soundlounge sonic branding blog» Sonic Branding

Coca-Cola: The J.S. Bach of Brands

soundlounge — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:43:54 +0000

After finding out about Coca-Cola’s clever injection of their own sonic logo in K’naan’s World Cup song “Wavin’ Flag”, many of our readers called Coke out as being sneaky and/or cheeky. So we at soundlounge are here in defense of their brilliant (if a bit devilish) sonic branding strategy.

In the brand-sphere, Coke have proven to be masters of this kind of “audio watermarking” – subtly embedding their brand’s sound in the music of their advertisements. But the idea of a sound signature is hardly new. In fact, the original master of audio watermarking lived and died three centuries ago: J.S. Bach.

Most composers think long and hard about the structure of their music. But Bach took it to an extreme new level. As both a musical and mathematical genius, he composed pieces so intricate and layered that scholars today still find secret meanings in his work. Some say he used the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 8, 13…) as guides for his compositions.

But his most famous hidden message is just four notes: B-flat, A-natural, C-natural, and B-natural. In the original German spelling…B, A, C, H!

It’s the Bach motif! It appears in so many of his pieces that scholars agree it’s there for a reason. It was Bach’s way of “signing” his compositions. Was it vanity? Or was it just a quirky sense of humor? We can’t be sure, but whatever his reason, this recurring theme connects his pieces on a deeper level. It might not be as obvious (or catchy) as Coke’s audio watermark in “Wavin’ Flag”, but Bach’s audio watermark is one of the most popular of all time. Over 409 works by 330 composers have used Bach’s motif in memorial to this brilliant man.

Is Coke taking a few notes from Bach? Since the start of their Open Happiness campaign, they’ve “given” their melody to dozens of international music superstars. K’naan is just the most recent in a long list of musicians to use Coke’s motif.

But “Wavin’ Flag” has seen success far beyond any of the other Coke-watermarked songs. The beauty of this for Coke is that they own this hit-single melody. They can reuse it in their advertising without any licensing fees, unlike say, the McDonald’s/Timberlake “I’m Lovin’ It” scenario. Ideally for Coke, people will hear their melody in the next Coca-Cola commercial and get all nostalgic about that fun song from the 2010 World Cup.

If any brand comes close to musical genius, it’s Coke. Will their melody last for three centuries though? We (probably) won’t be around to report on it, but don’t hold your breath…

Charlie McCarron, Sound Consultant
Matt Lee, Music Supervisor
soundlounge

Coca-Cola: The J.S. Bach of Brands is a post from: soundlounge

Coca-Cola Sneaks their Sonic Logo into K’naan’s World Cup Anthem

soundlounge — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:47:40 +0000

And the soundlounge award this year goes to…(drum roll please)…a totally brilliant piece of sonic branding from the Coke team of music supervisors. Those who have been following soundlounge’s extensive blog coverage of World Cup advertising music will know that there were dozens of contenders for the crown. However we are all agreement here, that apart from the vuvuzelas, the most recognizable sound from this year’s World Cup has come from a previously little-known Somali-Canadian artist.

Thanks to Coke, K’naan’s song “Wavin’ Flag” has reached an amazing number one in eleven countries (and still counting). With over twenty regional remixes featuring local superstars, “Wavin’ Flag” has become the most popular and memorable soundtrack to South Africa 2010.

Coke has made K’naan an international superstar by modifying his song and promoting the “Coca-Cola Celebration Mix”. But this socially conscious rapper and poet insists this relationship with Coke doesn’t affect his integrity as a musician: “I don’t work for Coke or anything; what I do is my music.” (Billboard).

So isn’t this just a piece of band-brand marketing? Whether or not listeners are consciously aware, Coke have used a technique we call audio watermarking. This is a popular and well-known trick that has been around for centuries and used by composers and producers to weave a sound/motif into a piece of music. Unlike say the Audi sonic logo, which sits at the end of a commercial, watermarking acts like an ‘earworm’, which gets inside our brains and becomes so compulsive that we go around humming it as we walk down the street and not understanding why. We effectively become living, walking, singing commercials for Coke. Whatever K’naan would have his fans believe, embedded into “Wavin’ Flag” is an interesting piece of branding, and Coca-Cola have been priming us to wave their sonic branding flag for a while now…

Watch on Vimeo

We’ve actually been hearing this melody for years in Coke commercials. But this time the branding is even less obvious than their original “Open Happiness” song. By sneaking the Coke melody into an otherwise musically unbranded song, they’ve seen incredible success in the charts. In our opinion, it’s a much more intelligent form of branding than paying artists to name-drop brands in their lyrics.

