Latest / The CMO Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Leadership, Budgets, and Executive Strategy / How CMOs Use Sonic Branding to Build Recognition
Transcript
- Lucas: You know that six-second sound Netflix plays before every original series? That's not just a placeholder – it's the result of years of research and what I'd argue is millions of dollars in brand equity. Luna: The 'ta-dum'? I actually read they trademarked it. Is that really that valuable? Lucas: Extremely. They filed it as a trademark in 2016, but the sound itself was created back in 2014 by a composer named Lachlan Anderson. Since then, it's been heard billions of times. And here's the thing – in a world where you're often listening to content without looking at a screen, an audio logo is the new visual mark. Luna: Right – the rise of podcasts, voice assistants, smart speakers. If your brand can't be heard, it's invisible in those channels. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why more CMOs are investing in what's called sonic branding. Mastercard is probably the most famous example. They spent 2019 rolling out a full sonic identity – not just a jingle for ads, but a melody that plays when you tap your card at a terminal, when you open their app, even on hold music. Luna: That's intense. So they basically gave a sound to the experience of spending money. Lucas: And they did it deliberately. Mastercard's CMO, Raja Rajamannar, wrote a book on it. He says the goal wasn't just recall – it was to create an emotional connection. They tested dozens of melodies across 180 countries to make sure it felt positive and trustworthy in every culture. Luna: How do you even measure something like that? It's not like a click-through rate. Lucas: Great question. They use what's called 'sonic equity' – essentially a brand tracking metric tied to audio recall. They play the sound to consumers in a blind test and ask which brand comes to mind. Mastercard's sonics now score in the 80th percentile for unaided recall. That's as good as their red and orange circles visually. Luna: So it's not just a gimmick – it's a measurable asset. Lucas: Exactly. And other brands are following. McDonald's 'ba da ba ba ba' is instantly recognizable. Subway recently refreshed their sound. Even the NBA has a five-note melody that plays before their broadcasts. The common thread is simplicity – the best sonic logos are just a few notes, easy to hum. Luna: But what about a smaller brand without Mastercard's budget? Can a local retailer or a D2C startup afford sonic branding? Lucas: Absolutely. The barrier to entry is way lower than people think. You can start with a simple audio signature – literally a two-second sound that plays when someone opens your app or when your podcast ad ends. There are online platforms like Sonar or AudioBrand that do this for under a thousand dollars. The key is consistency. Luna: So you're saying any brand can have a sound – they just need to stick with it. Lucas: Right. The biggest mistake CMOs make is changing their sonic identity too often. It takes years for a sound to become shorthand for your brand. Think about the Intel 'bong' – that lasted over a decade. Consistency is the secret. Luna: Speaking of consistency – this show is ad-free, and we'd like to keep it that way. If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used, the way the show stays independent is through listener support. Lucas: Yeah, it's a small gesture that goes a long way. If today's episode was useful, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's it – no tiers, no perks, just helping us keep the conversation going. Luna: And now back to sonic branding. One thing I've noticed is that voice commerce is exploding. A lot of people are shopping through Alexa or Google Assistant. If your brand doesn't have a sonic identity, how does it even get recognized in a voice-only transaction? Lucas: That's the frontier. Currently, voice assistants just read out product names. But imagine if when you say 'order my usual coffee,' the assistant plays Starbucks' audio logo before confirming. That creates an experience, not just a transaction. Several CMOs I've spoken to are already working with voice platforms to integrate their sounds. Luna: So sonic branding might soon be as essential as a logo for e-commerce. Lucas: I think so. And it's not just about voice assistants. Think about car dashboards, smart TVs, even your smart fridge. Every time a brand communicates through sound, that's an opportunity to reinforce identity. The CMOs who get ahead on this now will own that audio space before it gets crowded. Luna: But there's a risk, right? If you get it wrong – like a sound that's annoying or doesn't match your brand personality – it can backfire. Lucas: Huge risk. A great example is the early version of Facebook's notification sound – it was criticized as jarring. They eventually softened it. The lesson is: test your sound in context. How does it feel when you hear it ten times a day? That's why Mastercard spent years refining a single melody. Luna: So for a CMO embarking on sonic branding, what's the first step? Lucas: First, define the emotion you want to evoke. Is your brand trustworthy? Energetic? Calm? Then work with a composer or a specialized agency to create a short motif – three to five seconds. Test it internally, then externally. And most importantly, start using it everywhere: ads, apps, events, hold music. The more touchpoints, the faster the recognition builds. Luna: I've also seen some brands create adaptive sonic logos – ones that change slightly depending on the context but keep the core melody. Lucas: That's the next level. Mastercard does that too – their melody can be played at different tempos for different emotions. Faster for excitement, slower for trust. But the notes are always the same. That's the magic: a flexible system, not a fixed jingle. Luna: So for any marketer listening, the takeaway is: your brand's sound is a strategic asset. Start small, stay consistent, and think beyond ads. Lucas: Exactly. And in a world where attention is fragmented and screens are everywhere, sound might be the most direct line to memory.