How your brand sounds can leave an extraordinarily lasting impact on your audience.
When we think of a brand’s identity, most of us are attuned to its visuals first. From the Nike swoosh to the iconic Tiffany Blue, we tend to associate a brand’s visual elements from logo design, fonts and brand colours, to what defines it.
Brands have also traditionally placed a huge emphasis on communicating a cohesive brand through these visual elements. After all, presenting a consistent look and feel has been a fundamental component of building a great brand. In fact, according to research conducted by Lucidpress in 2019, consistent presentation of a brand can increase business growth by 10-20%.
But as brands evolve beyond static, 2D words and images, it is important to consider a more holistic approach to one’s brand identity. This is where sonic branding comes in. Incorporating a unique auditory element can elevate your overall brand experience and touchpoints – Raising it above the crowd and letting your brand be heard.
Strategic use of sonic elements to complement a brand’s identity is an effective way to build greater brand recognition and increase top-of-mind awareness. In the Spotify for Brands report 2020, audio ads were found to drive 24% higher recall than display ads, and were two times as likely to lift purchase intent.
While sonic branding is an emerging trend with significant potential, it’s already much more pervasive than we might think.
Try and see if the following ring a bell:
#1 McDonald’s
As a sonic logo, McDonald’s “Ba-Da-Ba-Ba-Bah” jingle is one of the stickiest to date. The ubiquitous use of the audio logo coupled with its memorable, cheerful melody and easy syllables makes for an effortlessly recognisable sound that immediately brings about brand recognition when heard.
#2 Intel
Intel’s catchy sequence of notes stays true to the technological essence of the brand and translates this musically into something that is distinctive, relatable to the general audience, and timeless.
#3 Netflix
The iconic “Ta-Dum” intro subconsciously instills a sense of anticipation for viewers to the entertainment that awaits. Netflix also partnered with renowned composer Hans Zimmer to adapt the sonic logo for use in cinemas, demonstrating how these sound elements can extend to various uses, channels, and formats.
#4 Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola effectively uses sound and music to add another dimension to its brand and touchpoints. From the sound of a popping bottle cap to the drink being poured, these additional sound accents help to further enhance the brand’s visuals through multisensorial experiences that create an iconic and unique soundscape for the brand.
#5 EA Sports
The world-famous “EA Sports… It’s in the game” audio logo uses the brand’s tagline and sound textures to effectively evoke emotions in the audience as they get ready to immerse themselves in the game. Remaining true to its brand’s essence, the audio logo conveys the brand’s personality and promises recall.
As you can see (or in these cases, hear), sonic branding has already been playing a significant role in building your recall of different brands. So could it be a good option for your brand?
Before jumping to think how you want your brand to sound, it is important to remember that your sonic branding has to work in close tandem with your visual brand identity. Sonic branding often goes beyond just the audio logo, and a strong sonic brand strategy is required to effectively drive long-term equity.
The power of sonic branding is not something to be underestimated for both B2C and B2B industries. Accelerated by the rise of digital technologies and smart objects, sound will play an increasingly important role in the day-to-day interactions between brands and their audiences. And it’s up to brands to seize this opportunity to tap on the potential of sonic branding to set themselves apart.
Ready to start creating your sonic identity? Take a look at our services and speak with our team here.
