Audio Branding Takes Portland
During the last internet explosion, the branding world welcomed a new group of consultancies that developed audio strategies that integrated into corporate branding and advertising campaigns. As the internet grew out of its awkward phase and entered adulthood - audio branding has established itself as a invaluable piece of brand strategy and interactive campaigns.
Associations and Benefits
Perhaps the first items that are conjured up are the NBC chimes or the four note Intel audio logo. Think again… Ringtones, ringback tones, audio environments, audio logos. Studies show that the audio associated with a brand can have equal impact as the visual elements. By extending beyond the visual companies can deepen brand recognition, perception and experience. In contrast, poorly designed audio experiences can also have a strong negative impact on brand attributes. Audio bridges logic and emotion while creating strong emotional associations with its audience. Paired with a strong visual identity, it can be an incredibly powerful and expansive marketing tool.
Muzak isn’t Just for Your Elevator.
A few years back, Muzak went through a hefty rebranding. They were faced with the fact that people were using their name when referring to bad elevator music. The reality is that they design highly strategic audio environments for companies. If you walk into an Aeropostale, Aveda, or Home Depot - they have developed an audio experience that enhances their brand attributes.
Right Here in Portland
Even cooler yet, my friend Noel Franus has established an audio branding consultancy called Intentional Audio here in Portland and will be doing a little dog and pony show at the AIGA Gain Conference and at Pop Art. This is a subject that is entirely new to me and I am siked to learn more about how I can incorporate this concept into interactive campaigns.
Hi Ben — you’ve done a wonderful job encapsulting the core of an audio identity: logic and emotion are at the core of it. And I’m amazed that more companies haven’t caught on.
Nonetheless, we do have to be careful about audio branding — much like the early days of the net, we have to be careful about our choices.
Let’s think back, in this case, to how most people reacted to Java or Flash if it interrupted their visitor experience — you’d sit there waiting for a site to load, for example, page-load chugged along, and finally the image holding up the entire visit would appear: flames! Animated! In Java!
How not awesome was that, waiting around all day on your cruddy 28-8 modem for…flames.
And it was: a whole troupe of “web designers” who were very good at making cool stuff for the wrong reason had a future in this business.
Audio branding will grow — whether it’s done with care and attention or not. We will soon be hit with customized car-unlock tones when we click our keyless entry, targeted audio-ads when we stroll down the street, and all sorts of devices around the house that blip and beep whether we need them to or not.
The challenge we face, then, as experience designers, is to make sure each of these instances is one that improves the user expeience (and thus enhances or evolves brand perception) rather than ignores it.
In a world full of feature-itis, it’s going to be tough. Perhaps the most beloved brands of the future will not be those who scream the loudest, but those who know exactly when to shut up.
Comment by Noel Franus — October 12, 2006 @ 12:45 pm
Hi Noel - Thanks for posting!
I’m waiting companies to pay for audio-ads in the start up sound of your computer.
Comment by ben — October 18, 2006 @ 7:46 pm