Intentional | Audio Identity Blog from Sonic ID

It’s up: Sonic Convergence, our first-ever ‘live podcast,’ is off the press and available for listening online or download.

In this show we get to the nut of sonic branding and audio identity—what’s possible and how we push the envelope. After all, we may wake to the clock radio, we tune into our iPods, we have our favorite artists. But most of us really understand very little about music and sound. What I explore in this show are some of the answers to a question: how can we leverage the power of sound for valuable brand experiences?

Guests Martyn Ware and Brian Schmidt are some of the world’s top creatives in doing just that. Ware is founder of Heaven 17 and the Human League, creative director at Sonic ID, and a sound designer with recent installations at the NY MoMa and the Venice Architectural Biennale; Schmidt has been the guiding ’sonic spirit’ for audio in the Xbox and primary composer for multiple game titles for Sega, Sony and Electronic Arts, in addition to hundreds of arcade, console and pinball games. Together their work has been experienced by hundreds of millions of people.

Listen online or download the podcast. Questions, comments and suggestions for future shows are most welcome.

– Noel Franus

I’ll be hosting a live podcast on Monday on the topic of ’sonic convergence.’ More specifically, the art and science of designing immersive experiences.

With me will be: renowned soundscape designer Martyn Ware (London) whose work spans from founder of Heaven 17 and the Human League to a sound designer with recent installations at the NY MoMa and the Venice Architectural Biennale; and Brian Schmidt (Seattle), who has been the guiding ’sonic spirit’ for audio in the Xbox and primary composer for multiple game titles for Sega, Sony and Electronic Arts, in addition to hundreds of arcade, console and pinball games.

This will be a live podcast, meaning you can ‘tune in’ live and participate in the conversation (via IM+Skype). (You’ll also be able to listen anytime after the show as you would a traditional podcast.)

Show details: Monday January 26, 9:30 a.m. Pacific time, 12:30 p.m. Eastern, 5:30 London time.
Show URL: http://www.smallplateradio.com/042/

Please join us. Many thanks in advance to Small Plate Radio for making it possible.

– Noel Franus

No deep thinking on sonic branding and audio identity today, just a rundown of a few simple things worth sharing.

Music. The fROOTS magazine monthly music podcast is always an ear-opener, but the January 2009 is exceptionally good. Think Rene Lacaille, Luminescent Orchestrii and XTC. Then give it a listen.

Secrets. Sonic ID’s own Martyn Ware recently cooked up a batch of for Fanta and Ogilvy London. That’s right: teens only, no adults allowed for the Fanta Stealth Sound System. If you’re in your 20s or older, you simply can’t hear these higher-frequency ringtones. (For more on the hearing loss that begins in your 20s, take this test with your kids to see what you they can hear and you can’t.)

Money. We’ve been using Xpenser the last few weeks and are tickled pink over this (primarily for us) voice-to-text expense-tracking app. Email, Text or call your expenses into Xpenser’s system in a few simple seconds, and they’re added to an editable online spreadsheet, available for download into Excel. For me, expenses are now as easy as making a call, and saying “Dining. $25.34. Dinner with Bill Gates.” Done.

And that is all.

– Noel Franus

Image by onkel_wart

New year, new traction. Budgets may have tanked in the last year, but that doesn’t mean we should be standing still, ignoring the fine-tuning and maintenance that’s required to maintain strong brands.

I’ve talked with a number of companies that feel stuck—stuck to do anything other than maintain status quo in all aspects of the business. And that’s simply not necessary. It doesn’t cost much to spot a problem and understand how to fix it.

At Sonic ID we focus exclusively on the intersection of brands and sound. So I’ve compiled a quick list of five simple, decidedly easy options for improving the performance of your brand by exploring your costs and returns on music and sound, and how to boost the value of those investments in your brand. Comments/additional ideas welcome.

1. Embrace the bottom line.

Times are tight, and budgets are, too. Every last dollar in your CMO’s control is under the microscope: brand positioning, brand programs, traditional advertising, online media, guerilla marketing and so on. With most companies, however, there’s an elephant in the room regarding the dollars spent on music and sound across those touchpoints. People are hearing your brand on television, on the phone, on the web and at events, and what they’re hearing directly affects their perceptions about your company. What’s the cost of reaching those ears? If you don’t know, you should. Ask your peers, internal departments and agency partners. The sooner you can define that bottom line, the sooner you can make informed decisions about future spending.

2. Assess performance.

Once you’ve quantified your budgets, you can measure effectiveness. As with all brand-level funds, these should be performing as investments—not throwaway costs. Think NBC, Intel or Nokia; does the sound of your company articulate your core values and attributes, or are you just making a lot of dispensable noise? Music and sound affects what we think, say, feel, do…and buy. It should benefit your brand. Now’s a good time to listen to the brand across your mediascape to see what it says about your company.

3. Take a snapshot.

Assessing brand perceptions through the lens of music and sound can take time, especially if it’s a competitive review. But for powerful easy-bake results, a ‘sonic snapshot’ of your company can be conducted from your desktop. Using the web it’s relatively easy to find commercials, events, webcasts, podcasts, demos and other sonic evidence of your brand in the wild. What to look for: does your brand sound consistent, or chaotic? Unique or generic? Flexible or staid? Collect, compile and assess.

4. Harness the power of quick wins.

A revision to your company’s visual identity can affect hundreds of touchpoints and cost millions. Sonic identities are no different—the process of seeding, growing and strengthening perceptions takes work. There are, however, some simple fixes you can put to work right away: the music and sound deployed in your call center, online media and networked technology (computers, iPhones, mobiles, ringtones) are relatively inexpensive and easy to update, versus the extensive effort required to spread the sound of your brand across your next few tv campaigns. Identify your low-hanging fruit opportunities and move on them.

5. Don’t wait to plan for the future.

Now’s the time to think long term; what does your brand sound like, where should this live, and how should it evolve for maximum brand value? Yes, the economy sucks, but nothing lasts forever. Someday those budgets will free up, and when they do, you’ll be the one who approached the Powers That Be in your organization and said: “I’ve spotted a problem—we’ve been spending $x per year across the enterprise on this with dubious results. I can solve the problem and improve the performance of our investments. Here’s how.” When budgets open up, it’s better to be prepared than not.

– Noel Franus