Sound and Emotion: The Impact of Sonic Branding in a Multi-Sensory Ad Landscape

Your brand’s sound is probably an afterthought.

It sits somewhere between "Oh yeah, we need a jingle" and "Just use some royalty-free track that won’t get us sued." But in a world where consumers are dodging ads, sound could be your secret weapon.

So many of us think about branding as a visual aspect of our brands. Our brand guideline documents speak of fonts, colours, logo usage. But very rarely do we include sonic branding and a powerful sonic palette.

Sonic branding isn’t just about slapping a melody on your logo and calling it a day. It’s about making people feel something when they’re interacting with your brand and content. And feelings drive action. That’s why McDonald’s doesn’t even say “We’re Lovin’ It” anymore. They don’t have to. It lives rent free in our minds, we whistle it mindlessly as we go about our day, fries or no. It’s burrowed into our souls. Netflix’s ‘tudum’ doesn’t just signal entertainment - it announces, "prepare to lose three hours of your life to some nightmare-inducing serial killer doc or baffling deep dive into the life of the latest Tiger King”.

And we love it.

The Sound of Science

Humans are wired to respond to sound faster than visuals. We’re actually only born with two innate fears, falling and loud noises. The rest are learned. So sound plays an important, primal part in our species and society and that’s something marketers and creative should pay attention to.

A challenge for sonic branding is that most people browse while in public. They’re less likely to have sound-on socials. Loud sound in public is a social faux pas most people want to avoid. (Yes. I’m judging those of you blasting out TikToks on the 49 bus!) You can ignore a soundless ad on your feed, but that catchy three-note tune between tracks on Spotify or on app load? That’s tougher to ignore. So brands need to be mindful of when and where they can deploy sonic branding to their advantage.

Ads are there to capitalise on your attention but visuals don’t cut it alone. Studies show that music and sonic cues activate emotional centres in the brain faster than images. That’s why brands that get sonic branding right don’t just get noticed, they get remembered. They get felt.

Why Do So Many Brands Get It Wrong?

It’s simple, sadly. Sound is treated as an accessory, instead of a core brand element and that’s a huge missed opportunity. Your logo has a style guide, why doesn’t your brand’s sound? Too many brands settle for generic audio that says absolutely nothing about who they are. Are you one of them? If your brand voice is edgy and rebellious but your sound is "corporate waiting room," guess what? Consumers will feel that disconnect.

Director/Producer Jordan Peele once said that "the difference between comedy and horror is the music." That sentiment stands true when thinking about the importance of audio for your brand as well.

Sonic Branding Done Right:

• MasterCard: They didn’t just create a jingle. They crafted an entire sonic identity that works across touchpoints, from ads to in-store experiences to that sweet "cha-ching" sound in their app.

• Intel: That five-note bong isn’t just a sound, it’s a mental shortcut for "innovation."

• TikTok: The platform itself is a sonic branding powerhouse. Half the songs on your Discover page exist because TikTok made them go viral…and now when you hear them, you want to open TikTok of course.
  

A Challenge From The Den

Brands today need to think beyond visuals alone, as important as they are.

So your exercise from the Be The Fox den today is to set some time aside to think about what your brand sounds like.

Sonic branding isn’t an afterthought. It’s a strategic advantage. So next time you’re planning your brand strategy, ask yourself: have we thought about our audio branding?

Get in touch to find out how we can help you promote your brand.