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…
The Audio Audit: CBS 4/5
Last month CBS launched a whole new rebrand. It’s a visual rebrand with a new audio logo that sets the tone for the animation. These kinds of rebrands are not uncommon, especially for a brand as old as CBS, but in this case, it sounds like they’re doing it for the right reasons. “I wanted…
Netflix Cinematic Logo: Upgrade or Band-Aid?
Netflix recently expanded on its audio logo for cinematic presentation. You’ve heard the original many times before. It’s that signature percussive tone that precedes all their original content. And for this job, they brought in the big guns. They recruited film score veteran Hans Zimmer to bring some buildup and weight to their existing sonic…