Brand Voice

ReachOn, an email-driven business development company, uses an audio logo that can be heard when a new lead arrives in a customer's inbox. "The audio logo is our sound identity that penetrates and elevates an emotional response by clients. For us it is efficient marketing; the customer is always within earshot of our brand," explains Maria Peraza, CEO. "The sound message trigger builds a sonic brand and delivers a share of mind that visual branding alone cannot achieve."

Robert Lightner, vice president of Sega of America Inc., is a proud brand custodian of the trademark-protected brand asset known as "the famous Sega scream." Sega, which makes video games, discovered its loud brand weapon while shooting a TV commercial in the early '90s. A worker on the set suggested, "Hey, why don't you guys have someone scream Sega at the end?" The rest is history. In 1996 the scream was dropped out of all advertising. Lightner reported, "We began to notice that the scream was surviving on its own. We'd hear it anecdotally, in focus groups, and then fans would just send us notes demanding that we bring it back." The loyal fan base was heard. In 2000 Sega decided the scream would make a comeback. Today the Sega scream is used in all TV and radio spots and can even be heard immediately upon visiting Sega's Web site. All these sounds add a lot of glue to the brand relationship, bridging the offering to the buyer.

Then there is that song again, the one you can't stop singing in the shower.
While music and marketing have been mixing for quite some time, the rules have certainly expanded. "At first it was original jingles. McDonald's 'You Deserve a Break Today' and Coke's 'It's The Real Thing' became emotional connectors to the spirit of the brand," says Don Tanner, a former music producer and now partner with Marx Layne & Co. "Through advertising an organic image was created." Using popular music was unheard of because artists saw it as a sell-out move for the impure musician. Then Michael Jackson bought the rights to the Beatles and suddenly it was a brand new song. Soon many classic, popular songs were helping to sell a range of brands. One of the most successful has been Bob Seger's "Like a Rock."

Today the use of popular music in branding has come full circle. Co-branding grabs the coat tails of a common theme. Sting and Jaguar benefited from Jag's use of his moody "Desert Rain" -- with Sting even appearing in the commercial. The hottest and latest example of cross-promotion and product branding is U2's "Vertigo" mini-video in the new iPod commercial before U2's new album has even been released! Once, radio broke new music. Then MTV. Today commercials introduce the latest.

An audio advantage can be as simple as adding copyright-free tunes to your Web journey, a poignant sound effect to a new business presentation, or a million-dollar community jazz partnership with the Lincoln Center like Bank of America recently did.

Simple steps to amp up your brand voice.

• Set your objectives up front. Are you building on an existing story or communicating a change? Are you trying to sell an image or lifestyle? Are you just trying to get some attention for the brand?
• Honor others' copyrights and protect what you create. Borrowing sound and music elements that are not copyright free will bring you a big fat, loud lawsuit. Brand noises are intellectual property and can be protected. The Sega scream is.
• Think all touch points, not just the obvious. Packaging, phone messaging, direct mail, press kits, training tools, restrooms, showrooms, tradeshows, events, waiting areas, and displays are just a few sound spots.
• Understand the difference between the people hearing the sound and the ones who care about listening to your story. Target your sounds carefully and test for insight, not insurance.

Brand on!

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