So why doesn’t the average “Wavin’ Flag” fan connect the dots? It took us a few times before the penny dropped and we started to research. It’s as if Coke wants their motif to be subliminal, so that listeners recognize the sound but can’t say exactly why they recognize it. No other hit single has captured the sound of a brand in such an effective and clever way. Even Billboard didn’t come out and say it’s the Coke motif:

‘["Wavin Flag"] features many elements of the original song but includes a pre-chorus that sets the uplifting, unified tone of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, turning the song into one that is “more open, more inviting, more celebratory”‘.

Coke has clearly been steering the ship, taking K’naan on a grand tour of 84 countries. The big question though – what happens after the World Cup? A&M/Octone Records CEO James Diener says that Coke is “invested in K’naan for the duration of his career” (Billboard). That’s a bold statement given the fickle nature of musical popularity. If K’naan loses momentum, will Coke drop him for a fresh new artist or another ‘local’ artist for the next big sports sponsorship? Until then, will they be moderating all of K’naan’s music and infusing it with the sound of Coca-Cola?

You can be sure soundlounge will be listening out for the next Coke advert. And now that you know the Coke motif inside and out, keep your ears open and let us know if you do hear it anywhere else!

Ruth Simmons, Managing Director
Matt Lee, Music Supervisor
Charlie McCarron, Sound Consultant
soundlounge

If you enjoyed our article, feel free to say hello on Twitter – @soundlounge (and @soundequity for Ruth)

Coca-Cola Sneaks their Sonic Logo into K’naan’s World Cup Anthem is a post from: soundlounge

Sound Style Guide – The Pros and Cons

soundlounge — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:36:09 +0000

Pick up almost any article on sonic branding and somewhere you will find a sentence that exalts the ability of music to connect with ‘people’ on an emotional level. But for any brand – ‘people’ is a very big universe and responsible brand gurus know they’ll need more information than just these broad emotional promises, before they can allocate precious time and money to the sound branding process.

Maybe this explains why music and sound still represent a big hole in many marketing strategies. It would seem that the major brands are very aware that when they try to plug this hole with one-off hit music ’strategies’, or low budget tracks, they don’t support their branding but often simply just fill the silence. A recent Marketing Week report reveals that finding and judging music are still major hurdles for many brand managers. BT‘s Fraser Smeaton honestly admitted:

“When we started using music in our direct response television campaigns, I sat in the room with the creatives and asked them two questions: How do I decide? And what’s the framework I use to make this decision on music? One of our leading agencies simply replied: ‘Whichever one you think works best’…You can feel incredibly exposed. [We are missing]…the segmentation to give us a framework for choosing music”.

Turns out a few smart brands have already found these frameworks to help them choose and judge music. With all the buzz surrounding the new Audi sound style guide, a lot of brand managers out there are probably wondering, should I be doing this? Does my brand do enough with music to need a sound style guide? And what exactly goes into one?

To set your creative gears in motion, take a few moments and explore how Audi approached the process:

Watch on YouTube

But this is just Audi’s approach. Maybe you’re selling chocolate bars, and aren’t interested in recording noisy chewing and lip smacking in surround sound. So where do you start with your sound style guide? Or more importantly, why should you start?

First we’ll address some of the common fears we hear from brand managers on the fence about sonic branding. And then, we’ll get into the benefits of having a sound style guide on hand.

Key Fears

1) Music has perceived limited shelf life…

Some say: Think of the red Coca-Cola can or the yellow McDonald’s arches – these visual applications are timeless. But music doesn’t work the same way. One too many commercials with the same song and the audience will reach for the TV remote.

We say: Yes and no. It’s true that most commercials use one track per execution, literally to support the visual narrative. But some brands can use the same track for time immemorial. Think BA, think Hovis, think Marmite. Just as the visual branding evolves, so can the sound branding. All of these brands rearranged and refreshed their music to keep it relevant whilst maintaining the integrity of the original.

A sound style guide worth its fee should do more than define a repetitive jingle, a 4-note audio logo, or a single track that survives for a couple commercials. It should create a timeless palette of musical “colors” and “fonts” that any composer or music supervisor can draw from for each new campaign.

