For brand agility, listen to audio

The best brands display agile characteristics, they recognise that to keep pace with the modern speed of business, and they can no longer be set in stone, instead they need to be designed and built to flex. Agile brands are multi-facetted, working across all communications platforms and engaging all of the senses.Our technologically advanced world is helping to create rich brand experiences; brands can engage people quickly with digital content whether it is words, sound or imagery. Despite this, last year the Harvard Business Review concluded that considering the current audio-enabled world that we live in, sound was the one powerful branding tool that was being overlooked.Sound stirs emotionGiven the importance and ubiquity of technology it is surprising that more brands aren’t using sound as a key brand touchpoint or signature. Looking deeper than purely hardware and software, sound has the ability to move people; through it we define ourselves through our playlists on Spotify, and even the ring tones that we select for our phones. Brands obsess about creating emotional connections with consumers but neglect one of the most emotive senses.The idea of ‘sonic branding’ or the creation of ‘sound logos’ for brands isn’t new. Intel’s five-note mnemonic is over twenty years old and Nokia’s ring tone first appeared in the early 1990’s. What is surprising is the fact that more brands haven’t tried to extend brand experience in to sound.Sound helps make sense of brandsIn my opinion, brands often confuse sonic branding for jingles and music. In the case of jingles, there is a fine line between creating a brand asset and a public nuisance. Music can enhance a TVC, making it more memorable, but does it really help leverage the brand?An intelligent use of sound builds on and helps make sense of a brand. A personal favorite of mine is the opening sound sequence for HBO – responsible for the likes of True Detective, The Soprano’s and Boardwalk Empire – to me, their sonic logo signals the start of another brilliant episode. Scratchy static gives way to a satisfying melodic hum. In just five seconds the brand establishes its exceptional credentials, this opening sequence is a crucial part of my viewing pleasure. And, it can’t just be me; this 5-second sequence has been viewed 144,000 times on YouTube.Honda is another brand that makes use of sound to position its brand. At the end of their most recent adverts there is a snippet of an F1 engine roar suddenly spliced with a tone that suggests technology. It is so brief you barely comprehend it, but once your brain catches up it reinforces the fact that the Honda brand is much more than the saloon car you have just seen on the TVC. Instead the brand is built on innovation and has a stellar track record across Formula 1, robotics and aviation.Interestingly, while Honda establishes their technology credentials using the sound of an F1 car, the sport as a whole has its own sound problem that is affecting the fans experience. New engines have lowered the decibel level of the cars, which has led viewers, drivers and team owners to complain that the sport has been tarnished as a spectacle.Handcrafted soundGiven that sound plays a significant part in the auto industry it isn’t at all surprising that auto brands are effectively using sound signatures. Bentley is another brand that has explored sound, but not by focusing on the engine. Instead they have used sound to improve the experience of driving its Continental GT model.In line with the brands handcrafted and refined image, sounds were created for when indicators and seatbelts were in use. Live recordings of antique clocks and metronomes were digitally remastered to create a sense of authenticity through sound. These sound logos add another sensory layer that adds to the driving experience.Gibberish and silence sellsFrom the refined sounds of a crafted piece of machinery, to the gibberish of a bright yellow plastic toy. The Minions brand shows little sign of diminishing in popularity, the brand is seemingly everywhere having established partnerships with the likes of McDonalds, Kinder, Tic Tac, Twinkies and Chiquita bananas to name just a few. An incredible feat for animated characters that talk utter nonsense. While advocates of the Queens English might be horrified, sound has played an integral role in turning the Minions in to a marketing phenomenon with kids (and adults) everywhere.Thankfully, silence can still be found. The Tesla brand is one of the challenger brands using technology to change an industry. While Honda, F1 and Bentley are using sound to position themselves, Tesla uses silence. Given the fact that it’s an electric car it can’t out-roar the competition, but it has its own way of differentiating itself, establishing excitement and elevating the driving experience through “verbal branding”.Who needs a roaring engine when you have a button marked “insane” that unleashes hidden horsepower like a space ship. Quietly exhilarating.The author of this article is Dominic Twyford, country director of Landor Malaysia.