Twenty-first–century marketing is media rich, with interactive
experiences now standard for most consumers. Yet one element of B2B advertising
that I have not heard much about is
sound. Oh, there’s plenty of talk about video,
but I have never had an advertiser ask me about using sounds in a campaign.
This is surprising, considering that with the slow shift from print to
interactive media the power of sound increases exponentially.
Of course, I do remember in the late 1990s when many Web sites
had a music player that launched on the home page. I don’t think anyone wants
to return to those days! But I am surprised that companies with strong branding
focuses do not consider how sound can be a powerful reminder of a brand. The
Intel “ba-ba-ba-bum” comes immediately to mind, as does the Windows startup
trill.
I’m sure there have been doctoral dissertations on the power
of sound to make brand connections, but from a practical standpoint I wonder
why IT vendors in the behavioral healthcare space don’t have a special chime
when their programs open, or why treatment centers don’t have a particular type
of music continuously playing at their booths. This is marketing at its most
subtle, but using sound in a campaign costs little and helps reinforce brands.
After all, not all marketing needs to be—or should be—an in-your-face-click-here-now
experience.
Using sound in B2B marketing is a topic I’m just starting to
explore, and I welcome any feedback. In a world swamped with marketing messages,
making some meaningful noise just may pay off.