2) Sound style guides are a BIG time commitment…

Some say: Audi spent about a year and a half developing their sound style guide. We don’t have that sort of time; we have events and commercials and upcoming deadlines to worry about.

We say: Not every brand is going to need that amount of time at the drawing board, but it will require some longer-term commitment to understand what works for your brand and then develop those sounds. It doesn’t happen overnight but neither does visual branding On the other hand, consider how much time and money is actually wasted trying to find the right track amongst the millions that are out there in the ‘cloud’? Daniel Mathieson, Head of Sponsorship at Barclaycard, says:

“There was a lot of trying out of different tracks…There was an element of luck involved in trying to find that track because right at the last minute, another option was thrown up and that was the one we went with”.

At soundlounge, we’ve found that with the focused attention of the brand stakeholder for just a few hours and access to their brand archives, we can create a sound guide for brands in just a few weeks. It’s a quicker and more effective process than the usual game of creative ping pong, where the brief gets changed and reinterpreted, and decisions are based on “I’ll know it when I hear it” criteria.

3) Sound style guides cost too much…

Some say: What about the costs to produce the guide? Then on top of that, will we still have to demo, record a master sound recording or licence the track?

We say: Yes, you will still have to pay for copyright licences and/or for commissioning new demos. But with a sound guide, the briefing process will be…well, on brief. This allows your music supervisors, composers, recording artists, and sound engineers to do their job more efficiently , which will mean cost savings for you on every campaign

4) Sound style guides restrict creativity…

Some say: A sound guide will restrict our creativity. Every situation demands a different piece of music. What happens when Audi’s creative team comes up with a hilarious new idea that will only work if they can use ‘Ode to Joy’?

We say: Great – if the sound DNA is suddenly and consciously changed for a reason, the consumer impact will only increase. Think Mars’ white wrappers for the World Cup. Contrary to urban myth, these frameworks actually stimulate creativity and open up opportunities.

We know that not everyone welcomes change, and some creative teams do resist the whole concept of a sound guide. I often wonder if Stephen King, Head of Planning at JWT in the ‘70s, had the same issues when he first outlined his ideas for a visual corporate manual!

So if you are going to take those crucial first steps, what are the benefits of having a sound style guide? We have quite a list, but here are some of the highlights…

Key Benefits

Brand recognition: Imagine an era when consumers can identify a brand just from how it sounds. Not just a sonic logo, but an integrated sound DNA that is as recognizable as your sister or brother. Impossible? Great music industry producers have been doing this with bands for years. A few beats from U2 or The Beatles are all we need to pick them out. We believe brands can be every bit as recognizable with the right sound strategy.

Sound consistency: With improved music briefing, brands often find that they can remedy their past sound schizophrenia (different tracks, different instrumentation, and varied production quality from one campaign to another). The immediate result – more consistent sound that keeps your audience subconsciously “connected” from campaign to campaign.

Sound assets: Every time a brand uses sound – in marketing, sales, or PR – it influences the public’s perception of that brand, effectively creating an asset or a liability for its overall brand equity. Using precise brand equity metrics with a great sound guide will help build a reservoir of sound assets that reflect the brand’s core values, are measurable, and add to the bottom line.

Brand differentiation: When your creative team can consistently identify songs that fit your brand, when your customers can “hear” your brand from the other room, and when your competitors are jealous of your unmistakable sound DNA, then you know your sound branding has set you apart from the rest of the marketing noise. The sound guide is your first step.

If you are considering creating a sound guide and want to know more, simply pick up the phone or drop us an email. We would be delighted to put you on the right track.

Ruth Simmons
+44 (0) 20 7724 2420
ruth@soundlounge.co.uk
twitter.com/soundequity

Sound Style Guide – The Pros and Cons is a post from: soundlounge

Do you have a Sound Style Guide? Audi does.

soundlounge — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:50:31 +0000

“Films are 50 percent visual and 50 percent sound.” –David Lynch

Even the most average brand has its own Corporate Identity Manual. Effectively pages upon pages upon pages of visual style guidelines. Which typeface to use, how to not screw up the logo, which Pantone colors will sell the most hamburgers, etc. Visual branding has been taken to almost ridiculous extremes, as evidenced by the infamous Pepsi rebranding guide.

But if David Lynch is right, and sound accounts for half of a film experience, why haven’t brand managers been obsessing over their music and audio choices? Where are the pages upon pages upon pages of sound style guides?

