Sounds have the unique ability to transport us back in time. Have you ever been walking home from work on a summer’s day and heard the distant chime of an ice cream van? All at once, you are whisked back to childhood.
Sound is one of the most evocative senses, which is why sonic branding is so effective for brands. Simply put, it’s a holistic approach to a brand’s use of music and sound across all relevant touch-points. An audio logo, if you will. Short and distinct, it can either accompany a visual logo, strengthening overall brand recognition, or work alone on podcasts, streaming platforms, radio or apps. If done well, it will trigger connections and create associations, arousing a powerful emotional response in the recipient.
A great example of this is the Netflix ta-dum sound, backed by a masterful animation and visual identity. The moment you click play on a movie, when you hear the sound and have the ‘N’ come at you, it pre-frames you for the viewing experience you’re about to embark on. The sound has the feeling of a film score or trailer, conjuring up memories of dark cinemas, salty popcorn and seat-shaking Dolby Digital audio. The simple act of opening Netflix becomes an event. Similar to the experience you get when you go to the cinema, it’s almost as if you’re there with the protagonist of the film, eager to set out on an adventure with them. Perfectly, it sets the mood for what’s to come.
It is this type of audio identity that can make a brand stand out. All day long people are blasted by different types of media, so much so that many of them switch off, causing businesses to fade into the background. Engaging sound design will cut through the noise and grab the consumer’s attention. After all, people react faster to audio than any other stimulus since it only takes 0.146 seconds for a human to react to sound.
Sound is an extension of brand storytelling. It evokes crucial emotions that facilitate the journey a brand is taking you on, pulling you into their own unique word. Pleasurable sounds may lead to the release of neurotransmitters associated with reward, such as dopamine, and we don’t have to tell you twice about the importance of emotions in the purchase funnel.
Musical emotions and musical memory can survive long after other forms of memory have disappeared OLIVER SACKS
As well as helping brands be heard, sonic branding can strengthen people’s mental recall. Just like the visual areas of brand design—logo, colours, typography and so on—sonic branding can ingrain itself in people’s memories, building familiarity, awareness and trust. This is particularly vital when it comes to the consumer’s decision on which brands to support. According to research by DLMDD and YouGov, one in three adults under the age of 35 (33%) feels more favourable towards brands with a sonic identity than those without. If you can enter their minds subconsciously, the likelihood is that you will stay there.
