Amplifying Your Brand
Audio is a significant part of our everyday lives, and for more reasons than one.
Humans are made of 70% water, so we’re great sound conductors and sound has a powerful impact on us, particularly on our emotions. Sound evokes fast and strong emotional reactions with or without using visuals (think of McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” sound bite, “ba, da, ba, ba, ba” – you immediately recognise the brand & probably won’t get that out of your head for the next hour!).
A study in the Journal of Product & Brand Management found that sonic logos can specifically influence consumer behaviour with those with six notes having the most impact on a consumer’s willingness-to-pay [6].
So audio is not only an effective way to generate an emotive response, but it can also lead to a direct financial impact.
Mastercard, HSBC and Visa are just some of the brands that have recently introduced large scale sonic branding campaigns these international companies recognising the importance of audio in the consumer’s life and have seen this as significant marketing potential [1].
With Mastercard’s ‘sonic logo’, consumers hear the sound in every interaction with the brand – in ads, ringtones, and every time they use their Mastercard [3]. By incorporating audio cues into a brand’s repertoire, we create a stronger identity to increase brand awareness and recognition.
Listen to their sonic logo below!
Struggling to be heard in your current market and thinking a sonic brand would help elevate your new campaign?
We have pulled together three key steps on how you can begin to build a sonic brand identity:
- Evaluate your brand identity
Conduct a branding audit to understand your current brand identity in the market. Specifically, check if there are any sounds currently associated with your brand including voice-overs, music, sound effects, radio and streaming advertisements and other multimedia channels [5]. Next, establish a clear brand identity that reflects your values and how you want to be perceived in the market. - Create a ‘sonic logo’ that aligns with brand identity
A sonic logo should be 3-5 seconds of audio that aligns with your brand values and attributes identified in Step 1, and can be used across a range of applications. This sonic logo should also aim to evoke a specific emotion in your target audience. For example, the 20th Century Fox drumroll evokes excitement and anticipation for the film that follows. - Sonic Strategy
Develop a long-term sonic strategy that establishes the brand’s sonic identity and use your sonic logo across communication touchpoints to reinforce brand identity and create consumer engagement. The more consumers hear it, the more familiar they will be with your brand! Consistency is key.
So to cut through the clutter of your competitive market, look at sonic branding to amplify your brand!