It would seem that music historically has been selected on a needs to basis – ‘We just need a bit of music here to support this narrative or message.’ One-off music ideas that work for one execution. But before we get run down by the crush of creatives defending their decisions, a few questions to muse. Does this approach work? Or are brands actually creating some form of audio schizophrenia by changing their sound with each new campaign? Most importantly, can you stand in the kitchen and recognize the brand just from what you hear?

Whilst many advertising agencies still treat sound branding as a dark art, it would seem that smart brands are beginning to realize the potential of a sound strategy.

Audi has been thinking quite a bit about the sound of their brand for a few years now. They have used the heartbeat for their sonic logo (the audio sign off at the end of a commercial). The original was created by Milo Heller in Hamburg. It was later given a facelift by Metadesign. The newest version has been created by S12 in Munich.

The S12 guys have apparently developed a unique palette of instruments and sounds to draw from, just like a color scheme in a visual style guide. In the video below you’ll hear some of the sounds they’ve claimed as Audi-esque: a steady heartbeat, a breath, a piano:

By narrowing their set of musical building blocks, they’re hoping to create a consistent brand sound for their otherwise consistent brand image. The end goal, of course, is for the audience to hear that heartbeat and think Audi.

When brands develop a sonic logo and start talking about this as their sound identity it has to be a step forward. The challenge is persuading them that a sonic logo is merely a syllable in the whole sound identity language. Just as no self-respecting brand thinks they are done with just their visual logo, there are whole new sound frontiers to be crossed after the sonic logo. What about contextual use, or adapting sound to meet the needs of cultural differences, or evaluating how it is working, or its contribution to ROI or even the possibility of trademarking their sound?

When Stephen King, Head of Planning at J Walter Thompson in the 70’s, first addressed the concept and importance of visual branding – yes it is only 40 years old – I am sure he was met with similar resistance as the sound branders of today. But who could have ever have predicted that using consistent methodology and frameworks, we would be able to differentiate one brown fizzy drink from another and understand lifestyle? Or from the shareholders perspective, build something where a visual logo is valued in the billions of dollars.

When other great luminaries in the Advertising world like Sir John Hegarty of BBH agree with David Lynch in their appreciation of the role of sound, can brands really afford to leave these pages of their CI manual blank?

Audi are already revved up and way ahead of their competition.

Ruth Simmons, CEO
soundlounge

Thinking about working on your brand’s sound? Watch this space for the pros and cons of creating a sound style guide.

Do you have a Sound Style Guide? Audi does. is a post from: soundlounge

Your Future Car’s Engine Sound, Downloaded From iTunes?

soundlounge — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:13:29 +0000

Silence can be deadly, especially when it’s a hybrid car sneaking up behind you. So for the first time in history, automakers are working to create synthetic engine noise. And they might start calling on everyone from sound designers to film composers to music supervisors for the sounds of these new cars.

Sound like science fiction? Just take a peek at this Batmobile-like hybrid from Fisker Automotive:

Watch on YouTube

The cool part is that this car’s “takeoff” sound came from a set of external speakers. In theory, you could replace this sound with anything you want, just like changing a cell phone’s default ring. Will customizable engine sounds be the next “ringtone” craze? Will we one day download our car’s tones from iTunes? Will artists of the future collect royalties on mileage?

There are obviously some legal hurdles before we hear anything too unique on the road. But the door is currently wide open for automakers to experiment with new sounds. It’s only a matter of time before the big brands will be racing to create the coolest-sounding electric car. What a fun time to be in the audio branding business!

Charlie McCarron, Sound Consultant
soundlounge

Special thanks to @soundseller for pointing out the Fisker Karma Hybrid video.

Your Future Car’s Engine Sound, Downloaded From iTunes? is a post from: soundlounge

An Open Letter to Marketing Week re: Brand and Music Tie-Ups

soundlounge — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:27:42 +0000

I read with interest MarketingWeek’s article ‘Agency sees opportunity for brand and music tie-ups’. But having been around the brands, agencies and the music industry for 30 years, I felt compelled to share my doubts about band-brand alliances.

Let’s face it – the music industry is seductive to all those on the periphery of it. The possibility of rubbing shoulders with all those glamorous artists beats product launches and sales conferences any day. And yes, ‘Brand Guardians’ have been flirting for years with record companies and managers to try and get close to all the excitement of rock ‘n’ roll. But we’ve also seen some of the music industry’s shamelessly vague ‘relationships’ with brands who quite honestly have a cheque book to offer a flailing marketing budget.

