Crowdsourcing has come along way since Jeff Howe coined the term in a 2006 Wired magazine article. It has grown from a problem solving technique to a bona fide business model, forming the foundation for a new breed of service providers who use the power of the internet to benefit from the creativity offered by a hive mind.
Crowdsourced audio assets may be part of an overall strategy. Brands should remember, though, that the goal isn’t to be part of the crowd – but to stand out from it.
The underlying assumption behind crowdsourcing is that by tapping into a virtually limitless pool of creativity, experience and diversity, brands can benefit from a wide variety of creative solutions often at a fraction of the traditional costs. Additionally, when run as an open competition, crowdsourcing offers an opportunity to create brand ambassadors and increase brand awareness by engaging consumers and fans in the act of directly shaping brand identity.
Typically, we steer away from talking too much about the work iV is doing to change the conversation about audio branding. From the use of social media like this blog, twitter and facebook to more personal approaches like iV academy and speaking engagements, we do our best to share our passion and knowledge about audio branding with the rest of the world.
Recently, advertising information resource sourceEcreative turned their spotlight on iV. In a special feature on music and sound, Anthony Vagnoni does a wonderful job of capturing our story. So wonderful, in fact, that we wanted to share it with you.
Once upon a time, we “heard” a brand primarily though commercials that were broadcast via television and radio.
The advent of social media, coupled with technological advancements in recording and playback devices, has opened a whole new world of opportunities for the audio branding enthusiast.
It might have been a spoken phrase with a memorable rhyme that became a positioning line easily remembered. Or a jingle that stuck in your head and kept you humming a brand name through the day. Advertisers hoped that if they were catchy enough, these moments of audio branding would become messages spread by word of mouth, engaging an audience enough to join in a vocal chorus that moved beyond the confines of TV and radio.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing interest in “destination branding” (called “community branding” in some instances) as communities, cities, states and even countries seek competitive advantages to attract tourists, talent, jobs and funding.
In practice, branding a place isn’t much different than branding a product. Those who specialize in destination branding work to understand the unique assets and values of a community “brand” and then create a strategy designed to build awareness and equity for that brand.
Product sound (or in this case, “place” sound) is certainly the domain of audio branding
As audio branding strategists, we’re always attempting to think outside the (boom)box. Which is probably why we find the idea of applying principles of strategic audio branding to the destination branding model an interesting proposition. Read More »
A survey conducted in 2008 by Heartbeats International revealed that of the 70 managers of global brands participating, 97% thought that music could strengthen their brand. In the same survey, when asked if music were an important tool for building a consistent and unique brand, 68% of the respondents answered in the affirmative.
Only 4 out of 10 brands have actually identified how their brand sounds. Only 2 out of 10 have any type of audio logo.
But even with an overwhelming consensus that sound (in this case, music) in a branding context is perceived to be extremely valuable, the same survey found that only 4 out of 10 brands have actually identified how their brand sounds. Only 2 out of 10 have any type of audio logo.
Quite a discrepancy between “beliefs” and “actions.” Read More »
Recently, a graduate student in pursuit of her Ph.D. in Psychology of Music contacted me for an interview. As we spoke, I referred to the development of audio branding as a “discipline.” When we circled back around for more questions, Alison inquired about my choice of words.
We are understanding more and more the importance of “using our heads” – looking to science to help us move towards more predictable results from the sonic connections we seek to make between brands and brand users.
“What do you mean by ‘discipline’?” she asked.
I replied that, from my perspective, the development of audio branding over the last ten years resembles the evolution of Psychology. Originally the domain of philosophers, Psychology would eventually come into its own as an accepted “discipline” – a branch of instruction and learning with clearly defined systems, paradigms and best practices.
In my previous blog post, I presented an example of what can happen when you fail to consider the sonic space your brand occupies.
Telekom connects the sonic dots with an integrated strategy that serves as a good case study of audio branding best practices.
So what about an example of audio branding “done right?”
Recently, Telekom (the German equivalent of T-mobile) launched a new campaign for the German market: “Million Voices (7 seconds).” Telekom connects the sonic dots with an integrated strategy that serves as a good case study of audio branding best practices: enhancing equity, fostering customer engagement, integrating a variety of sonic touchpoints, aligning with brand values and conveying authenticity.
SunChips has been in the news this week. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been because consumers have been raving about their taste.
The Frito Lay brand of multi-grain chips has gone to great lengths to foster a brand image that reflects a commitment to a “healthier you” and a “healthier planet.” They’re manufactured at a solar powered plant in Modesto, California. They’re made with less salt and tout zero grams of trans-fat. The SunChips website and packaging reflect a color palate of warm yellows, sky blues and earthy greens. And in a move to be even more eco-friendly, the chips were recently repacked in 100% compostable bags.
Obviously, a great deal of attention was given to details that are designed to reflect the brand values consistently across a number of consumer touchpoints. But at the moment, consumers don’t associate SunChips with anything that they see or taste.
Experiential marketing strategies operate from the premise that a brand is defined by the experiences associated with it. With all the experiential touchpoints available to engage consumers in today’s marketplace, managing a brand can involve an increasingly dizzying array of possibilities and pitfalls. Marketers realize more than ever the importance of making careful, intentional choices as they develop and manage their precious brand assets.
Whether we realize it or not, every sound that touches a brand has the potential to define and communicate that brand’s attributes.
From where I sit, one of those intentional choices should be a focus on how a brand sounds. Whether we realize it or not, every sound that touches a brand has the potential to define and communicate that brand’s attributes. We select a piece of music to provide the soundtrack to a brand commercial. We choose a voice to read a script. We create sound design that adds to the atmosphere around the brand. And in the end, every music bed, every song, every voiceover, every sound associated with an experience of the brand is, at some level, contributing to its audio branding.
And that brings me to the point of this post: when it comes to audio branding, everybody’s doing it.
This first post marks the beginning of our new blog initiative. We envision it as a place where Music City and marketing meet, where our friends and associates gather for some interesting conversations about audio branding, music, sound design, marketing and anything else we feel compelled to explore.
In the posts ahead, we’ll consider everything from trending topics in the field of audio branding to past research to how the same technology that has leveled the music business has also shifted marketing paradigms in the advertising industry.
We’ve also been traveling around the world, conducting a series of interviews with some of the most talented professionals in the field of marketing today. We’ll share their thoughts on music, advertising, audio branding and the future of marketing with you as another way of stimulating the conversation.
iV is built around the ideals of community, collaboration and communication. So pull up a chair, share your perspectives and let’s explore the conversation together.
iV interactive is a forum designed to foster a conversation about the ways sound connects with us emotionally, intellectually and behaviorally - particularly within the context of audio branding.
Using interviews with global trendsetters, literature reviews of current research, posts on best practices and ongoing commentary, we hope to create a community where we can grow creatively.
Join in. Leave a comment. Send us an idea. Interact. We value your input!
