellow, Kosher Spear and Brano have created tracks with cute titles like “Trunk Funk,” “Dashbored,” “Smiles per Gallon” and “Tropical Wrench.” The mix also includes looped anime illustration from artist Pichuun featuring a young woman and her dog simply chilling to the beat. The manga style has become a unique signature. Last year, the brand and agency created an entire anime universe around Conoco-kun, a human embodiment of a Conoco station, and his friend Carhead which is, as the name implies, a person with a car for a head. [kickout id="1"] On the surface, The Conoco Lofi Glug Glug Mix could be considered a head-scratcher. Yet, taking a closer look, it’s pretty brilliant. It’s well produced, creative and, judging from the comments on YouTube, a legit piece of sonic art that people want to listen to, whether it’s the soundtrack for a Saturday night drive or something that keeps commuters chilled out in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Or, it could just be a masterful recording to listen to when writing something about a Minneapolis ad agency and its gas client. CREDITS: CLIENT: Conoco Senior Director, Brand Advertising: Sarah Bolding Brand Director: Jacqueline Johnson Associate Brand Director: Rob Runnels Social Media Coordinator: Kathleen O’Brien AGENCY: Agency: Carmichael Lynch Chief Creative Officer: Marty Senn Exec Creative Director: Josh Leutz Associate Creative Director: Chad Temples Senior Writer: Zack Johnson Senior Art Director: Kyle Johnson Head of Production: Orlee Tatarka Content Producer: Dave Lewis Business Manager: Vicki Oachs, Tara DiNicola Account Management Team: Jennifer Corrigan, Brad Wellman, Caleb Peabody Project Manager: Abby Minea Brand Planning: Brenna Smithson, Maria Pazos Media: Sophia Lippold, Andrew Lapham Social Engagement: Cavan Reagan Reichmann, Dustin Smith, Gemma Forbush, Irene Buettner-Salido, Billy Singvongsa PRODUCTION: Illustrator/Animator: Pichuun POST PRODUCTION: Edit House: Carmichael Lynch Studios Editor: Brad Baker Producer: Greg Bakun Audio Mix: Brad Baker MUSIC: Doug Lussenhop, also known as DJ Douggpound, is a comedian/video editor/podcaster. He also makes “dope beats”—in this case, with fellow musician Cer Spence. Tracks: Overpass, Bumper to Bumper, Drive Thru Kosher Spear is the chilled and waved alter-ego of Tal Tahir, one half of synth duo Escape From Minneapolis. He also composes soundtracks on the low. Tracks: No Left Turns, Daybrake, Wiper Tears Away, Midnight Radio Brano is a DJ, a person and a content connoisseur. Tracks: Tropical Wrench, Rainy, Busy Day At The Pump Longfellow is a human/producer/editor with a knack for arranging sights and sounds in a mostly pleasing order. Tracks: Trunk Funk, Rearview Weird, Dashbored, High Beams, Roll The Windows Down, Smiles Per Gallon

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Conoco’s 47-Minute Lo-Fi Mix Will Make You Fall in Love With Audio All Over Again

Carmichael Lynch’s music and car sound mashup is a delight

Doug Zanger

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Doug Zanger