On the one hand, ask most bands or die-hard fans how they feel and they would rather that the two parties were kept apart and the music remained the last bastion of creative integrity without the influence of the corporations (Think James Corden’s speech for Sport Relief). But, as we know, we live in a world of “what’s in it for me?” and no fan will turn down subsidised tickets to a tour.

Having worked with all parties over the years, I know there is a space for companies that who independently and expertly manage the initial enthusiasm of a music campaign through to final execution. But I would also add that enthusiasm and contacts in the music industry are just the beginning. It is dangerously easy to get swept up with the artists or the songs or the delivery platform. Go down this route, and you’ll soon lose sight of branding from the brand’s perspective, the nuances of brand values, brand wheels, sound DNA, and how sound strategy connects with all these principles, product launches and brand campaigns.

In the end though, either party might lose in an ill-conceived band-brand alliance. Whilst the brand can simply write it off as a bad experience with the music industry, a band can be scarred for life by a commercial partnership gone sour.

Bottom line is that bands are not simply for slogans or sound bites – please handle with care!

Ruth Simmons, Managing Director
soundlounge

Have something to say? Continue the discussion with Ruth on Twitter – @soundequity

An Open Letter to Marketing Week re: Brand and Music Tie-Ups is a post from: soundlounge

Brands & Bands: Enough Dating – Let’s Have Some Commitment.

soundlounge — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:02:57 +0000

Sound Branding, Brand Alliances With Music, or Branded Entertainment, call it what you like, these are effectively a form of advertising disguised as: a game, event, sponsorship or hospitality. Midem, the largest international music convention dedicated several sessions to that almost Holy Grail, ‘How Can Bands and Brands Work Together?’ So it is not surprising that some serious players from the brands were invited to take the stage, from Nokia to Coca-Cola (‘Top Brands talk Music Strategy’ and ‘Converse, Pepsi and Cornerstone talk Music Marketing’). Music and Brands are big business. According to the Association of National Advertisers, in 2006, the top 100 US advertisers splashed between $150 million and $2 billion just on sound-enabled media, such TV ads and the Internet. In the UK, it is estimated that in 2008 the production spend on acquiring copyright music for synchronization, that is the right to choose a well known track and use it in a commercial, hit £60m ($98.8 million). Current predictions are that in the next decade, advertisers will be looking to invest an eye-watering $240 billion on branded entertainment.

With marketers freely admitting that music makes up 50% of the total consumer experience, it may have been a little surprising for the Music Industry to learn from Emmanuel Seuge of The Coca-Cola Company “The music industry is much more open and willing to find new creative models in the way we interact with them…but at the same time it’s much more complex. The management of the artists are more smart marketeers than I am! They have a real vision of what they want to do with their artists, and the artists themselves have a point of view. Aligning everyone on a shared view is the challenge.”

This brave comment goes straight to the heart of the issue and it may be some consolation for Emmanuel to learn that he is no alone. Whilst 63% of Brand marketers use music, 56% have no idea how to measure the use of sound and music and 20% don’t even try (Resource Association of National Advertisers).

So having heard from the Brands – it was the turn of the Music Industry to take the stage. Management giants like Chris Morrison from CMO Management (Blur, Gorillaz, Grace Jones and many more) had some very important things to say about bands and brands. Morrison agreed that Brands will be involved in some of his artist projects with a word of warning: “You have to be very careful about branding – there’s a great danger of music being corporatised at this point, and I see things that certainly worry me considerably.” When asked what kind of things Morrison is seeing that he doesn’t like: “The Duffy Coca-Cola ad was abysmal, and Robbie Williams on T-Mobile was terrible…You have to be very very careful with how you associate with brands.”

One thing is for sure, simply slapping a brand logo on stages is very different to becoming true partners. And with an increasing number of events and artists now wanting to enter the dialogue and the projected figures brands are willing to invest, we have to be talking real music strategy rather than just brand involvement. We know that just like any relationship, it will need trust, honesty, shared values and vision and that will mean a shift to what can I do for you, from WIFM. Then Emmanuel, we can start to get real alliance round the table.

