There’s more to branding than what meets the eye. Sound is one of the most powerful senses, capable of triggering memories and emotions like no other. But it’s also rarely talked about in branding strategy sessions.

Historically, this has been the purview of big corporations that had access to production and media outlets. But smaller companies are now benefiting from the democratization of media and the ubiquity of personal digital devices. Add to that the latest push for video content from social media platforms, and the pressure is mounting for brands to consider their sound identity. As they should!

Sound and Emotion

One of the best storytellers in the world, Disney knows how to use sound to capture the imagination. The Disney Intro theme has been introduced in 1940 with the movie Pinocchio. The song, “When You Wish Upon a Star”, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song of the year, and has been used ever since in the multiple versions of the Walt Disney Pictures opening logos.

You can scan your emotions when you hear it. But the comments are telling.

Those childhood memories come flooding back, with a mix of joy and nostalgia for a simpler time. We are being transported without realizing, and definitely without our conscious intention.

Sound, and music, in particular, are fundamental in creating mood and the atmosphere of whatever narrative is being told, from deepest sadness to true happiness, sometimes carrying a complex mix of both. It is doing a lot of the emotional heavy lifting as it seems to have access to parts of us that are not governed by the rational mind.

There are two modes of perceiving sound: passive - hearing, and active - listening. Most of our focused attention is oriented towards visual cues, or inwardly, towards our inner monologue. And so we default to passive hearing.

Listening = hearing + attention

That doesn’t mean that we don’t process the sounds that reach our ears; but that we do so at a subconscious level. Sound tends to bypass our conscious filter, and with it, it can bypass the rational barriers, forming a direct connection to emotions. Music can be that medium that talks to us directly, creating a mood that is directly transferable to the storyteller, the brand.

THE ROLE OF SOUND IN BRANDING

When we talk about sound identity, sound branding, sonic branding, and audio branding, we generally mean the brand’s expression in sound form. The sound logo is the most obvious form of that. But taking a wider view, sound identity includes anything from thematic music, to sound effects, voiceovers, playlists, the sound the product makes when used, and yes, the sound logos. All these elements help shape the brand's personality. with the ultimate goal of establishing a connection with the target audience.

BRAND RECALL

Sound logos are short clips that usually go together with a visual logo. They are mostly seen (and heard) in film production, TV programs, video games, and software, essentially where audio-video production is part of the product or service. You might be familiar with the sound logos of Apple or Netflix for example. Does any sound come to mind when you see the logos below?

These are used to trigger the memory of a brand, acting as an efficient mnemonic device. Musical worms like the jingles that you hear on TV and radio ads plant a heavier anchor in your mind and essentially guarantee that they will pop un uninvited in your mind throughout the day.

A 2016 study on long-term noise recognition found that even meaningless audio patterns were recognisable for up to 4 weeks after they were first heard, even if the listener only heard the sounds once.

This is not to torture you. Recognition breeds familiarity, which in turn creates a sense of trust. When you’re in a position to choose a product, the brand that comes first to mind is likely to be the one that you will purchase.

2. BRAND PERCEPTION

When sound identity is considered in the bigger context of brand strategy, it can be used to make small companies seem established, and big corporations seem caring.

Even on the production line, car manufacturers are paying attention to the sound of the door closing. A team of sound engineers, product designers, and psychologists are making sure that the sound of the product will project trust, safety, and luxury. It might sound like a stretch - from the click sound to the feeling of trust, but even though we don’t know the theory behind it, we can still recognize when a car is well built just from this small, limited input.

HOW TO DEFINE YOUR SOUND

Formulating an audio identity follows the same approach as creating a visual identity. It starts with understanding your target audience, your brand values, and clarifying your message. What is it that you want to transmit through sound? Do you want to sound approachable, professional or playful? The goals are specific to your business goals.

The first step is always defining your brand strategy, which will give you the blueprint for all your marketing, identity, and business decisions.

As for how an attribute can be translated into sound, here is one piece of advice from Daniel Lafferty, Director of Music and Voice at PHMG:

“To sound trustworthy, consider casting the entire piece in the key of C and predominantly use acoustic instruments, such as guitar and piano, both wooden instruments which evoke a natural and organic feeling.

However, if the goal is to move a customer to take action, consider the key of D and an electric guitar (rather than acoustic), with heavier drums and percussion and played at 120-plus beats per minute.”

3. REINFORCE ENGAGEMENT

Expressing your brand personality on several layers, some addressing the rational, some addressing the emotional, helps create a rich, complex brand personality. This multi-layered approach reinforces engagement with your customers. The more you can reveal about your brand, without sending mixed signals, the more familiar it will feel. Retailers have traditionally been interested in creating a multi-sensory experience in their shops, and music is a preferred way to differentiate from their competitors.

In a crowded, global consumer culture, evoking emotions and feelings in connection to a brand creates a real competitive advantage. There is a real financial benefit to it. But there is also a human benefit, which I personally find more rewarding.

USING MUSIC TO FIND YOUR TRIBE

As idiosyncratic as they feel, emotions are universal. Longing, sorrow, joy, we can recognize the same feelings in other people, in music, and in art in general. When music touches us, it’s precisely because it speaks to something in us that mirrors that particular emotion. When more people connect with the same song, they are essentially all connecting to the same emotion that they share. This recognition is what connects us with each other. All attending the same festivals, dark clubs, or bars come together to tap into the same feeling and release it through rhythm.

Music transports us through time and space and it connects us to other travelers. Use it to communicate who you are, beyond words and thoughts.

Music has the power to define generations, giving a voice and identity to a moment in time. But it also contributes to identity creation, as an individual’s personality is strongly linked to music preferences. So in that, it also separates. The rocker from the punk from the raver. As humans, we struggle throughout our lives to balance the desire for belonging with the desire for individuality.

An individual’s personality is strongly linked to music preferences, and music contributes to identity creation amongst generations. What is your clique listening to?

A community, and ultimately a brand, should be aware of the role it can play in this struggle. And help their people get a sense of belonging AND individuality.

Music transports us through time and space and connects us to other travelers. Use it to communicate who you are beyond words.

Why Sonic Branding is a Sound Strategy