Demystifying Sonic Branding and Identity

Noel FranusMartyn Ware

We use the emotional power of sound to position brands, improve products and enliven environments.

Bernie Krause is an acoustician who has recorded over 3,500 hours of pristine environmental audio. Among his findings: 1) No two places are alike. Each place on earth has its own sonic fingerprint, so to speak; 2) Every living organism also has its own unique acoustic signature; 3) Human development forces more animals into fewer spaces—which means there’s less space available in the sonic spectrum for mating and hunting purposes. It’s just too noisy. Sadly, the animals and species that can’t adapt don’t survive.

Any parallels to the world of brand experience?

Insights from nature

If this is a matter of “survival of the fittest,” some brands are more fit than others—they use music and sound with intention to build financial value.

What do we understand about sound?

But. We can’t use music and sound in innovative ways without first asking the big questions.

The answer: suprisingly little. We know we like music! That’s about it...

What don’t we understand about sound?

So maybe the more helpful question is...

Sound is ubiquitous.

We hear thousands of sounds every day. Alarm clock. Kids. Coffee. Shower. Bus. Car. Engine. Birds. Rain. And that’s in just the first part of our day. Sound is absolutely everywhere.

Sound shapes our thoughts and actions.

Sound is a filter for what we think, say, do—and buy. Researcher Adrian North ran a simple test to determine the effect of music on consumer behavior. The test lab: a wine shop. On alternating days, the shop played French music, then German music. On French-music days, French wine outsold German wine 4:1. And on German-music days, German wine outsold French wine 3:1.

Sound is emotion.

Sound goes directly to the emotional tripwire of the brain. Visuals, tastes and smells have power, but at times nothing can amplify emotion like music and sound. Case in point: Jaws. Chariots of Fire. The gospel tent at Jazz Fest in New Orleans...

“Our neuroimaging studies show amygdala activation to music...repetition, when done skillfully by a master composer, is emotionally satisfying to our brains, and makes the listening experience as pleasurable as it is.”

Daniel Levitin

Sound is transformative.

“Music doesn’t represent any tangible, earthly reality.It represents things of the heart, feelings which are beyond description, beyond any experience one has had. The feeling of the holy, the sacred, the wonderful, the mystical...is conveyed very powerfully in music.”

Oliver Sacks

How can we leverage the power of sound for valuable brand experiences?

Sonic branding and identity?

Sonic branding and identity?

The intentional use of music, sound, voice and silence to create rational and emotional connections between people and organizations.

Sonic branding and identity?

The intentional use of music, sound, voice and silence to create rational and emotional connections between people and organizations.

How can we leverage the power of sound for valuable brand experiences?

If we aim to innovate with sound we need consider the roles it plays...

Identification

1The first (and most direct) role is mere identification.

Articulation

2Sound also allows a brand to articulate its values in ways that go beyond identification...

For example, here’s an Apple “I’m a Mac/I’m PC” commercial from Japan, which uses a consistent music bed in any region—music that speaks to the brand’s elegant usability.

Information

3Sound also conveys information and status. In many daily interactions we know if and how well something’s working based on what we hear.

Enable participation

4Music and sound are great platforms for collaboration;this is a powerful role for brands. For example...

100remixes

1.5million views

Unification

5When properly deployed, music and sound also play the role of a unifier for brand experiences. Each of these brands haveflexible (but iconic) compositions that scale across a number of otherwise disparate touchpoints.

93%

Larry Light, McDonald’s

“We’re not advertising any more...what we have increased substantially is the effectiveness...when you increase relevance, it sticks in people’s minds.”

Engagement*Bonus: music and sound also play a key role in engaging people—in drawing them into new experiences.

Illustrious Company: Sonic ID’s Martyn Ware and friend Vince Clarke—founders of Human League, Heaven 17, Yazoo, Depeche Mode and Erasure—team to create immersive, three-dimensional soundscapes for physical environments.

Their “heightened reality” product that allows them to direct the physical movements of a composition—or any sound, really—anywhere in any environment. This places people front and center of a unique and powerful sensory experience.

The world’s largest ever 3D SonicImaging soundfield - Sound OasisEsplanade de Belles Artes, Mexico City June 2006

...Ware has used this to create the world’s largest soundfield outside the Palacio de Belles Artes in Mexico City. Exhibit was experienced by 100,000 people over 10 days.

The British Pavilion,XX Venice Architectural Biennale

September - November 2006Echo Cities

More: an immersive, narrative soundscape exploring Sheffield and its impact on the world, featured at the 2006 Biennale in Venice.

Rome Reborn 1.0Seven years in the making...Every building in ancient Rome reconstructed and navigable in three dimensionsUniversity of Virginia collaboration with 3D soundscapes by lllustrious

Illustrious immersive sound concept

Recreating the sound of the Colosseum using 3D SonicImaging sound

Breathing Trees - sound and light installation with CreatmospherePotter’s Field, South Bank, London February 2008

Recent installation: a permanent, three-dimensional soundscape in Workington. The experience focuses on the past and future legacy of this city in transition.

Soundlife Of London - Leicester Square, London Spring 2008

Sensory Theatre Environment for disabled/autistic children

Threeways SchoolBath, EnglandOpens 2008

Multisensory space for disabled children—incorporating film, light, sound and smell—that stimulates them in new ways and adapts to each child’s preferences.

Immersive ‘5-sense’ branding experience Launch Kenzo’s new male fragrance ‘Tokyo’

Kenzo, Paris May 2007

Multisensory exhibit to help Kenzo launch its new male Fragance, Tokyo. The soundscape captured the transformative, emotional energy of the city.

Galeries Lafayette

Historic-themed soundscape for Paris’s renowned Galeries Lafayette—placing shoppers amidst the cultural vibrance of Paris past.

GREEN HUMAN ENERGY INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP PERFORMANCE PROGRESSIVE

• BP’s Helios awards

• Brand attributes as an anchor for BP’s sonic identity

• Palette as a guide for additional brand communications

Core values come to life

Switching gears into brand communications:BP and HSBC’s first direct...

• UK’s first direct bank (via phone) • Passionate customer base• Design research led the way• Thematics created as a platform for brand-based audio

(Podcasts, advertising, web palettes, music on hold)

Banking on brand immersion

Web

Guerilla

Co-brandedMedia

DVDs

Onlinesoundscapes

POS

Functionalprompts

Musicon hold

Trainingmedia

PROnline video

Call center

greetings

PDAs

Training events

Podcasts

TV

BuzzMarketing

TradeShows

InstitutionalComms

Radio

Movies

BrandedEntertainment

DemosElectronicMessaging

ExperientialMarketing

SalesMeetings

Employees

Sponsor-ships

Ringtones

VoiceDial

Retailercollateral

SonicIdentity

Retailsoundscapes

Brands live everywhere. (Obviously, they make noise everywhere.)

Those that innovate to be heard will thrive.

roles5• Identify • Articulate• Inform• Participate• Unify• Bonus: engage

The future? We will...

1. Use sound as a forethought.2. Use sound as a meaningful

articulation of our brands’ core values.3. Use sound as a means of

solving problems.4. Move beyond the ‘sound logo’ to

address multiple needs and markets.5. We will (gasp!) standardize.

“Light and sound arguably do at least as much as space, form and texture to evoke an emotional response to a design... great design should encompass all of this, so let's give it more credence.”

Lynda Relph-Knight, Design Week

“Marketers that don't understand the power of music will simply be left behind.”

Mary Dillon, McDonald’s CMO

Thank you!web: sonicid.comblog: intentionalaudio.com

Noel FranusMartyn Ware