Neuroscience and audio, the new frontier of branding for companies
How do we feel when we listen to our favorite song? We usually experience a variety of positive emotions. But why? What happens inside our brain?
Neuroscientists from the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University have investigated this question. They analyzed individuals who listened to certain musical tracks for the first time to detect the level of pleasure evoked by the music and to analyze their neural processes. Participants took part in a sort of auction where they could place bids to re-listen to a specific song. The activation of a specific area called the nucleus accumbens, involved in reward mechanisms, made it possible to reliably predict whether the subjects would offer money to listen to the song again.
The activation of this area confirms the hypothesis that listening triggers mechanisms of expectation and satisfaction of a desirable stimulus, mediated by the release of dopamine: when we anticipate that a song we like is about to reach a peak of intensity, we are experiencing an effect of dopamine release.
An interesting example is the well-known performance by Axis of Awesome in an intense musical medley that combines the most famous commercial songs based on the same chord progression
If we think about it, a song we hear for the first time is not truly “new”: it has something familiar that makes us recognize it, often linked to implicit musical knowledge, obtained throughout years of exposure to the typical structure of music from a certain culture.
The activity of the nucleus accumbens, however, is not the only one involved; the auditory cortex also plays a role, responsible for storing information about sounds and music. During the tests, the more a piece was liked, the more intense was the cross-communication between the different brain regions. This result supports the idea that the ability to appreciate background music is partly linked to cognitive assessments, involving our senses. It is concentrated on recognizing structures, manifesting as anticipation of musical developments, memory, and the ability to predict sounds before they occur.
Music plays a role both in the emotional sphere and in cognitive processing, engaging both hemispheres of the brain. If we focus more on the left hemisphere, the effects manifest in improved memory, motor skills, sense of rhythm, and body coordination. On the other hand, if we concentrate more on the right hemisphere, we develop greater imagination, enhanced creativity, and a better sense of harmony.
In recent days, I had the pleasure of discussing these aspects with Marco Ceruti, my co-founder for Corporate-FM, to explore how the potential of audio can be effectively applied to the corporate world.
This explains the interest in sound branding, an area where companies are now investing heavily. A deep understanding of how sound is perceived and how it influences consumer choices is increasingly becoming a strategic asset.
Let’s talk about sound branding
Sound branding is a new frontier in corporate communication, one that global companies have only recently begun to explore. Until a few years ago, audio was seen as a marginal element in communication, used solely for utilitarian purposes. However, in recent years, major brands have started to focus on the emotional and visceral aspects of sound perception.
From the creation of audio logos to full-scale sound identities, audio branding has become a key element in building and distributing a company’s corporate brand identity.
A successful example is MasterCard, which in 2020 launched an advertising campaign broadcasted on major TV channels. The ad features dark tones, night settings, and highly dynamic scenes. The location continuously shifts between different perspectives, never allowing the viewer to settle into a familiar visual rhythm.
Amid this fast-paced narrative, one element remains constant: MasterCard’s audio logo. This “jingle” (though calling it just a jingle would be reductive) is played three times within the scenes in a contextualized manner, and a fourth time when the logo and corporate tagline appear.
The entire campaign was focused on distributing and associating the MasterCard sound brand with its corporate identity, reinforcing brand recognition and emotional connection through sound.
This concept is further reinforced through the association of MasterCard’s audio logo with the act of payment. The protagonist in the advertisement makes two purchases, both in situations where speed is the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of MasterCard’s payment platform. The sound logo is played at the moment of payment, reinforcing the connection between the jingle and the concept of fast and seamless transactions.
Audio Branding: an evolving strategy
Audio branding is becoming increasingly important compared to other communication channels. Among all audio-based media, the one that has experienced the greatest success and continuous growth over the years is podcasting.
Many large companies have quickly recognized the incredible potential of this medium, which allows them to connect with hundreds of thousands of people and establish direct brand communication through audio.
Audio provides an exceptionally high retention rate:
• 7 out of 10 listeners recall having heard a brand mentioned in a podcast,
• 15% of them reported making a purchase decision after listening to an episode.
This is supported by the mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 2001), which suggests that people tend to develop a preference for things they are repeatedly exposed to (Source: IPSOS)
For this reason, audio branding is emerging as a powerful channel for companies to strengthen their brand awareness. Companies that enter the audio branding market early will have the greatest opportunity to gain long-term competitive advantages.
