What Is Audio Branding?

What Is Audio Branding?

 

Music and advertising – a combination that causes some people to associate fantasies of omnipotence, and causes others to be afraid of unwanted manipulation. What is behind all this? Are there hidden persuaders and subliminal advertising? Or is it “only” about emotionalizing brands?

Audio Branding describes the process of brand development and brand management by use of audible elements within the framework of brand communication. It is part of multi-sensory brand communication and holistic brand design. Audio Branding aims at building solidly a brand sound that represents the identity and values of a brand in a distinctive manner. The audio logo, branded functional sounds, brand music or the brand voice are characteristic elements of Audio Branding.

So far, brands have spent a lot of time and money on visual branding while sound hasn’t been treated as a brand element that needs to be explored. The emerging of new media and devices with built-in audio delivery, such as podcasts, streaming media or smartphones, expands the opportunities for audio branding but also increases the risks of causing noise pollution and cacophony. Effectiveness and efficiency of brand communication often suffers from unsystematic and unstructured application of acoustic stimuli. Audio Branding can aid in optimizing brand communication and in designing a better sounding environment.

All cases from the Audio Branding Awards