Sounds like Money - The Importance of Audio Branding on the Web

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Bum, bum, bum, bum. Well, it doesn't translate well in print, but had you been listening to this sound you'd most likely immediately recognize the familiar Intel audio signature. Without benefit of the logo or any visual cues, a majority of the brand attributes associated with Intel immediately come to mind. This is the power of sound, and in the Internet space it's being virtually ignored.

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Advertisers have known for decades the importance of sound to build brand loyalty. Before television, radio was the popular vehicle for promoting brands. No animated logos or flashing banner ads, but jingles galore, many of which are still stuck in our heads. As television brought a richer sensory experience into the home, companies capitalized on the medium to provide a more impactful brand experience. The image of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger danced through kitchens, but what was solidly cemented to that brand icon was the deep roar of his voice "Tastes great!" Even without the jovial orange and black striped character, the sound of his voice alone conveys the same brand imagery.

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The Internet space is ripe for this kind of opportunity. With the rapid development of sound technologies on the web: MP3, Real Audio, Beatnik, etc., the means currently exist to use audio signatures to build brand recognition and expand the brand experience. In a recently released research study our company, Cheskin did in collaboration with Thomas Dolby Robertson's leading interactive audio company, Beatnik, Inc., it was found that sounds associated with brand identity on the web can carry the same level of brand recognition and brand attributes as the visual brand identity alone.

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Not only does sound enhance brand, it adds a more compelling level of sensory experience that keeps viewers "stuck" on websites. Up to this point, web designers have been focused on animation and extensive amounts of information and links to keep viewers attention. With the addition of sound, even more information can be communicated and attention focused on specific areas.

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New Internet sound technologies can provide an interactive experience as well. Being able to not only see and hear a brand identity, but being able to interact with it brings a whole new challenge to the design of the brand experience, and companies must be careful in meeting this challenge. As the Sound and Brand study found, poorly designed audio can actually have a negative impact on brand attributes.

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The importance of the findings in the Cheskin/Beatnik Sound and Brand study extends beyond the Internet. Small personal devices with limited visual real estate and low resolution such as the Palm, Windows CE devices and cellular telephones can leverage sound to provide more information and stronger brand communication.

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Just as talkies revolutionized the silent movie industry, sound will soon reshape the Web. Those interactive brands that want advantage will get there first and do it well.

dmasten@cheskin.com

Davis Masten, Principal & Catalyst

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For more information please visit www.cheskin.com

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This article was originally published by Business 2.0