How to Amplify Your Brand With Music

Are you familiar with, or have you ever heard the term “Sonic Branding”? … Sonic Branding (also known as Sound Branding, Audio Branding, Sonic Identity… and many other names!) is the strategic development and deployment of a brand’s unique audio assets leveraged consistently across many brand touchpoints. 

What does your brand sound like? If you have no clue, you are missing an important part of an overall sensory branding effort. To make music work for your brand, you need to have a music strategy. So, how can you incorporate sonic branding into your existing marketing? There are endless opportunities available for you to use sonic branding, and we’ve listed  a few examples below to help you get started.

Custom Telephone On Hold Messages.

Businesses spend 90% of marketing budgets on inducing inbound calls from prospects. And, since studies such as one conducted by AT&T show that 70% of all callers are placed on hold, this represents an opportunity to use sonic branding through the use of custom on hold messages and music to play an positively differentiate your brand, your product or service, as well as to enhance recall, build trust, and even increase sales. When you use on hold marketing to your advantage, you’re able to enhance the customer experience, brand awareness and brand value.

In-Store Music.

When customers walk into your restaurant, hotel, store, etc. what do they hear? Do they hear silence? Other customer’s conversations? Music provided by one of your staff iPods? Dull background music? Whatever they hear has an immediate effect on their perceptions of your restaurant, hotel, store, etc. If they don’t like the silence, they’ll feel awkward. If they don’t like your music selection, they won’t like the ambience, if they don’t like the ambience, they won’t enjoy their experience. One way to try ensuring your customers feel more relaxed and retain control over people’s perception is to have a dedicated  business music provider.

The right background music playing in your restaurant, hotel, store etc. has a huge impact on the ‘feel’ of your premises, and is fundamental in creating the perfect experience for your customers. It makes your premises more inviting to new customers, can increase the time a customer’s spends with you, ultimately increasing their overall spend and can leave a lasting impression, making customers more likely to return.

TV/Radio Commercials

When you advertise using traditional media outlets such as tv and radio it can be difficult to make your brand stand out when competing with the hundreds of other advertisers  trying to attract and connect with the same audience as you.

One of the most effective ways for your tv or radio commercial to stand out is with the use if sound branding and jingles. Here’s just a few examples

1) Nationwide “Is on Your Side”

2) FreeCreditReport.com “The Band Commercials”

3) McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It”

4) Farmer’s Insurance “We are Farmers! Bum ba-dum bum bum bum”

5) Alka-Seltzer “Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz, Oh, What a Relief it is”

If you use tv or radio as your advertising platform, you should incorporate your sonic logo — a musical tag your customers will come to associate with you. Brands who use jingles create a strong sonic identity due to how memorable their jingle may be. Subconsciously or not, we take note of a company’s loyal dedication to their sonic branding, and this consistency translates into a trustworthy connection.

Serious Brands Know that Sound Can Make a Difference.

Much of today’s “push” marketing requires consumers to sit still, read, watch, and digest marketing materials, an auditory imprint is absorbed subconsciously in the brain. Businesses of any size can significantly benefit from audio branding – whether it’s to impact customers’ decisions, make a mark in people’s memories, or enhance brand loyalty.

In a world where every company feels the mandatory importance of visual logos, are you taking advantage of sonic branding? Give Original On Hold a call, and we’ll be happy to consult with you on how sonic branding can be included in your marketing efforts.

Do you have thoughts or questions about audio branding? Have you tried it, or are you thinking about it? Feel free to leave a comment to share your thoughts.