Advertising on TV and in cinemas

To place your commercial on television, at the cinema or on the internet, you need a SUISA number. First you have to acquire the synchronisation rights from the rightholders or the publisher. Then you can apply to SUISA for the reproduction rights and screening rights for any music in the commercial. 

The SUISA number serves to identify a sound recording production. As principal, you must communicate the SUISA number to the company concerned for the further use of the audiovisual recording (e.g. for broadcasting on TV).

How to acquire the necessary music rights:

• Existing music: synchronisation rights must be obtained from the authors or their representatives, as well as from the label if the music was published on vinyl, CD or on streaming platforms. This must be done before the film is produced.
   
• Commissioned music: if you are commissioning music from a composer, the rights of use must be regulated by a contract. If the composer belongs to a collective management organisation, SUISA manages the authors’ rights.
   
• Production music: beware of purportedly free music from websites. Certain providers claim that all rights are included, but that is not always true. SUISA manages the rights for uses in Switzerland and Liechtenstein in particular.
  Production music advantages: No further action required as regards synchronisation rights. Favour our contract partners of production music to avoid paying twice for rights. 

How to proceed:

Select the number of commercials below.

Fill in the online form to apply for the right licence. You can save the form and finish filling it in later.

After checking your application, SUISA issues you an invoice. The licence is valid as soon as payment is received.

From the payment proceeds, SUISA distributes the corresponding royalties to the entitled composers, lyricists, and publishers.

Contact:

For questions, please contact our team at: advertising@suisa.ch or +41 21 614 28 / 30

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