NEUROBRANDING VS SONIC BRANDING (AND WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR BRAND)

In a world where competition for audience attention is fiercer than ever, brands are increasingly reaching beyond visuals and slogans to connect on a deeper, more instinctive level. Enter neurobranding, the art and science of aligning brand strategy with the way the human brain actually works. By understanding how consumers process emotions, memories and sensory cues, neurobranding aims to forge bonds that go far beyond logic or preference, influencing human behaviour and emotion. And one of the most powerful - and often overlooked - tools in this neurological toolkit is sonic branding: the strategic use of sound to trigger recognition, trust and emotion.

In this blog we dive into this growing area of cognitive science, answering questions like, what is the concept of neuromarketing? And what are some of the best practices when it comes to sonic branding?

What Is Neuro Branding?

An offshoot of neuromarketing, neurobranding draws on cognitive science to examine the way in which brains process behaviour and make decisions to create compelling brand experiences. Rather than chasing short-term wins, neurobranding focuses on forging enduring cognitive and emotional connections between consumers and brands, as the Guardian explains:

“[Neuromarketing] allows marketers to say for certain what effect their campaigns have upon their audience, which means they can engage with greater confidence with those responsible for sales, service, product development and operations, and make more informed and more effective contributions to the overall running of the business.”

But in sonic terms, what is the science behind neurobranding? As Allison Eck of Harvard Medicine explains, “The salience of [sound] - whether a person responds to them emotionally and motivationally - influences the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a network that controls certain involuntary processes like breathing and heart rate. The valence of the music, which signals whether the music feels positive, negative, or somewhere in between, influences the ANS, too.”

She continues: “Music also lights up nearly all of the brain - including the hippocampus and amygdala, which activate emotional responses to music through memory; the limbic system, which governs pleasure, motivation, and reward; and the body’s motor system.”

Does Coca-Cola Use Neuromarketing?

All of the world’s most successful brands use neurobranding to inform their marketing, including Coca-Cola. Just think of their infinitely memorable ‘Share A Coke’ campaign, which saw them personalising their products to foster a sense of belonging and forge emotional connections with customers. Coca-Cola also employ colour psychology to inform their iconic red branding - a colour associated with passion and excitement - and leverage sensory cues by incorporating the sound of a bottle cap popping into their advertising.

It makes sense that Nike - marketing pioneers who have employed a ‘Mind Team’ to create “Neurosicence-based footwear” - rely on neurobranding. Look at 2019’s Creative Arts Emmy-winning campaign ‘Dream Crazy’, featuring Colin Kaepernick. Using emotive storytelling to inspire and motivate, the advert appeals to the brain’s reward centres to reinforce positive brand associations.

What Is Sonic Branding?

Sonic branding goes hand-in-hand with neurobranding, it being an avenue through which to apply scientific research to create positive and long-lasting brand associations. As discussed in our earlier blog, sonic branding can be separated into a few different categories:

1. Branded music - Music created specifically for a brand, that aligns with their identity.
2. Audio logos - A jingle or short sound sequence to encourage recall, recognition and trust. Think of Netflix’s suspenseful, two-note "ta-dum" logo, which creates a sense of anticipation for the customer seeking entertainment. Or consider Microsoft’s start-up sound, a hopeful, ascending motif that implies creativity and encourages optimism.
3. Soundscapes - Background music or sounds, often utilised in-app or in-store, designed to create an immersive experience for customers.
4. Voice - A voiceover, the style and tone of which should mirror and communicate brand values.

Whatever your choice of sonic branding, there are some best practices you should adhere to when it comes to its application.

1. At the outset, every brand should define their emotional DNA. Whether you’re licensing a song for video, or looking for a podcast theme, know what effect you want your brand to have on your audience, and actively pursue that emotion with your music choices.
2. Test sounds on focus groups, listen to feedback and adapt your sonic branding accordingly. It’s all well and good assuming what mood you’re evoking in others, but adopting an evidence-based approach is the most effective course of action.
3. Keep your audio consistent to build a cohesive brand.

How Can Audio Network Help With Sonic Branding?

With more than 280,000 fully licensed tracks on offer, plus stems and cut-downs available on selected songs, at Audio Network we are proud to offer brands custom music solutions without ever compromising on quality. Recorded by industry-leading musicians at the world’s finest studios, we’re committed to bringing brands authentic sounds from all over the globe, spanning every style, mood and production genre imaginable.

With so much choice on offer, we make it easy for our customers to find the perfect song or sound, offering super-fast, AI-assisted tools that allow you to search by audio link, prompt or scene description, as well as advanced search filters including bpm, key, instrumentation and more. For those wanting inspiration, we offer a range of regularly updated themed playlists and collections, as well as a Music Consultation service. Simply send your brief to our expert team, and they’ll curate a selection of sounds suitable for your project.

From sound effects to background music, Audio Network is your one-stop shop for compelling sonic branding.

Read More

So now you know all about neurobranding versus sonic branding, why not dig into some more of our blogs, from how to find production music for ads and stay on budget, busting music licensing myths and Audio Network’s Music Licensing Glossary to how to find music for YouTube videos,  TikTok or Instagram.