Intentional | Audio Identity Blog

The Ghost Army is a documentary film that tells the story of a secret WWII US Army unit whose sole purpose was to create a phantom presence on the battlefield. One of its primary tools was sound.

“The mission of this top-secret unit was to create a ‘traveling road show’ to deceive the Germans about the location and strength of American troops on battlefields across Europe. From Normandy to the Rhine, they staged 20 battlefield deceptions, employing an array of inflatables (tanks, trucks, jeeps, airplanes), sound trucks, phony radio transmissions and even playacting to fool the enemy. Like actors in a repertory theater, the men of the 23rd had to ask themselves with each mission: ‘Who are we this week? What’s our story?’ Then they would put on a show, with the Nazis as their audience.

But that’s only half the story…”

If you’re a regular reader of this site you know I’m a fan of the use of sound as a means of innovation, applicable not only to brands but social problems as well. Here’s a great example of sound applied to some bigger-picture questions. Makes you wonder what most brands are missing out on if they’re not asking “how can and should the intentional use of sound make this a better ______ ?”

More:

• Ghost Army entry at Wikipedia
• NPR on the Soliders of the 23rd.
• Book: Secret Soldiers: The Story of World War II’s Heroic Army of Deception