Supreme Music Asks Frank Hahn: "And What About Music?"

Q> Please tell us your name and what you do professionally.

Frank> Frank Hahn, chief creative officer BBDO Group Germany.

Q> Can you tell us about your first truly memorable musical experience and how it impacted you. Why do you remember it so clearly?

Frank> My brother bought the record of Supertramp, Breakfast in America when it came out in 1979. I fell in love with the album cover: the waitress of liberty and the recreated New York skyline as breakfast buffet. Awesome! Iconic! But I also got hooked on the music, the voices, the flutes, the pianos. I loved it. So I sneaked into my brother's room whenever I could and would play the record up and down. Little did I know then, that 30 years later I was ending up in the US and California for work.

Q> Give us an insight into the most memorable project you executed and did music play a role in it?

Frank> I was able to work on a lot of amazing music projects. Potentially the most exciting film and music piece I did during my time at Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam was the Nike campaign`s Secret Tournament, where we had JXL remix an Elvis track (A little Less Conversation) that made it a number one hit that year in over 20 countries.

On other International Nike productions we were able to create original scores, like with Pharrell Williams, at that time still THE NEPTUNES. Another one with RZA from Wu-Tang for a Kobe Bryant campaign in China. Or Timbaland on a global Nike film.

Besides the name-power of Nike, the choice of director, in most cases my friend Paul Hunter from Prettybird, was instrumental for the connection with these super star musicians. 

The most interesting part was the collaborative process. Giving feedback to these epic artists/musicians for directions, either because of client's requests or pure editing technicalities, felt sometimes challenging. My respect was always so high for their talent and achievements, it was hard to correct these geniuses.

Nike always encouraged ideas that stayed on top of culture - music always played a big role in this. During my time at 72andsunny I was also working with our client SONOS.

Obviously a brand that talks and promotes non stop music. I was able to work with Rick Rubin, Q-Tip, Killer Mike, did a remix of Bob Marley`s I shot the Sheriff with Karen-O.

You learn a lot.

Q> What's the most unexpected place or situation where you've found inspiration for a music or sound approach?

Frank> Whenever or wherever you develop an idea, music always should play a role in it.

Sound design and music is most underestimated in the craft of creative work.

Q> What topics or movements in the world of music do you not like?

Frank> I approach music very rationally. Every music has its role in something.

Q> Can you tell us about your favourite recording or mix session?

Frank> After endless rounds of music searches for a Nike commercial (we spent days at Virgin in London, tried Jurassic Five, met with Rollo and Sister Bliss from Faithless) it was our sound designer Rohan Young who found the Elvis track A little Less Conversation for Nike`s Secret Tournament. We got hooked. But decided to make a new version with Amsterdam based musician JXL.

Q> What's a powerful song to you?

Frank> Last year my daughter started listening to Max`s playlist from Stranger Things, on top of it Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill. She loved it. A song that became a hit in 1985.

And then again in 2022. No remix needed. The power of a song - it moved at least two generations.

Q> What should we have asked you that we didn't ask:

Frank> I wish I had Met Ryuichi Sakamoto.

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