Research: Brands Need Audio Gameplan To Stand Out.
Advertisers are increasingly learning that it’s not exclusively a visual world — and that consumers can also associate positive, enduring experiences with the right sound. Sometimes that even means higher rates of recall, even when brand images aren’t present.
According to the Best Audio Brands report from Germany-based audio researcher amp, a yearly index from amp, about 95% of the brands in the report’s top 100 have a sonic logo.
Telecom company Telenor and Equinor, an international energy company, are newcomers to this year’s Best Audio Brands Top 10 index. The Top 10 includes MasterCard, Shell, Swiss Re Group, AutoZone, Telenor, Old Spice, Burger King, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Just Eat, and Equinor.
“In recent years there has been a distinct and widening separation between the way brands are connecting with consumers through traditional ad content and social media platforms,” amp’s report says. “Despite the increase in brands creating sonic identities, the same separation is occurring with brands’ use of sound.”
The report says that brands like Duracell and T-Mobile use their sonic logos consistently on television, in podcasts, and on YouTube — but never on Instagram or TikTok. That’s not by accident, amp says. It contends that getting consumers to “click” starts with sonic recognition and cross-channel consistency.
“Using trending audio only makes brands blend into the sea of other creators using the same sounds and attempting the same trends,” the report says. “The meme style, ‘Oh, the intern took over the Instagram account,’ utilized by Duolingo and Ryanair, was once novel and hilarious, but has quickly become predictable and commonplace. Brands need to think outside the box and take a fresh approach to social marketing if they want to connect with potential buyers through these booming platforms.”
The report also finds that the use of stock music has been on the rise during the past year. Its use currently sits at 55.5%, up from 45.1% last year. Use of licensed music, meanwhile, fell to 8.5% this year from 10% in the past year. The report says this is all from auto, telecom, food and beverage, and other sectors.
According to a report by MediaPost, “Mastercard and Shell have made significant strides in sonic branding, showcasing the power of sound in brand identity and presence. Since Mastercard unveiled its sonic identity in 2020, the company has consistently led the Best Audio Brands ranking. Shell has shown progress and innovation, established a strong sonic presence and steadily climbed the ranks, according to the amp.”