What do you "hear" in your head when we say "Seitenbacher Müsli"? And who doesn't hear the famous ringing when you see the logo of the telecommunications company "Telekom"? 

Making brands audible - it's possible and it’s called "audio branding" or "audio branding strategy". So let’s find out what this is all about. 

Listen - what is audio Branding? 

Audio branding is a strategic and operational action in the branding of a company that helps to make a brand audible. This means that a certain sound, tone or even a sequence of tones is associated with a brand in the long term as soon as you see something from this brand - even if it is just the famous color or logo. 

What makes up a brand in general is fundamentally recorded in the corporate identity - CI for short - and this includes the well-known CD (corporate design) but also - if a company so wishes - the corporate sound or brand sound (also often referred to as brand sound DNA or brand sound principles). 

Now that we have learned so many great terms for one and the same thing, let's take a look at why something like this is needed at all. 

The answer is simple, the process is complex: the brand sound should acoustically translate and transport the identity, values and philosophy of a brand and anchor it in the target group. The reason for this? To influence perception, increase recognition and also - of course - how could it be otherwise: to increase reach and therefore increase sales in the long term.

Watch out - what elements are there?

Who doesn't know him? The roaring lion of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film production and distribution company that appears at the beginning of many films? Just hearing the lion roar was the moment for us as children to snuggle up on the couch and then immerse ourselves completely in another world and watch and experience the most amazing adventures for the next 90 minutes. At least that's how many people feel. 

And in order for us to perceive it that way and still associate something positive with this "movie kitten" as adults, some elements have to be implemented and, above all, consistently followed through. 

The following elements are important: 

• A logo in connection with the audio, the so-called audio logo (or sound logo, Sonic Mnemonic)

• The brand jingle, which is the actual audio track (e.g. the lion roar)

• The brand tracks (also known as brand soundtracks)

• The brand soundscape - or soundscape (this is the musical leitmotif) 

• Brand voice - a voice can also be a representative of a brand, see the famous German muesli 

And all of this - and perhaps even more - is set out in the so-called Brand Sound Principles.

Listening - what’s the point?

Sure, ok, if you associate a sound with a brand, then recognition can be higher or more likely and then we also use another sense of the person to appeal to them. But why do we need that? Aren't there many brands that don't have this? 

Justified question that we asked ourselves while writing this article - we often have fictitious dialogs with ourselves here 😉

So, let's see - ultimately, of course, it's about people's perception, which is supposed to be influenced by clever marketers. 

"The power of music" - something that is not only used in marketing, but also by doctors and psychologists. There's a great article in the ZEIT here.

Music and tones and sounds can appeal to us emotionally and emotions play a significant role in how purchasing decisions are made. This means that the emotionalization of a brand, e.g. through a sound or jingle, can contribute - in the long term - to increasing a company's sales. Precisely because the perception is or can be more positive. 

There is also a nice effect from psychology: that of recognition. And this also works auditorily, because recognition already takes place when there is an impression of familiarity: you perceive something that you have seen before - or, as in our case, heard before. And this is then linked in our brain with something we know.

Listen up - does this make sense in times of silent Videos?  

One of the video marketing trends for the past and current year is that videos are being watched without sound. They are consumed on the side or in between, exactly where you happen to be. Be it in the subway or at the gym. And sound would be impractical because you would disturb others or tell others what you are watching. 

So does an audio brand strategy make sense if everything is watched without sound anyway? Another valid question, which could be fun to discuss in a fictional dialog. 

The answer is yes. 

Of course many videos are watched without sound, but not all of them. 

Of course there is this silent trend and at the same time podcasts are more in demand than ever. And this is also where advertising is sometimes shown. 

Of course people are watching less on TV and more on YouTube. But there are commercials here too and there is sound. 

Of course people watch videos without sound, but there is often a "corporate face" to go with the corporate voice and the combination is not to be neglected when it comes to building trust. 
⁠There are always aspects for and against. Ultimately, it can be worth it, because it simply makes the overall image more coherent and authentic - if you do it well.

Summary   

Making brands audible - it's possible. And the whole magic is called audio branding. We learned what it is, which elements are important and then discussed whether it makes sense today or not. 
⁠What is important for a brand cannot always be answered in general terms. Ultimately, brands are individual and the values you stand for are much more decisive than the aspect of taking everything with you. 
⁠So before jumping in and trying to develop an audio brand strategy, it's better to ask and answer the following questions: What do we stand for at our core as a brand? What does our target group get out of it? And is this in line with a strategy about sound? 

You can find more articles on the Flanke 7 blog - enjoy.