Sonic Branding: It's Not Rocket Science.
But potentially rocket fuel.
Right now, I’m guessing half of you are thinking, “Sonic branding? What’s that?” and the other half are humming, “Ba da ba ba ba, I’m lovin’ it.” Both thoughts are fair. “Sonic branding” is not a term that gets thrown around the office every day, nor is it one you’re likely to read or hear about as frequently as social media marketing and UGC. And when it is discussed, many often reference McDonald’s multi-year, multi-agency, multi-celeb, and multi-million dollar effort to establish “Ba da ba ba ba” as their global calling card. Here’s a quick video on that saga.
History (and “Mystery”) of McD’s “I’m Lovin’ It” Jingle:
If you watched, you’re probably thinking, “Got it. So, all it takes is a global agency competition, two— no three— celebrities, a variety of stage and studio productions, and some expert psychoanalysis. Then, in about a decade or so, people will associate a handful of catchy syllables with my brand… What? Why?”
Good news. There’s another way… and way more to sonic branding than agency-produced jingles.
So, what is it? “Sonic branding” is the vague and hyperbolic term that we, marketers, have given to our work of establishing audio identities for brands. It’s jingles and songs, sure— but also simple sounds like “ta-dum” (Netflix) or “ca-shhhh, ca-shhhh” (Windex). These audio identities can be manufactured (created in a studio like Netflix’s “ta-dum”) or organic (derived from the consumer-brand experience like Windex’s “ca-shhhh, ca-shhhh”), and there are pros and cons of each. But for small brands without a super-sized budget, I’ll almost always advocate for organic. It’s easier, faster, and better than you might think.
The power of sonic branding. As much as I scoff at the term “sonic branding,” I fully buy into the strategy. As humans, our auditory pathway to the brain is powerful stuff— apparently, second only to our visual pathway for most English-speaking people.
Side bar: I recently read about a scientific study that indicates in some non-English-speaking communities, smell and/or taste may trump hearing as the second most powerful human sense. Interesting. But then it went on to say that the commonly accepted hierarchy of senses for English speakers is still 1. sight, 2. hearing, 3. touch, 4. taste and 5. smell.
Not only is sound scientifically proven powerful, but its capacity to mentally and emotionally transport us and elicit visceral reactions is likely something we’ve all experienced firsthand. Have you ever heard a song that immediately launches you back to some moment in your past? I’m sure you have… it feels like a mental and emotional hijacking, right? (Stories for another day.)
Well, marketing is all about eliciting these types of full-body visceral reactions. So naturally, it’s smart to think about the many sensorial ways to do so. Visual is table stakes. Almost all brands have some sort of visual identifier— a logo, symbol, color, pattern, phrase, font, name, etc. And, honestly, it’s very, very mixed on how meaningful and stimulating these assets are. Smell, touch, and taste identifiers are hard to come by for a lot of brands (try coming up with a universally associated smell for Zoom, taste for Nike, or touch for Netflix. Impossible.). So sound just might be where it’s at.
How sonic branding works. Sound or melody associations can benefit brands in three primary ways. First, simple recognition. If done well, executed consistently, and embedded distinctively into consumers’ lives, sounds or melodies can be immediate brand identifiers, causing people to think about the brand and thus placing it top-of-mind for later times of need. Most people hear “Ba da ba ba ba, I’m lovin’ it” and know it’s McDonald’s. What about this sound (volume up)?
Pretty iconic and instantly recognizable, right? Non-verbal sound is perhaps the most powerful language of all— it’s universal and sticky.
The second way sonic branding works is by tapping into borrowed memory structures1. Coming off the holidays (and the past 35 years), I’m going to guess you’re all familiar with this ad.
Hershey has been running this ad during the Christmas season since 1989. It’s a brand classic despite the fact that the words “Hershey” or “Hershey Kiss” are not once said during the entire ad. In fact, there’s no voice at all, just the sound of handbells to a familiar tune that universally cues Christmas and all of the heartfelt traditions of the season. Through the use of sound, Hershey has effectively borrowed the emotions, memories, and all-around warm vibes of Christmas. In fact, now, when I hear handbells, I think “Christmas,” “Kisses,” and then my mouth starts to water, craving chocolate.
The last and— I think— most powerful effect of sonic branding is the creation of owned memory structures. Take a listen to this clip (volume up).
Yup, it’s a hair dryer, but not just any hair dryer. Did you catch the distinctive whistle at the start and stop of each cycle? Know it? Recognize it from a hand dryer or vacuum? Dyson. The brand has been talking about its jet engine-like, “advanced cyclone” supersonic technology since its inception. And, whether by chance or design, these features have always been linked to a distinctive whistle-y sound, softer than most traditional home appliances. Not only is this whistle distinctively Dyson, it also says something about the product’s effectiveness and, therefore, value to the consumer. It’s perhaps the reason many covet and treasure the brand. Be honest, does that $400 Dyson supersonic hair dryer really dry your hair better, or is it worth it to just think it does? I’m not judging, I’m marveling. That’s the power of sonic branding.
So, where to start. Perhaps before phoning JT’s agent or calling McDonald’s to get the number for their jingle guy, just listen to the experience your brand delivers… like really listen across the entire consumer journey. Are there sounds that are distinctive? Ones that sync up with a consistent brand-driven emotion or physiological response? Or— even better— ones that are delightfully cross-modal like the “pfshhhh” and smell of opening a can of illy coffee or “crack” and taste of biting into a Skittles.
These organically derived sounds have the potential to become powerful sonic brand assets for your brand through amplification and frequent and consistent application. One could argue that they’re even more powerful than manufactured sonic assets because of their automatic association with brand experience and, therefore, brand consumption (“ca-ching, ca-ching, ca-ching!”).
For inspo, I’ll leave you with a few additional organic sonic assets that perhaps aren’t as catchy as “Ba da ba ba ba, I’m lovin’ it,” but no less impactful. If you really listen throughout your day, you’ll probably begin to realize that sonic brand assets are everywhere. Let me know what you hear.
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars: listen/watch for the “crunch” to unlock the opportunity to stay outdoors longer in this ad.
U by Kotex Click® Compact Tampons: Kotex changed the name of their tampons to “Click®” (and trademarked it) after this sound became one of the product’s most differentiated and motivating attributes.
Coca-Cola: If you’ve been to the movies in the past 25 years, then chances are you’ve been prompted to take a sip (or even lulled back to concessions) by Coke’s iconic “pour, ice clink, fizz” montage during the previews. So confident in these sonic assets, the brand ran a visual campaign throughout Europe a few years ago featuring fizz close-ups and the clever tease, “Try not to hear this.”
Yeti: Ever notice how the vast majority of this brand’s product line involves the same incredibly audible and gratifying “click” when the item is securely closed (from tumbler lids to coolers)? It’s only a matter of time before Yeti makes something of this sonic asset.
Tic Tac: No explanation needed. Care for a mint now?
“Borrowed memory structures” is a core How Brands Grow concept. It has withstood the test of time and remains a leading marketing strategy today.