Sonic images
Sonic images are how sound events become auditory brands. The brain associates the sound event with some outcome. They are called sonic images because the ear-brain-mind will augment the auditory information with known visual information -- a known image or brand reference -- based on the sound event. The visual image or outcome associated with the sound event can be desirable or undesirable, and which one doesn't matter to the ear-brain-mind, so be careful.
Sonic images depend on the same things we mentioned before: culture, history, environment and education. In addition, sonic images also rely on income level, vocation, avocation, geographic location and other more demographic-specific elements. Like Tony the Tiger's growl, the opening to Pink Floyd's "Money" is a great sonic image that speaks to a targeted and desirable demographic. Its meaning might be lost to younger demographics as we move to a moneyless culture (prevalence of credit, debit and smart cards).
Let me give you some examples of sonic images. Some you might get, some you might not. (I identify them at the end of this column.)
The good and bad thing about sonic images is that they are amazingly demographic and culturally specific. People will respond positively, negatively or not at all, and the cut-offs between who will respond and how they will respond can be surgical in their accuracy. Use them, just use them wisely, especially now that any website is a global calling card of your business.
Creating sonic images
Now that I've suggested you don't do this without lots of training and practice, I'll demonstrate how to create some simple sonic images. We're going to take the sound events we shared earlier and turn them into sonic images by associating each of them with something. This is very simple and it plays heavily into the use of personal brands to promote business opportunities.
Which sound event is linked to this image?
How about this one? Is there a specific sound event that might match this image better than any others we offered?
And this one is where the demonstration of sound event to sonic image becomes complete. Which sound event do you think is most closely tied with this image (which also happens to be a brand)?
This figure is also a demonstration of creating a personal brand with a sonic image. If an individual is uniquely associated with a brand and that individual has positive attributes associated with him or her, that person's voice can often become the sonic image element of their personal branding practice.
The example I often use about sonic images and personal brands is my own presentation style. People who've heard me at some conference often tell me that they can hear me talking when they read my blogs and columns and that it gives them a feeling of intimacy and trust. Yes, I'm definitely flattered by this and yes, I appreciate the value my voice brings to my personal and NextStage's corporate brands.
The trick with sonic images is to use what's already in your audience's conscious and has a desired positive association. Link that sound event to a brand and every time customers hear the sound event -- even if they imagine it -- they will create a sonic image with desired positive meaning.
Where those sonic images came from:
- Sonic image 1: from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" by Tan Dun
- Sonic image 2: from "St. Elsewhere" by Dave Gruisen
- Sonic image 3: from "Linus and Lucy" by Vince Guaraldi
- Sonic image 4: Opening to original "Outer Limits" by Villa de Stephano Productions
Summary
Advances in web technology have made auditory information as important a presentation element as visual information. Readers of God, Satan and your brand website learned that knowledge of a culture's art is necessary for successful web design. Now they'll have to appreciate that knowledge of a culture's music is equally as necessary.
Use sound events wisely or not at all, and recognize that one of the best uses is in personal and corporate branding.
Additional resources:
Using Sound and Music on Websites
Reading Virtual Minds, Chapter 4 "Anecdotes of Learning", Section B "The Investors Heard the Music"
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