Report Audio Branding Congress 2009
For the first time, audio branding experts from all over the world met in the famous old warehouse district of Hamburg to discuss latest trends and exchange information about this new emerging discipline of audio branding. By organizing the first international congress for acoustic brand communication, the Audio Branding Academy brought together audio branding experts and interested people from all over the world on November 14th, 2009.
Internationally acclaimed experts from practice and science like the British musicologist Prof. Dr. Adrian North (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh), the composer of the Intel audio logo, Walter Werzowa from Hollywood or expert for neuromarketing Dr. Hans-Georg Häusel presented new insights, innovative approaches, proven methods of audio branding and best practice cases.
“It was very exciting to see participants from all over the world coming together and making this congress a real international event”, says Cornelius Ringe, founder of the Audio Branding Academy. “Germany is one of the centers of acoustic brand communication. But attendees from USA, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, among others, showed that audio branding is becoming more and more an internationally accepted part of brand communication.”
Prof. Dr. Adrian North opened the presentation sessions by presenting fascinating facts and giving an overview of various aspects and the relevance of sound and music in marketing and advertising. Well known and experienced audio branding expert Carl-Frank Westermann – who was raised in Hamburg – spoke about the origins and roots of audio branding. Branding professional Karsten Kilian demonstrated how the German musician Udo Lindenberg has done a great job in establishing himself as a brand.
In a spell binding manner Dr. Hans Georg Häusel presented how strong brands and acoustic information emerge in the brain and how they affect the consumer. London based sound expert Julian Treasure presented an inspiring showcase of the effects of sound and music on purchasing behaviour and brand perception. Julian Treasure himself was very impressed of the whole congress and enthusiastically stated: “This congress will change our whole industry for ever!”.
Among other interesting presentations, last but not least the composer of the Intel audio logo, Walter Werzowa, gave some insights of his work for famous brands and his attitude to audio branding in general. An impressive experience were the presentations in the so-called “Black Box“, which were held in absolute darkness and the exclusive guided tours through the exhibition “Dialogue in the Dark”.
At the Get Together, the singer San Glaser together with some of Hamburg’s top musicians performed a live gig with light, resonant jazz songs as well as surprising journeys into blues, funk, soul and pop that made the audience sing along and dance.