The way to the heart is through our ears.
Nobody watches TV anymore. We’re in front of them but we’re all glued to our phones and only give the TV attention when we HEAR something that makes us look up. We listen to the radio while we’re cooking or driving, and with the explosion of smart speaker use, it is more and more clear that the way into people’s minds is through their ears!
Photo by the blowup on Unsplash
From “Mmm Danone” to Macdonald’s “I’m Lovin’ it”… big companies are recognising the value of sonics.. and very soon millions will be spent to get this Mastercard Soundscape into your mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=47&v=VbM4F9YQEpw
It doesn’t have to be a 3 to five note chime… it can be a sound effect, it can be your music track… it can be a voice (Hello Moto!) but every company that uses sound and has a company logo should be investing in a sonic logo.
At a meeting the other day I was challenged by a client as to whether they needed a sonic in their advertising, because no one else in their sector was doing it. I looked around the room. Everything was branded. Their pens, notebooks and visitor name badges. Would they consider sending out any external communication without their company logo on it? Absolutely not! Are they insistent on the right pan-tones… a certain size, with or without writing… and the correct font? Yes!
I can’t think of any company or organisation that uses audio that shouldn’t have a sonic or sound identity.
Blue chip companies are meticulous about their visual logo, but a lot of the time forget their audio presence, or don’t treat it with the care and respect it deserves. In this world of new technologies, the battle for the mind of the consumer is more and more being fought with sound.
Sonic Idents. Audio Branding. Acoustic Brand Trigger. Dare we say it, Jingle.
Does your company have one?
Simon Rushton
