Soundwave by soundwave: Building brand power. Sonic branding: How it all started.
Sound is a powerful force. A sound that powerfully elicits strong emotional responses from people. Today’s leading brands and agencies harness audio’s potential for marketing in this fast-paced digital age.
However, the idea of using sound to drive engagement and sell products is not new. Senator Paulinus of Nola introduced church bells to the Christian church in 400AD to attract worshippers’ attention and encourage them to pray. The first ditties were introduced to London streets in 1500s when shop owners performed songs to get the punters moving.
The invention of elevator music was a way to calm anxious passengers, who were afraid of the futuristic steel cages. In 1932, the Olympic Games in Los Angeles saw the first use of national anthems for gold medallists. The power of sound was harnessed to honor athletes and nations.
Once Upon A Jingle
Jump ahead a half-decade to 1984 and Michael Jackson was doing his famous moonwalk in the middle Pepsi’s ‘The New Generation’ television ad. This campaign was so successful that thousands of people called radio stations asking for the ‘Pepsi Song’. The ad, which featured Billie Jean singing “you’re the Pepsi Generation guzzle down and feel the thrill of today,” was instantly embraced by the world. People still consider Pepsi “the drink of the future” to this day.
Sound effects such as station announcements, advertisements, airport or supermarket announcements, and the trills, twangs, of TV networks have been our constant companions since the 1980s. Sonic branding is a ubiquitous feature that has become part of consumer culture and consciousness. It’s something we hear and absorb without realising.
Sound Strategy and Use of Sound across Different Touchpoints
Sonic branding is a part of history. It surrounds us today and will likely continue to surround us tomorrow. What is it, and how can we use it in our daily lives? What is its purpose? Which purpose is it most effective for? Sonic branding refers to the integrated or holistic approach to a brand’s use of sound, music and visuals across many touchpoints. These touchpoints could be anything, from a website to a chatbot, a song, an on-hold piece, a sonic logo, or the click of a button.
The Relationship Between Sound & Reaction
Sonic branding also involves the relationship between sound and consumer or, more precisely, the brain of the consumer. It’s important to realize that sound does not happen in a vacuum. It’s reciprocal. Science would not classify a huge explosion as sound if it didn’t reach an eardrum. However, if the sound is received by the eardrum and transmitted to the brain then the human brain will react to it and create an intuitive reaction.
Sound is an interaction between what produces it and what it hears and responds to, and this is where the power of sonic branding lies. Hear, feel. Feel, purchase. It’s an easy equation. Many brands have yet to harness the power of sound.