Spoiler alert: because sight is no longer the only “weapon” used by brands. Today, they are invading uncharted territory with original and memorable sound logos. Companies, whether B2B or B2C, are jumping on this new trend to grab a piece of their audience’s attention. By wrapping their identity in a distinctive soundscape, they are no longer content to seduce with image, but are striking hard with sound.
Find out how a sound logo can radically transform the perception of your brand in this article.
Definition and characteristics
The sound logo (or sound signature) is the audio equivalent of the visual logo. It is part of the brand’s audio heritage. Known as a ” jingle ” in advertising, this little piece of music sticks in our minds. You can recognise the biggest brands simply by listening to a few notes of their sound logo (Decathlon, McDonald’s, SNCF, etc.).
This sound signature is made up of tones that illustrate, in melody, the brand and what it represents. While the sound logo often lasts only a few seconds, it can sometimes be even shorter. For example, the Xbox start-up sound, when the famous “X” in the logo is displayed, consists of just one note and lasts less than 2 seconds.
So what’s the secret behind these brands? How have they managed to make their jingle so memorable? By analysing several sound logos, we can see that they all have the same characteristics:
- They are short ;
- easily adaptable
- quickly recognisable
- in harmony with the graphic charter ;
- consistent with the brand image.
Proximity, the human side, technology, innovation… The sound logo supports your visual logo and transcribes all the values and DNA of your brand into music. For example, the movement in a logo can be felt in music. Imagine a visual logo that appears to be dynamic, with curved lines or shapes in motion. This movement can be translated into music by rising and falling notes, rhythmic variations or crescendos…
Why set your brand to music?
Creating your own sound logo has a number of advantages:
- it promotes immediate brand identification : consumers instantly recognise the company as soon as they hear the sound logo, without needing to see any other graphic elements;
- it helps to differentiate from competitors: today, our visual field is overexposed to advertising (in the street, on the Internet, on television, etc.), including during our rest periods, so some people are no longer sensitive to the advertising they see. The use of sound allows us to stand out from the crowd by appealing to a sense other than sight;
- it adds a signature to each communication: just as a few notes at the beginning of a cult song instantly make us recognise the music, the sound logo introduces (and/or concludes) an advertisement or any other type of communication, immediately indicating to the listener the identity of the brand and preparing them for what’s to come;
- it tells the listener how the brand would like to be perceived: it conveys the impressions or feelings the brand wants to evoke in its audience;
- It transmits emotions and establishes an emotional connection with listeners: the sound logo can help to create an emotional bond with the audience;
- it reinforces the brand image and the positive feeling customers have towards the brand.
Where can you make your sound resonate?
” I don’t do TV commercials, so I don’t need to create a soundlogo “. This is a comment that is sometimes heard when talking about sound marketing. Yet the sound logo lends itself to all your communication platforms: on your social networks, on YouTube, on your telephone answering machine, in-store… Your brand can be heard in all contexts.
Radio is a perfect example. Not using a jingle in a radio spot is like not putting your visual logo on a flyer. You wouldn’t think of it.
All communication media can be exploited, especially digital media. Think of a corporate video, social networks or podcasts. Placing your sound signature on digital allows you to spread your sound footprint and increase your brand’s reach.
See also: Podcasts in a B2B environment
Don’t underestimate your noise footprint
Would you like to create a sound logo that is consistent with your brand territory so that you can be heard more clearly? Working with an agency like Brandy Sound, capable of analysing your brand communications to design the ideal sound logo, means you can call on the know-how of experts in the field of sound identity.
Beyond the sound logo, Brandy Sound will work with you throughout the creation of your own sound identity, combining creativity and technical expertise to offer your customers a unique and memorable auditory experience.
Would you like an example of our work? We created the sound logo for Mediaposte, a subsidiary of the La Poste group, to embody its values of Proximity, Commitment and Innovation.
We’d be delighted to show you some of our creations and discuss them with you over a cup of coffee ? Just get in touch!
