The average person will tell you there are a lot of bad ads out there. A professional will tell you there are a lot of ineffective ads out there. From local mom-and-pop shops to multi-billion dollar corporations, so many businesses are throwing money into the ether and the airwaves without knowing why or if it’s…
Male or Female Voice: How About Neither?
Last time we talked about getting away from the male/female binary in voiceover. But the conversation didn’t end there. The blog generated some great comment and discussion which I’d like to address and expand on here. I’d like to start with one of my favourite comments which came from voice actor Mike Tobin. “…many clients…
Male or Female Voice: Does it Even Matter Anymore?
Does this sound familiar? We need a voiceover. Should it be a male or female voice? Female. OK. Next item. There are a couple of problems here. First of all, the voiceover is not an afterthought. It is the emotional core of your project, and it sets the tone for everything else. Quite often visuals…
Anatomy of a Brand Anthem: Northern Latitudes
This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. We’re going to take a brand theme (also known as a brand anthem) and see what’s going on under the hood. We’ll look at the concept, the methodology, instrumentation, as well as the textures and timbres, and how they all culminate to the audio logo….
The Lesson of COVID: Crisis-Proof Your Brand
I’ve touched on this subject before, but I think it’s worth exploring in its own dedicated blog. When COVID-19 first hit North America in early 2020, most professionals were scrambling to adapt to a changed world. Being in the audio branding industry, it was very interesting to see these changes from a multi-sensory branding perspective….
The Clichés That Are Killing Your Ad
This is the blog I swore I would never write. I think I was hoping the problem would resolve itself before I would have the opportunity to address it. Unfortunately it’s a problem that continues to persist, so here we go. I’ll try my best to keep this positive and not too ranty. Does your…
Product Sounds: Audio Branding’s Secret Weapon
Rice Krispies is a boring, boring cereal, with an equally boring name. Fortunately someone realized it made a sound. They took snap, crackle, and pop and they ran with it, and that has sustained them for close to a hundred years now. If you have a product that makes (or can make) a distinctive sound,…
Why You May Not Be Ready for an Audio Brand
Not every brand is ready to pursue an audio branding strategy. I’ve had many preliminary discussions that didn’t lead to action. And I hope that doesn’t sound bitter, because it’s not. Sometimes we may have the discussion and find it’s just not a good fit or it’s not the right time, and that’s perfectly fine….
Sing or No Sing: Audio Brand Power Moves
There are exceptions to every rule. I’ve always felt very strongly about having a brand’s name as part of its audio mnemonic. This often takes the form of a jingle, but not always. Sometimes the spoken name worked into a strong melody can be just as effective. It’s often a better fit as well depending…
The Audio Audit: Netflix 2/5
Whenever I host a presentation or webinar about audio branding, I usually play a brief game with the audience. I’ll play an established audio logo, and invite them to tell me who or what it represents. They always recognize McDonald’s, HBO, and Intel. I stopped using Netflix because people rarely got it. This is not…