Ruth Simmons, CEO
soundlounge

Brands & Bands: Enough Dating – Let’s Have Some Commitment. is a post from: soundlounge

Sonic Logos: The First Sounds of Life

soundlounge — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:49:12 +0000

The very first sonic logo I heard was at 12 weeks gestation. It was my mother’s heartbeat. The second was her voice. These two simple sounds gave me a sense of self and my first, albeit hazy, understanding of the world outside. With these audio clues, I could tell not only where my mother was but also whether her surroundings were exciting or calm, happy or sad, dangerous or safe. I even heard my mother’s language and imitated it in my own cries. From the moment I was born, I was able to recognise like-minded spirits simply from the sounds that I heard.

But I was no baby genius. This ability to detect subtle changes in mood, geography, safety and hostility just by listening is a survival skill inherent in us all. The truth is that sound is one of the most sophisticated communication tools that we possess and one that neuroscientists are just beginning to understand.

We are physiologically programmed to respond to nature. Most of us find the sound of the sea very soothing, and not just because it reminds us of holidays. Its frequency of 12 cycles per minute is actually the same as the breathing frequency of a sleeping human. Birdsong also promotes feelings of well-being. We know instinctively that when the birds are singing we are safe; when they stop, we get worried. BP have recently installed birdsong soundscapes in their toilets as part of their campaign of stimulating a sense of well being and calm for their motorist customers. Check out the number of garages that play heavy rock. As my colleague Julian Treasure remarks – if motorists are listening to sounds like that, are they ever going to drive within the speed limit?

So if getting close to nature is one way to connect with humans very quickly are brands using these stimuli to connect with consumers? The answer is yes.

Take MGM. Nothing says louder that I am ‘king of the jungle’ than the roar of a lion. In a time of intense competition and a city that felt like a human jungle, Metro Goldwyn Meyer adopted the lion’s roar as their logo.

But one brand takes us right back to Mama. Check out Audi’s sonic logo blatantly based on the human heartbeat. The ultimate endorsement of safety and life itself. Where’s my dummy?

Ruth Simmons, CEO
soundlounge

Sonic Logos: The First Sounds of Life is a post from: soundlounge

What Every CMO Should Know About Music

soundlounge — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:47:29 +0000

Music is one of the most valuable tools at an advertiser’s disposal. In 2006, the top 100 US advertisers splashed between $150 million and $2 billion just on sound-enabled media, such TV ads and the Internet, according to the Association of National Advertisers. In the UK, it is estimated that in 2008 the spend on acquiring copyright music for synchronization hit £60m ($98.8 million).

But brands have worked to understand how a particular target group, with shared values and aspirations, forms a loyalty to a specific brand. They have figured out how to manage and measure how we respond to color, texture, lighting, and other apparently visceral stimuli. So is sound simply the next frontier?

For the full article, please click here.

What Every CMO Should Know About Music is a post from: soundlounge

Sounds in Context – Mobile Phone Ring or Pavlovian ‘Ding’?

soundlounge — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:58:10 +0000

As I was watching Sprint’s clever “What if ____ ran the world?” ads, I noticed they used no music, no jingles, nothing that would traditionally qualify as a sonic logo. Only one sound stands out consistently in each ad: the walkie-talkie-like bleep of the Sprint phone itself. And every time we hear it in Sprint’s commercials, it’s followed by a joke. By the end of each ad, we’ve heard it 6 to 12 times, and it’s no longer just a phone bleep. It’s a brilliantly timed comic device that has preconditioned us to laughter.

Of course, the same sound can mean vastly different things for different people. For the majority of us, the sound of an incoming text message is exciting, a happy beep signaling a new message from a friend. But for my mother, it’s a sound that strikes terror in her heart and gets her adrenaline flowing. For her, it means she’s received a text from my younger brother in Africa. Often his messages bear bad news – he was robbed on the street once and lost all his money. So this seemingly harmless sound evokes fear and maternal instincts in a split second. One day she told me, “I hate that sound more than any other sound.” Who knew a simple, neutral beep could stir up such an emotional reaction?

The finest sound designer can craft the most perfect sound for your brand, but context is everything. Though most of us don’t start salivating, we’re a lot like Pavlov’s dogs once we’ve been trained to hear a sound in a certain way. Sprint was smart; they trained us from the beginning to hear their phones as fun, even before we interact with one in real life. As soon as a strong sonic branding plan meets a positive customer experience, the Pavlovian buttons will be pushed in just the right ways. For 99.9% of us, this is good news. For the unfortunate alarm clock marketers of the world…I wish you luck.

Charlie McCarron, Sound Consultant
soundlounge

Sounds in Context – Mobile Phone Ring or Pavlovian ‘Ding’? is a post from: soundlounge