21st of September 2016
What is Audio Branding?
Basics – History – Practice Cases
Lecturer: Cornelius Ringe, Audio Branding Academy
Abstract
Every brand causes sound in one way or the other. It is overall accepted that the functional application of sound has a strong impact on people. How and in which way sound causes an impact, whether negative or positive, is a question that many brands lack to consider critically.
During the second half of the 20th century a purely visual interpretation of the definition of corporate design became prevalent while at the same time the sonic design dimension was disregarded or even completely ignored. A fact that is surprising if you consider the tradition of brand sound, which reaches way back up to the first history of branding. With the invention of radio, station IDs (sonic radio signatures) became the first trademarks in widespread public broadcasting.
It took the digital revolution in modern brand management for sonic dimensions to gain more attention. Unmistakable brands such as the Deutsche Telekom, McDonalds or Intel have since then shaped the idea of audio branding. The concept of audio branding however reaches much further. Therefore, the definition of corporate design must be newly defined.
The workshop aims at conveying established basic knowledge of audio branding and its historical and recent development with a critical eye. In the workshop participants will acquire a practical understanding of the remaining open questions in modern brand management in the audiovisual media.
Dr. Cornelius Ringe
Cornelius Ringe is Senior Partner of the Audio Branding Academy. He studied business administration at the University of Augsburg with major in advertising psychology and gained his PhD with his dissertation about “Brand Artist Partnerships” at Humboldt University Berlin. After some experience in music business at Universal Music, he first worked as brand consultant at the audio consulting group. Afterwards he was consultant at Jung von Matt/brand identity.
In 2009 Cornelius founded with his fellows Kai Bronner and Rainer Hirt the Audio Branding Academy in Hamburg. Since 2013 he is also responsible for Business Development at Berlin/Hamburg based sound branding agency WESOUND. As guest lecturer Cornelius introduced audio branding as subject at several universities, such as Humboldt University Berlin or University of Popular Music and Music Business Mannheim.