The Sound of Success: Audio’s Growing Role in Brand Identity
Experts chime in on why music and sound could be the answer to owning a successful brand identity in the age of media fragmentation
Image courtesy of LBB
“So darling, hold my hand!”
This summer was a case study in the power of sonic branding. Upon hearing Jess Glynne’s lyrics, listeners around the world now cannot help but erupt into an enthused, “nothing beats a Jet2holiday!” The airline absolutely owns that song.
Not every brand wants to erupt as a meme on social media; but they can no longer deny the unique influence music and sound have on establishing a distinct, memorable identity. Today, it’s only becoming more important as brands vie to curate identities that are recognisable in a matter of seconds and across content platforms.
LBB’s Zara Naseer spoke to experts around the world to hear how audio is evolving, how it builds emotional connections, and most of all, builds brands.
Looks Fade, Sound Sticks Around
“Visual branding – logos, colour palettes, typography – is systemised to perfection. But sound? It remains largely undefined, despite its proven power,” notes Pablo Wansbrough, founder of PWE Productions (an arm of Marble LDN). “Studies show that sonic branding can outperform visuals by up to 96% in recognition, recall, and purchase intent.”
“Because music and audio can ‘stick’ in people’s memories and consciousness, the sonic identity of a brand can be long lasting if executed properly and strategically,” adds Paul Greco, executive music producer at VML.
The viral Jess Glynne-Jet2 mash up is far from the only example of this. “Think about the operatic earworm of ‘Go Compare’, the Netflix ‘Tudum’, or the dial-up internet screech that still lives rent-free in our collective memory,” Kathryn Jubrail, managing director and partner at Mother Design, reminds us. These melodies, she continues, have become cultural timestamps that “lodge themselves in our lives, across generations, devices and formats.”
Jonathan Fanta, senior creative and copywriter at TBWA\Helsinki, attests to that. “When I was a kid, the songs we sang at school weren’t just chart hits. They were jingles. Brand tunes. They were shared culture.” So when Jonathan joined the advertising industry, he couldn’t understand why music was so often an afterthought.
“Yes, jingles can be cheesy. But cheesy can sometimes be good. Cheesy gets remembered.”
Yet jingles have stuck around – as they are accustomed to do – in some form or another. “If you think about how we evolved from catchy (albeit cringey) jingles to sleek mnemonics, brand identity has come a long way,” observes Kieran Kaye, Full English Post’s founder and head of audio. “What’s changing is the intent behind audio – brands are moving beyond stock tracks and focusing on sound with purpose. Even cheesy jingles have gone full circle and made a comeback with great success.”
Tuning Emotions
So why does sound lodge itself in our memories, the way other media can’t? It could be due to hearing’s preeminence among our range of senses – it’s central to our experience of the world as early on as the womb.
“Understanding and interpreting sound as a sense is something we develop long before being able to distinguish any visual information,” explains Keith Gillespie, head of sonic branding at WithFeeling.
“From learning the sound of our mother’s voice, to determining the rate of her heartbeat from inside the womb as a signal of stress or safety, sound directly informs our fight or flight responses and decision-making as adults.”
That’s why sound speaks uniquely to our memory, emotion, and identity, adds Pablo. “From Spotify Wrapped to music therapy for Alzheimer’s, the evidence is overwhelming: audio evokes resonance that visuals alone can’t reach.” That effect doesn’t always have to be serious, notes Jonathan. “Music’s ability to turn dull into funny or serious into silly is one of its biggest superpowers. An excellent example is the great campaign from Life360, ‘I Think of You (Dying)’.”
The absence of music is even more compelling as evidence – it can strip commercials of their emotion entirely, leaving them to ring hollow.
“Because of that,” emphasises Aaron Kotler, partner at TEMPEST, “there’s a great responsibility in how you connect music not only with a spot but with a brand overall. When you only have two and half to three seconds to work with, hitting that emotional touchpoint is a challenge, but it’s the most important part of the job.”
Making Brand Identity Sing
Sound doesn’t just convey emotion; it can communicate a brand’s core identity.
As an example, Paul Sumpter, founder and creative director at The Futz Butler, offers up the UEFA Champions League anthem, which proves you can “capture a brand’s identity in just a few powerful orchestral notes and choir voices.” That’s incredibly useful for any brand looking to “cut through the clutter” and distinguish itself from its competitors.
“When creating a brand’s sonic identity, it’s important that it represents the true brand personality and its values,” Paul goes on. “It must be consistent with who they are as a brand and what they stand for.”
It’s about “distilling a brand’s essence into something instinctive,” adds Chris Turner, senior sound designer and director at Jungle.
“A few carefully composed notes or sound design can communicate personality, values, and intent – faster than words, and much deeper than visuals alone. Sonic identity is where strategy meets symphony and branding meets biology.”
It’s now become a science, says Zac Colwell, creative director at Sonic Union; neuroscientists and experts in the effect of sound on the brain are even consulted. “It’s a delicate dance creating a unique emotional experience that is simultaneously familiar and novel,” he continues. “Melody, texture, sound design, and harmony are all areas that we explore in order to convey a complete experience in a short time.”
Done well, this network of connections between sound, emotion, and brand can forge a bond with current and future customers, highlights VML’s Paul. “This can be a very valuable tool for brands especially at the point of deciding of purchase. The hope is to make that bond strong enough to create brand loyalty over time.”
On Repeat
For a sonic identity to be truly effective, especially in the face of fragmentation, “it must be deployed strategically and consistently to become ingrained in the public consciousness,” advises Paul at VML.
“It must be included in all the brand’s media touchpoints consistently over a fairly long period of time.”
Longevity is crucial. As Zac puts it, “The ultimate goal is that the sound must impress on first listen, and stand up to repeated listens to become part of the fabric of the brand experience.”
Aaron expands on the point: “Logos that feel timeless get there by repeated listening. We don’t know a world without the Intel ‘Bong’, McDonalds ‘Ba-Da-Ba-Ba-Bah’, Nationwide ‘On Your Side’, the Old Spice ‘Whistle’, or the T-Mobile ‘Ring’, but they were once unrecognisable to the public as well. However, through consistent use over many years, they became ingrained in our cultural understanding of the brands.”
That doesn’t mean sound has to be stagnant. Once the repetitive work has been put in, brands can begin to play with music and sound to suit various contexts.
“Vodafone exemplifies this trend through Sonic Hub, an audio operating system enabling global teams to maintain sonic consistency while adapting to local markets, demonstrating how sound can transcend visual limitations,” says Shristhi Avasthi, client and growth manager at amp.
“Sometimes, it’s also about ensuring that your brand is evolving with its audience,” adds Renée Massé, Butter Music and Sound’s executive producer of New York. In fact, her company reimagined the iconic Intel ‘Bong’ to refresh the beloved logo for its use in the 2020s and beyond.
“It proves that the right sonic strategy can positively impact a brand’s identity through generations.”
