Intentional | Audio Identity Blog

“Before you run out and spend millions on a song by Lennon and McCartney or try to discover the next Coldplay, take a step back and ask yourself if you are trying to entertain your consumers…or if you are trying to build a consistent, differentiated, own-able and emotionally powerful brand experience.”

– Elias Arts’ own Martin Pazzani in the most recent issue of Advertising Age, making the case for original music. It’s a thoughtful and needed piece. And the issue of own-ability — especially in our low-risk, milquetoast, me-too world — is one that resonates deeply with me. In my humble opinion notable brands aren’t afraid to differentiate, but they’re few and far between.

But perhaps the most salient bit of the article comes in the form of Martin’s three-question look in the audio mirror…three considerations every CMO and brand leader should ask if they want their brand to be perceived the way they expect their brand to be perceived:

1) “Have you done an objective, comprehensive and multi-touch-point audit of your brand’s audio assets?

3) Do these audio-identity guidelines make their way into the creative briefs used to inform the development of marketing communications?”

Painful considerations, but (speaking as one who’s been there, done that from the client side of the world,) this is a necessary step toward building your brand.

– Noel Franus