Sound of success: How BrandMusiq is shaping consumer experiences with sonic branding

Sonic branding has been adding another dimension to brands’ marketing strategy, bringing out a brand’s essence, personality, and attributes through sound, thus differentiating it from other brands. Sonic branding refers to a brand’s expression through the medium of sound and results in its recognition through the experience, emotions, feelings, memories that the brand's sonic identity evokes in the consumers.

According to BrandZ research by Kantar, brands which have strong brand assets, including sonic ones attain 138% greater advertising strength perceptiveness and 76% greater brand power. The relation that people share with music has gone through many transitions. At the present times, music is considered to be more functional than docile, where it is being utilised in numerous circumstances, turning out to be a tool for augmenting everyday pursuits. It also helps to attain a specified set of objectives such as for the enhancement of focus, motivation, recreation. Brands increasingly are understanding the power of musical storytelling and are leveraging it to create unique sonic identities.

There are various instances of distinctive sonic branding of brands for instance the ‘Megh Santoor’ by Taj Mahal Tea, with 31 strings and handles organised in a subtle manner for creating the entrancing melody of ‘Megh Malhar’, the rain Raga. Every year when it rains, the raindrops engage with the santoor strings transmuted on the billboard for the demonstration of the ‘Raag Megh Malhar’s rendition, forging a musical atmosphere. It induces a spellbinding surrounding speaking of the serenity of the cool raindrops and the euphony of the ‘Megh Malhar’ Raag. Taufiq Qureshi, the eminent Indian classical percussionist, musician and composer, has contributed his skilfulness for making it certain that the Raga is resonating with the veracious soul of the monsoon season in India. This association with ‘Raag Megh Malhar’ and monsoon season in India for creating a sonic identity for Wah Taj, deeply resonates with the fervent experience of having a warm cup of Taj Mahal Tea during the rainy season while taking a glimpse of nature. Megha Santoor, located opposite the Vijayawada Railway station is considered by the Guinness World Record as the largest environmentally interactive billboard.

The campaign conceptualised by Ogilvy can be found here:

https://youtu.be/oZoBuDsb7vA?si=KYuzkbE7FD3ibsdN.

Founded by Rajeev Raja and Ajit Varma, Co-founder and CEO, BrandMusiq is a leading brand in Sonic Branding. BrandMusiq is spearheading sonic branding in Asia with an exceptional track record of the creation of sonic identities for a distinguished listing of brands such as SBI Life, HDFC Bank, Unilever (Bru, Red Label, Vim), Zomato, Federal Bank, IndusInd Bank, RuPay, CoinDCX, L&T Finance, UPI, Air India, Infosys, Vistara Airlines, Tata Capital and many others.

The sonic identity of Zomato created by BrandMusiq consists of MOGOSCAPE® (Sonic palette), a MOGO® (Musical LOGO), conveying the key values of Zomato as Fulfilment, Enjoyment and Speed. It encourages the Zomato riders to ‘Zing’ along at the time of delivery. It places audio signposts in the Zomato app in order to accentuate the journey of the customer. The popular ‘Zing’ jingle of Zomato has resulted in 1 million orders, 3 million sonic alerts in a day, and is heard 1 billion times in a year in five countries, across three continents and 500 cities, approximately.

Infosys has defined its sonic identity ‘The Sound of Infosys’ as ‘The Sound of Opportunity’, reinforcing its core brand purpose and identity which is to strengthen human potential, creating the next opportunity for businesses, communities and people. It can be found here:

https://youtu.be/6oU4wjUBG7Q?si=ux4TBwvgm1ovcwGK

In a conversation with Adgully, Rajeev Raja, Founder & Soundsmith, BrandMusiq, delves into how one of the core principles of BrandMusiq is holistically approaching sound, enabling brands to create a coherent audio experience for the consumers and audience base, leading to ardent consumer engagement and brand recall. He further discusses how a brand’s sonic identity creates a strong asset for the brand expressing its values and engaging the senses through sound, augmenting the EQ or emotional quotient of the brand. It invokes emotions, and instills a sense of connection and deeper association with the brand. Further, it enhances the consumer experience and the perception towards the brand, instilling feelings of empathy, warmth, and relatedness to different cultures and people, besides adding a human touch to the brand’s overall identity and generating enduring memories.

The sonic identity of Air India Express created by BrandMusiq captures new India’s spirit, merging credence and buoyancy with the ethos of the three unique rasas of Indian classicalmusic – veera (valour), karuna (empathy), adbhuta (wonder).

How is BrandMusiq changing the game for brands through inventive sonic branding strategies?

Jingles and anthems have long been integral to advertising, particularly in the Indian context. However, the need to look at sound strategically has now become paramount. At BrandMusiq, we adopt a strategic approach to sonic branding. Leveraging our backgrounds in branding, advertising, and marketing, we have developed a brand-first methodology for sonic branding, enabling brands to utilize sound across various touchpoints beyond just TV commercials. We believe in approaching sound holistically, allowing brands to create a cohesive audio experience for their consumers.

For instance, BrandMusiq has worked on projects such as crafting the sound of a successful ATM withdrawal for HDFC, enhancing the rider's journey through sound for Zomato, and creating in-flight versions of Air India Express' sonic identity. These initiatives represent the emergence of "audio-first" media, harnessing the power of sound to reinforce brand persona and values, thereby fostering deeper consumer engagement and brand recall.

BrandMusiq collaborates closely with its clients to map out their consumers' journey and identify "Earpoints" (audio touchpoints) – moments where sound can amplify and strengthen the emotional connection between the brand and its consumers

How does the new sonic identity of Air India Express by BrandMusiq augment the brand experience in general for the passengers and what experience does it aim to provide through its unique storytelling?

