Tuning Into Consumer Emotions: How Sound And Music Elevate Your Brand's Identity

Having a sonic signature is not new to the world of advertising and communication. Brands like Raymond, Britannia, Intel, McDonalds, etc created memorable audio signatures/jingles that have created a distinct memory structure.

However these were not created by design to be part of the brand’s sonic identity, but as a happy outcome of a ‘jingle’ that showed staying power.

Today, there is an increasing need to look at sound through a strategic lens - how it is designed and how it is used. It is important to look at sound as something beyond a mere jingle or campaign sound but as a long term brand building asset.

Sonic branding, also known as audio branding is the strategic use of sound and music to create a unique and recognizable sonic identity for a brand.

Sound has a powerful impact on emotions and can evoke specific feelings or associations. By carefully designing a sonic identity that aligns with a brand's values and personality, sonic branding can help forge an emotional connection between the brand and its consumers. In a visually saturated age, sound cuts through leaving a lasting impression on consumers. It enhances brand recall, builds trust, and establishes a strong emotional connection, making it a must-have in a brand's identity. The power of sound lies in its ability to transcend the barriers of language and culture, making it universal.

In today’s digital age, a brand’s interaction with its consumer is becoming increasingly transactional. Marketers are faced with the challenge of connecting with their consumers on a deeper level to build consumer loyalty in a saturated market. Sonic branding provides an opportunity for a brand to do so.

By creating a unique and recognizable sonic identity, a brand can differentiate itself from competition by introducing the vertical of sonic to their brand strategy.

Sonic branding can increase brand recall by leveraging the power of auditory memory and creating an associative link between the brand and its sonic identity.Furthermore, the digital age has caused attention spans to be shorter than ever. Sonic branding emerges as the perfect way to reach your consumer, even in just 3 seconds.

An important part of brand building is consistency and coherence. Sonic branding is a non-intrusive way of maintaining this consistency across touchpoints and ‘earpoints’ (audio touchpoints) like mass-media, digital, in-app navigation,  retail spaces, in-product, brand extensions, etc. By amplifying sonic branding skillfully, a brand can subconsciously reinforce its brand identity and create a coherent brand experience. Developing sonic consistency is as important as visual consistency as it establishes a unified brand identity and consumer experience even across diverse channels of communication.

Multi-sensory, immersive experiences is the next big thing in branding. Sonic branding not only compliments but can also transcend visual branding. Interactive and immersive audio experiences provide brands with a unique way of engaging with consumers and enhancing brand impact.

A brand that has exemplified the use of sonic branding globally is Mastercard.

According to Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard: ‘Sound adds a powerful new dimension to our brand identity and a critical component to how people recognize Mastercard today and in the future.’

Mastercard's Sonic Identity is a carefully crafted sonic expression that has helped the brand become the top global audio brand four years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.) With the expertise of BrandMusiq, Mastercard's sound is the perfect embodiment of the brand's core values. The sonic identity for Mastercard was created keeping in mind its brand positioning of ‘Priceless’ as well as the accessibility of the debit and credit card category. The Mastercard brand sound is a balance between optimism, wonder and high energy combined with a simple melody that anyone can hum along.

Mastercard has used this flexible and adaptable brand asset across its earpoints from TVCs and digital communication, to POS machines, smart speakers, sponsorship activations, music albums etc.

Marketers can map their consumers journey and intelligently use thier sonic identity to also create sonic alerts or notifications. Zomato for instance, uses its sonic asset to punctuate the rider's journey from the time the order is accepted to the time of delivery, or HDFC for example uses its MOGO as a payment confirmation sound in their ATM machines to evoke the sense of security of a successful transaction.

Sonic branding is emerging as the future of branding, and is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ but a ‘must have’ because it addresses the challenges and opportunities of the digital age and provides a multi-platform strategy for building and maintaining a brand’s identity.

At brandmusiq We believe in using the science of sound and the art of music to create sonic identities that are distinct and leave a lasting impact on consumers minds because we believe that #TheFutureIsSound.