September 2021

Cristiano Pinheiro is Creative Director and owner of PUNCH Audio, an internationally renowned advertising music and sound design house, founded in 2011. One of the most successful production companies in Brazil, they have recently expanded from Sao Paulo into Montreal, Canada.

MASA: Can you tell us a bit about your career journey, to date?  

CRIS: While growing up I was a movie fanatic and an aspiring musician. Then after graduating in advertising - and working for a brief moment with sports marketing - which by the way, I hated - I accidentally discovered how music and sound was done for film and advertising. An old music teacher, who was a session musician, invited me to check out a guitar recording session for a TV spot. That was an eye opener and made me start studying music composition for short pieces and how to express emotion with very limited time. Later on I fell in love with sound design and ended up reading all Michel Chion’s books, which for me substantially expanded the notion of image and sound. After working for a couple of companies, we decided to start a company to do music and sound design for advertising, and so PUNCH was born. 10 years later I’m glad to say we achieved most goals we had set up when we started, which makes me a happy person. And we keep moving forward!

MASA: What does a typical day at the office look like for you?

CRIS: A typical day for me is a day where I participate in online meetings, get briefed by agency creatives, occasionally disagree with them, discover new music in the process and research decent spots for sound references. Then I create, edit, tweak and process a lot of audio.

MASA: Are there any recent projects you’ve been involved in that have been particularly challenging / rewarding?

CRIS: I think every project brings challenges and are in some way rewarding, some more than others of course. Recently we did a spot for WhatsApp that tells three unconnected stories that were brought together by music. Each one with its particular instruments and genre, all connected by the same recurring theme. That doesn’t happen very often and I do think it’s a natural way of making the music stand out in storytelling.

MASA: What tech / tools do you rely on most heavily? 

CRIS: Having dozens of mics around is a great way to experiment and discover new sounds. That and good old Pro Tools. We are also very fond of vintage gear, especially analog synths - that we do love to experiment with.

MASA: In terms of music and sound, what do you think makes an ad exceptional? As one of the most successful production companies in Brazil, how do you manage to make PUNCH stand out from the crowd??

CRIS: It does make it exceptional when music and sound are protagonists in the storytelling, inspiring the viewer in the process. I would say it’s a mixture of great sound-driven ideas, combined with stellar execution.

PUNCH is constantly pushing its limits and trying to deliver its best work. This is done in a very natural and sincere way - as it reflects our passion - and I do think our clients notice that feeling. Of course, this is all pointless if you don’t do top-quality work, so we are always after talented and creative people to partner with.

MASA: Any pertinent words of wisdom to impart on getting into the industry?

CRIS: Good work is always the easiest way to stand out and draw attention in the first place. Good connections will also help you. As a matter of fact, strategic relations will considerably help you getting jobs, even if high quality is not expected. Which is kind of sad, but we all know it happens in most industries.

MASA: What does the next year or so hold for PUNCH?

CRIS: Surprisingly, 2020 was one of our best years in terms of work volume. 2021 is going in the same direction so we just have to thank everybody in the industry who fought bravely during difficult times. This year I’m relocating to Canada and I hope we keep expanding in North America.

MASA: We wish you the very best of luck with your relocation and expansion - exciting times! Thank you for chatting here and of course for sitting on 2021’s MASA jury - was invaluable having your expertise on board.

Find out more on PUNCH Audio’s site: www.punchaudio.com.br