The sonic identity for Air India Express was crafted through our proprietary three-stage process, M.U.S.E (Musical Strategy Exercise), drawing from the brand's unique qualities of intuition, style, accessibility, and warmth. From the brand experience perspective, Air India Express believes in creating new experiences and lasting memories, and music serves as a powerful medium to enable immersive engagements. The sonic identity captures the brand's essence by incorporating the distinct emotions of empathy, wonder, confidence, and dynamism. It encapsulates the essence of the new Air India Express brand and positioning, embodying the 'Explorer' and the 'Everyperson' archetypes, and inviting travelers to 'Fly as You Are' with a more liberating travel experience empowered by digitally driven personalization. Additionally, the MOGO® also puts a unique spin on the traditional airline announcement ‘chime’.

Taking inspiration from the Indian ‘Raag Savitri’, which evokes feelings of upliftment and cheerfulness, the sonic identity of Air India Express is based on the dominant scale of Western music. For the Middle East, Air India Express adapted its sonic identity to resonate with the rich cultural nuances of the region. The Middle Eastern rendition of the sonic identity, which incorporates distinctive instruments indigenous to the Middle East, uniquely interprets sound as a unifying force between diverse regions, recognizing music as a universal language.

What does the sonic identity system of BrandMusiq consist of? What is the importance of sonic branding for building a brand’s identity?

A sonic identity adds dimension to a brand by creating a powerful asset that engages the senses through sound. In today’s fast-paced environment with rapidly declining attention spans, visual clutter across media, and brand-consumer relationships becoming increasingly transactional, a sonic identity can become instrumental in enhancing a brand’s emotional quotient (EQ) and driving deeper consumer engagement.

Sonic branding, also known as audio branding, is essential for establishing a brand’s identity as it offers a unique auditory experience capable of eliciting emotions, establishing associations, and reinforcing brand recognition. It plays a crucial role in emphasizing brand attributes, values, and messaging across various touchpoints, thereby fostering brand loyalty and memorability among consumers. Moreover, sonic branding serves as a key differentiator in a saturated marketplace, enabling a brand to stand out and leave a lasting impression.

The Sonic Identity system of BrandMusiq comprises of three pillars: a MOGOSCAPE® (Sonic palette), a MOGO® (Musical LOGO), and a Mini-MOGO® (Confirmation sound/ alert). These pillars form the foundation of the Sonic Identity System, offering the flexibility to create diverse sound variations to align with the content narrative.

Could you take us through the process behind the creation of a sonic identity?

We follow a robust 3-phase process – M.U.S.E to develop the sound of a brand.

• Brand Discovery - understanding the softer aspects of the brand like its values, persona, and what it wishes to evoke in its consumers.
• Sonic Mapping - Sonic mood that captures the outcomes of the Brand Discovery
• Creation of Sonic identity – Composition and production of the final Sonic identity

How important is sonic branding for fintech companies? How does the sonic identity of BrandMusiq increase the corporate image and communication of Infosys in the global marketplace?

Sonic Branding has the power to shape consumer experiences - it can evoke emotions, create brand recognition, and increase recall – all of which are key to fostering strong brand loyalty.

Financial services and fintech brands are leading the charge in championing the adoption of sonic identities. This push is driven by a notable shift in consumer behavior within this sector. Increasingly, consumers prioritize convenience, functionality, and speed of service over brand loyalty and emotional attachment. The traditional model of personal interaction, such as visiting a bank branch for a friendly chat with the manager over a cup of tea, has given way to the digital era, where transactions are conducted with a few clicks or taps on a mobile app. Consequently, financial services brands are grappling with a significant challenge: the erosion of consumer loyalty. As face-to-face interactions diminish, so too does the emotional bond between customers and financial institutions. This decline in consumer loyalty has emerged as a pressing concern for financial services brands in today's landscape.

For financial services, a sonic identity can help in:

• Building trust by building an emotional connection with its stakeholders
• Reassurance of a successful transaction completion
• Create distinctiveness and cut-through – help brands stand out in a crowded marketplace
• Create memorable brand associations by building strong memory structure associations

BrandMusiq has been the leading Sonic branding partner to many banks and fintech brands. For example:

• Creating the global sound for Mastercard
• Launching the brand sound of UPI
• Fintech Brands like Rupeek, Rupay, etc.
• Developing sonic identities of banks in India like HDFC, Federal Bank, IndusInd Bank, SBI, Yes Bank, etc.
• Larger financial services & insurance, like Tata Capital, NTUC Income Insurance in Singapore, HDFC Life, SBI Life, L&T Finance, etc.

Could you take us through your journey so far from advertising to the music industry in brief?

Well, I spent close to 3 decades as a creative person in advertising. Through it all, I never let go of my music and performed professionally whenever I got the opportunity. I’m glad I did because this ‘2-in-1 life’ enabled me to start BrandMusiq which was at the convergence of music and brands, both fields in which I had gained considerable knowledge and experience over the years.

What are the values that BrandMusiq stands for? How was the year 2023 for BrandMusiq and the growth projections for 2024?

At BrandMusiq we pride ourselves on pioneering and perfecting the art and science of combining brand values and emotions seamlessly to enable brands to connect with their consumers on a sonic level. Our strategic brand-first approach enables us to work with our clients to craft a distinctive sonic identity.

In 2023, BrandMusiq experienced significant growth and solidified its position as a leader in the sonic branding space. Through our collaborations with various brands, such as Air India Express, NTUC Income, Tata Neu, and Saffola, to name a few, we continued to create delightful sonic experiences that reinforce brand identities across diverse touchpoints.

Looking ahead to 2024, we anticipate continued growth and expansion as the importance of sonic branding continues to gain traction in the marketing landscape. With our proven track record and innovative approach, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of sonic branding, driving deeper consumer engagement, and delivering exceptional results for our clients.