The Sound of Branding. 2005 Qtr 1
What does your brand sound like? This can be a good question to think about, especially if you are considering communicating via an auditory medium (e.g., radio or television).
Perhaps it’s time to associate your brand with music or a particular sound. It could be custom music, an audio hook and/or a mnemonic sound effect to enhance your brand.
How powerful can sound be in reinforcing or communicating your brand position? Very. Consider a couple examples. Think about Intel Inside and the familiar four–note stair–stepped ding–ding–ding–ding that always resonates with the square Intel Inside logo. Or what about a classic brand like Maxwell House coffee — the brand that often advertised a percolating coffeepot with a familiar 11–note melody. All designed to make you want to wake up and smell the coffee.
Before embarking on a sound branding endeavor, one should consider the tone of one’s brand. How would you describe it? A brand’s “tone” can be interpreted with so many different music styles. For example, Cadillac uses Led Zeppelin to rev up its auto sales with Baby Boomers, while United Airlines a few years ago featured the oh–so–familiar Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin to represent its brand.
Business–to–business brands can also benefit from sound branding. For instance, Level Five Communication (on CNN) uses the voice of actor Sean Connery to connect with its B2B audiences. So with all that said, how do you hear your brand? Does it sound like Jimmy Hendricks? Vivaldi? Willy Nelson? Or perhaps Ray Charles?
Sometimes a brand is associated with a sound effect to create memorable results. Consider the ringing bell for Taco Bell, the consistent friendly female voice used in advertising for On Star in car road assistance, or the doorbell for home–delivered Domino’s Pizza. All of these sounds associate with the brands they represent. And they help audiences/customers remember what the brand has to offer.
Even if you don’t advertise on broadcast media or have the need for custom music, you can still think about the sounds that surround your brand. What kind of on–hold music does your company play? Is there music in your lobby? What kind of voice does your receptionist have? All of these sounds should resonate with what you want your brand to represent.
Take the discussion to an even higher level and one could consider even the sound of the words used in communicating a brand. As an example, wouldn’t you say an “itsy bitsy spider” sounds less intimidating and more playful than simply a “small spider”?
So as you develop programs to enhance your brand, consider closing your eyes and opening your ears. You may just discover the sound of success.
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