Brands know what they’re doing visually. Sleek logos, meticulous charters, powerful visual campaigns… And what about sound? All too often neglected, sound branding remains the poor relation of communication. Yet our ears pick up much more than we think. A simple jingle can evoke an era, an emotion, an entire brand. Music is more than just window dressing. It’s a signature. It says who you are. And above all, it’s memorable.
Today, ignoring sound marketing means missing out on a powerful link between your product and your consumers. It’s time to design your audio identity as carefully as your logo or slogan. Because a brand that is heard well is a brand that is heard.
1. Sound hits where image fails
Sound is an immediate emotion. The brain reacts to sound in 0.05 seconds. It doesn’t filter it, it feels it. It’s instinctive. Music stimulates the emotional memory far more than any visual. That’s why we hum a jingle ten years later, but forget a poster the next day.
In a campaign, a well thought-out sound stimulus can trigger a memory, reinforce a promise and anchor a brand image. Sound has the ability to create links, to humanise technology, to make the abstract tangible. It doesn’t sell, it connects.
Brands have understood this. Netflix’s “toudoum”, MGM’s roaring lion, McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it”: these are sound logos that are more powerful than many slogans. And there’s nothing improvised about them. They are part of a real sound marketing strategy.
2. Sound identity, a double-edged sword
Sound identity is much more than a simple jingle. It’s a tailor-made musical composition that reflects your brand’s personality. It is the sound reflection of your values, your ambition and your style.
Thesound identity is your DNA in music. It can then be used across all media: instore radio, on-hold telephone calls, videos, events, audio/video campaigns, etc. An effective sound signature is just a few seconds needed to say “this is us”.
But be careful. A poorly chosen or generic sound dilutes your message. Worse still, it can blur your communication. That’s why it’s so important to work with an agency that specialises in sound marketing, one that understands your issues, your audience and your values.
3. Sensorial marketing: when sound creates the experience
Sensorial marketing is more than just a buzzword. It’s a powerful lever for creating a memorable customer experience. And sound plays a key role in this strategy.
In-store, instore radio or a well thought-out musical ambience influence your customers’ buying behaviour. Depending on the time of day, they can increase the amount of time spent in the store, soothe, motivate or energise. A well-designed in-store radio doesn’t just fill the air with sound, it tells a story.
On the telephone, an on-hold call with music that is recognisable and adapted to your identity reassures customers and builds loyalty. Even a simple notification “beep” can become a strong reference point in your sound universe. Because every interaction with your company is an opportunity to enrich the customer relationship.
4. Sound design: revealing the brand in a different way
Sound design is the art of transforming your brand territory into an auditory experience. It involves aligning sounds, music, voices, rhythms and textures with your communication objectives.
An innovative brand will be well advised to explore electronic textures and digital sounds. A human-centred brand will seek out warm layers and natural voices. It’s all about tailor-made music. It has nothing to do with stock music, which is impersonal and often counter-productive.
Today’s most iconic brands leave nothing to chance. Their sound marketing strategy is thought through to the last detail: design of the sound identity, adaptation to the different channels, thematic music library, etc.
5. How do you set up your sound identity?
The first step is to listen. Understanding who you are, what you want to say and who your customers are. Then comes the time for translation: what sounds for what messages? What musical design for what context? It’s a balancing act between strategy and creation.
At Brandy Sound, we always start with the brand. We create a sound charter, a sound signature, and variations adapted to each context: social media, advertising, digital, events, radio, video, etc. The aim: to ensure that your brand resonates consistently at all points of contact.
This approach avoids the classic mistakes: last-minute sound tinkering, approximate choices, inconsistencies between media, etc. A strong marketing sound identity is a brand that makes its mark quietly.
6. The example of Mediapost: proximity without mawkishness
Let’s take the case of Mediapost, which was assisted by Brandy Sound in redesigning its sound universe. The brief? To be accessible and human, but without falling into the clichés of the mass market.
The challenge was clear: to reconcile friendliness and media expertise with a distinctive sound design. The result: a sound signature driven by the voice, reassuring but serious, avoiding an overly light tone while remaining engaging. Music becomes a marker of seriousness AND proximity. A success in terms of technical sound marketing.
7. And what about tomorrow? Sonic, immersive, intelligent
Sound marketing is evolving with usage. In the future, brands will have to think of sound not just as a dressing-up, but as a vector for interaction. In virtual reality environments, voice interfaces and connected assistants, audio becomes central. More than a medium, it is becoming a language. A well-designed sound signature can optimise navigation, strengthen engagement and improve understanding of content.
Sound design is thus becoming an essential component of the user experience. Companies that anticipate this development will be one step ahead. And this is precisely where agencies like Brandy Sound are breaking new ground, by integratingsound identity at the heart of immersive strategies.
Conclusion: a brand that can be heard can be heard
An image needs to be seen. A sound identity needs to be heard, felt and experienced. Sound is no longer an option, it’s a strategic component of your branding.
These days, it’s not enough to be seen. You also need to be heard. And above all, recognised.
By entrusting the creation of your sound universe to an audio branding agency like Brandy Sound, you are investing in the long term. You’re choosing consistency, impact and difference.
So, are you ready to give your brand a voice?
Things to remember
- Ignoring the sound dimension of your brand means missing out on a powerful marketing lever for creating a strong bond with your consumers and prospects.
- Product communication is no longer the norm. Long live the era of emotional marketing!
- Music is no longer just for radio and TV. Exposing your brand on social networks without taking into account its audio footprint is a recipe for failure.
