Sonic branding's supposed facts are misleading information

Sonic branding isn't just a bubble of hot air. For far too long, it's been peddled by some agencies as fancy jingles and has conjured negative connotations due to the sky-high fees associated with custom "sonic logos."

The conventional music agencies aren't helping matters either, charging six-digit figures for bespoke sonic logos, often born from extensive workshops with stakeholders. These expensive, static sound bites have little relevance to the everyday way we experience audio. Moreover, most brands regard audio as merely a decorative layer, rather than a fundamental brand element.

Few brands have succeeded in cultivating a true audio identity, with the exception of a few standouts like McDonald's and Netflix and their iconic "ba-da-ba-ba-ba" and "badum" sounds. These sonic logos have become tired in today's limitless digital landscape that's teeming with consumer touchpoints. (Check out a collection of sonic logos here.)

In this advanced and highly personalized media landscape, a one-size-fits-all jingle simply won't cut it. Modern companies need a comprehensive approach to audio, instead of just those quick, encapsulating three-second tunes. Instead, brands should aim to create an immersive audio experience for their audience.

While sonic logos are a static tune adaptively fitted into every advertisement and social media post, an audio experience is a fluid auditory expression that permeates every facet of the brand. It's not a sound effect or a musical stamp; it's an evolving design principle that flows through every interaction a consumer has with the brand.

Traditional agencies often attempt to adapt their sonic logos to fit different needs, but the outcomes are often lackluster, so why bother? Instead, focus on creating audio that harmonizes naturally with the brand's visual identity and creates captivating environments where sound isn't merely decoration, but the very foundation.

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Outfitting your brand with a dynamic and recognizable sound ecosystem is crucial for fostering strong connections with your audience. Elements of this ecosystem could range from the retail store's music playlist and customer service hold music, to TikTok content and AI voice assistants.

Establishing a solid audio identity that consumers can connect with and familiarize themselves with is vital to a brand's longevity. Gone are the days of pristine chimes being en vogue. Authenticity reigns supreme. Crafting an immersive audio experience that remains consistent across all touchpoints helps strengthen the brand's identity and establishes a deeper emotional bond with the audience.

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Consider Apple – their brand's audio identity is powerful because they take sound seriously. It isn't an afterthought for them, but an integral part of their brand strategy. They've carefully curated their in-store playlists to fit seamlessly with their brand, creating an authentic experience for their customers. Their advertisements follow suit, and the iconic Mail whoosh, keyboard click, and text message ping all come together to create an unparalleled audio experience.

Mastercard, too, has revolutionized its sonic strategy, developing a flexible yet cohesive sonic ecosystem. From payment sounds to hold music to event experiences, they've created an audio identity that serves a diverse range of cultures and touchpoints.

We, at IMAGINE, have adopted a similar approach in our work with German retail giant OTTO. Our Find' Ich Gut campaign demanded a complete overhaul of the brand's attitude towards sound, while still maintaining its traditional identity. The end result was a transformation from a legacy catalog retailer to Germany's equivalent to Amazon, marking the start of a long-term strategy to establish the brand as a cultural asset with genuine sonic equity.

Even smaller brands can make a mark. For premium lifestyle brand Westwing, we created an audio profile that echoed the brand's emotional tactility and elegance.

Treating sound this way can extend the brand's proposition and identity, creating interwoven soundscapes that resonate in real-time across various channels and within culture.

This is exactly why we founded IMAGINE – to forge a two-way relationship with our audiences, collaborating with them to create an authentic and evolving auditory identity. We could've taken the easy route, peddling the useless rhetoric that "brands use music to connect with customers through emotion," but frankly, that's garbage.

Instead, we believe that in this evolving media landscape, brands must craft immersive audio experiences that are fluid, adaptable, and emotionally intelligent to meet their audiences' ever-changing needs. Sonic experiences are no longer a luxury – they're a necessity. Traditional music agencies that don't adapt risk becoming extinct.

Want more? Discover what we've learned about sonic branding from the experts.

Insight Sources

ImageNation - Guidelines for Sonic Branding (2021)
Fast Company - The Power of Sonic Branding (2020)
Hinge - Emotion and Memory for Brands: A Four-Part Music Strategy (2019)
Adweek - The Future of Sonic Branding (2019)
Marketing Week - The Art and Science of Sonic Branding (2018)
To create a strong connection with the audience, outfitting a brand with a dynamic and recognizable sound ecosystem is essential, incorporating elements such as music playlists, voice assistants, and TikTok content.
In the McDonald's and Netflix sonic logos, the "ba-da-ba-ba-ba" and "badum" sounds have become tired, highlighting a need for an immersive audio experience instead of quick, encapsulating tunes.
With technology advancements, there's a need for modern companies to adopt a comprehensive approach to audio, harmonizing sound with the brand's visual identity for captivating environments where it's more than just decoration but the foundation.
A brand's audio identity, ranging from the retail store's music playlist to TikTok content, should be consistent across all touchpoints to remain authentic and establish a deeper emotional bond with the audience.
Sonic branding has often been misunderstood as pricey, static jingles, but focusing on an immersive auditory expression that permeates every facet of the brand can help brands stand out in today's crowded digital landscape.
Traditional music agencies that don't adapt their services to offer fluid, adaptable, and emotionally intelligent sonic experiences risk becoming obsolete in the evolving media landscape.

Sonic branding's supposed facts are misleading information