It's not a Jingle, It's Super Sonic (Sonic Branding)

Sonic Beats, Sonic Branding, Sonic Memes—call them what you want, just don’t call them jingles. Whatever reference you use, they all have the same idea: sounds or songs associated with a brand, product, or service.

What's in a Sound?

Can you still hear the dial-up sound go through your head if someone mentions AOL? Or the iconic “dun-dunnnn” when someone opens the Netflix app? These brands use sound to trigger a memory of their brand without you even seeing the product or logo.

Sonic branding has been around for many years. I can still hear the tune of a commercial from the '80s: "I love what you do for me, Toyota!" I can also see the person jumping up as the videographer froze the frame at the end, celebrating buying a Toyota. Thinking back, I might not remember the commercial if it didn’t have that catchy song at the end.

Why Now?

We know it’s been around for so long, why mention it now? Well, I believe sonic branding will be bigger next year thanks to TikTok and AI. With soundbites, TikTok users can create their own content with sounds brands build, while brands can interact with users, creating more of a personal relationship. AI will also play a big part in the sound world. We’ve already gotten a taste of it by talking to our wonderful friends Siri, Alexa, and Google daily.

The Challenges

Even though I’ve written about how great sound can be and how it can impact a customer, it is hard to measure through marketing research, making sound a low priority for some companies. Another issue marketers have with audio is dealing with sonic trash. Sonic trash consists of harsher sounds that add little or no value or cause listeners to tune out completely.

The Bottom Line

Any way you look at it (or listen to it), sounds provide emotions, and when they are positive, they can increase brand loyalty and connect with a customer on a different level. So, let’s give a round of applause to those memorable tunes and iconic soundbites that make brands unforgettable!