The significance of an audio logo for brands

The significance of an audio logo for brands, and what it entails?

We recently conducted an interview with the renowned musical composer Joe Dickinson, Managing Partner and Chief Music Officer of WithFeeling. Joe’s rare ability to draw from a wide range of influences in order to compose in any style means he has composed marketing music for advertisements for major brands, including Sony, Microsoft, Cadillac, McDonald's, Nivea, and many others. Currently based in London, he has also composed original music for some of the United Arab Emirates' largest and most elaborate landmarks and events, such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Dubai Parks, UAE National Day Ceremonies, and the world's only seven-star hotel, The Burj Al Arab.

We probed him about audio logos so that businesses, company heads and marketing pros could gain an understanding of what an audio logo is, and why it's so important for brands to stand out from the crowd and stay top of mind with consumers.

Here are Joe's responses to the questions we put to him from a professional standpoint.

What are audio logos?

An audio logo is often a three- to five-second-long sound, effect, brief music clip, musical riff, or voiceover. An audio logo is an essential component of the sound branding of a brand. The audio logo, also known as the sound logo, acoustic logo, and sound logo, is the brand's sound symbol. It must be brief, simple, and easy to recall, and it can be instrumental, sung, or spoken.

Where may a company utilise an audio logo?

In every imaginable advertising area, utilising every conceivable channel, including but not limited to radio, television, digital media, social networks, and email marketing.

Why is it essential for brands to have an audio logo?

Brands need their own unique audio logo to establish their identity and credibility. Branding a product or service includes the logo, the slogan, the communication messages, and even an audio logo, just as these elements play a significant role in marketing.

The bigger the company, the more weight it should be given: companies of a smaller or medium size are not as likely to benefit. It's crucial that businesses of all sizes and kinds factor this into their brand strategy rather than setting it aside during the brainstorming phase. Although not as expensive as many businesses fear it, this is still a common misconception. Numerous experts are available to cater to businesses of all sizes and financial means.

Few companies in the age of digital media have their own copyright on an audible brand logo. There are so many advertisements on websites like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok that it makes me wonder... Why don't marketers choose to make their posts sound different from the rest? If it is something that people appreciate, remember, and maybe even talk about beyond just amongst themselves, then you have a winner.

How do you go about making an audio logo?

Initially, I'll have a conversation with the client or the agency to learn about the brand's goals and values, as well as the message they hope to send to customers through the audio logo. Find out as much as you can about the audio logo you want to create, and be aware of the target audience you intend to attract. The brand's slogan could be sung by a female voice or the company could opt for an instrumental piece that evokes a bygone era.

The overarching goal is to give the brand an audible identity that conveys its values through a memorable melody that will stick in the listener's head.

My creative process begins once I have gathered all the relevant data. For me, this means learning as much as I can about the company, its products, and its target audience and then developing a few potential pitches to present to the client.

Why, in your opinion, should companies with a digital presence have their own audio logo?

An audio logo helps establish a distinct identity for the brand or company and facilitates the development of a personal connection between the brand and the consumer that extends beyond the purely visual.

Unfortunately, many companies today opt to use pre-existing sounds from audio banks in their various brand communications rather than developing their own distinctive tones. This has the same problem as using a royalty-free stock image in an ad; if some other company uses it, it could be very embarrassing for the brand in question.