Here’s an article on the BBC site about ‘sonic branding‘, which discusses the prevalence of ‘micro jingles’ for technology firms, in particular Nokia and Intel. Basically, it appears that these are quite good for marketing, even if they do make most of us want to run screaming from the room and wreak firearm-related havoc in the local sub-post office.
So the semi-frivolous question that has to follow is: what role does (or perhaps more accurately, will) audio play in your firm’s marketing efforts? Now, I’m not suggesting that any minute now a magic circle firm is going to launch a Smash or Shake ‘n’ Vac style ad for litigation work. But the more you think about it, the richer our media channels become, the more that music, the human voice and sounds effects will be needed in order to create rounded, engaging messages.
Two questions:
1. Your firm is launching a Corporate Responsibility site. What kind of music should it use as a background to the film of your partners splashing paint over some crumbly village hall? Something classical? (Could be seen as elitist, and problematic if not English, one might argue.) Something humorous? (Could be seen as frivolous, as nobody ever bought anything off a clown, as the saying goes.) Jazz? Country? Pop? Reggae? Hip-Hop? Grunge? Whatever you choose, be prepared – it will in some way be considered an articulation of your brand personality. (’We’re not really a Take That kind of firm,’ some old buffer will tell you as you cross paths in the corridor.)
2. You need a voiceover for a recruitment video on line. Do you use the Managing Partner? (He’s a bit Oxbridge, which might not make the right impression.) A professional voiceover? (Females are sympathetic, for the most part, but you’ll probably get hassled over your less-than-ideal partnership diversity statistics.) People trust Geordies and Scots, but won’t that make a board-unapproved comment regarding your commitment to regionalism?
At the least, I anticipate that in three years or less some firms will be including audio guidelines in the brand manuals. After all, music will be on their web sites (particularly the ones configured for iPad or other fancy-schmancy mobile platforms), book-ending PowerPoint and Keynote presentations, on rich media banners, playing at conferences and receptions, and as good old-fashioned hold music.
So better start planning now. Not everyone can have ‘Simply The Best’, after all.
