There are exceptions to every rule. I’ve always felt very strongly about having a brand’s name as part of its audio mnemonic. This often takes the form of a jingle, but not always. Sometimes the spoken name worked into a strong melody can be just as effective. It’s often a better fit as well depending…
The Audio Audit: Netflix 2/5
Whenever I host a presentation or webinar about audio branding, I usually play a brief game with the audience. I’ll play an established audio logo, and invite them to tell me who or what it represents. They always recognize McDonald’s, HBO, and Intel. I stopped using Netflix because people rarely got it. This is not…
The Audio Audit: CBS 4/5
Last month CBS launched a whole new rebrand. It’s a visual rebrand with a new audio logo that sets the tone for the animation. These kinds of rebrands are not uncommon, especially for a brand as old as CBS, but in this case, it sounds like they’re doing it for the right reasons. “I wanted…
Why So Many Radio Ads Fail – Part 2
Last time we highlighted some of the differences between active and passive media consumption. Another distinction that needs to be made for audio-only advertising is emotional versus logical persuasion. There’s certainly a lot of value to persuading with facts, figures, and data, but numbers don’t always convey well in audio ads. To a passive listener,…
Netflix Cinematic Logo: Upgrade or Band-Aid?
Netflix recently expanded on its audio logo for cinematic presentation. You’ve heard the original many times before. It’s that signature percussive tone that precedes all their original content. And for this job, they brought in the big guns. They recruited film score veteran Hans Zimmer to bring some buildup and weight to their existing sonic…
Geo-Audio Brand: Harnessing the Power of Culture Sound
Let’s put business aside for a bit and look at geography. I’ve spoken before about the famous wine study in the UK. In short, a wine shop played German music on certain days, and French music on others. On days when they played German music, they sold three times more German wine. On days when…
Brands Not Bands: The Dangers of Using Pop Songs in Ads
Every so often you see/hear an ad using a popular song in their advertising. This has been going on for many, many years now. The impetus for this came mostly from the music industry looking for find new ways to profit from recorded music, and this makes sense. They have a lot more to gain…
The Cost of Noise in Your Workplace
Whether it’s an office, restaurant, store, or any place of business with more than a handful of people in the same space, an often overlooked component of audio branding is the aural environment. Most of us aren’t even aware of it. In fact, many of us make conscious and unconscious efforts to drown it out….
Tip for Entrepreneurs – Get the Gear
A while back I wrote a blog directed to new entrepreneurs where I shared some of my experiences and advice. Here’s a tip I didn’t cover: Get the Gear. But before you get the gear, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. Don’t Break the Bank I don’t want to be…
What’s with the Owl?
Note: This blog was written before Tyton Sound became SoundWise in 2023. There are two questions I’m often asked about my company: Where does the name Tyton come from? What’s with the owl? Fortunately for everyone, they have more-or-less the same answer. One of the challenges I have in the business of sound, is people…