A TIME magazine article titled “Neural Advertising: The Sounds We Can’t Resist” reflects the value of sound in advertising and underlines the importance of „everday sounds“: a baby laughing, fizzing soda, or the sound of barbeque. All these sounds activate certain parts of our brain and can set us in a different mood. That is true but if every diaper brand uses the laugh of some baby, what will be the difference? Which brand can actually own this sound? An everyday sound is generic!
The impact of music and sound on our brain is better demonstrated in a study of the University of Stanford. The study shows how music can affect our brain activities.
I personally believe that brands need to create their own unique and – ownable – sound character and communicate it through various sound branding elements. At the end of the day that’s the only way to create a unique acoustic identity.
However, as stated in the TIME magazine article: Marketers, please do it in a professional way!
P.S. And by the way: This TIME article gives a little more information about the Lindstrom study mentioned in “The 10 Most Addictive Sounds in the US?“.
Sound Branding Blog 