Insights Everywhere by Studio Everywhere

The Science of Sonic Branding | Insights Everywhere | Ep.002 | Tim Middleton

September 04, 2024 Studio Everywhere Season 1 Episode 2

How sonic branding can positively impact well-being, experience, storytelling, and more...

In this conversation, sonic renaissance man, Tom Middleton, discusses his journey from beginnings as an electronic musician (apprentice of Richard D James, aka Aphex Twin) and DJ, to co-founding White Mirror, an audio consultancy and production studio that as well as its commercial work for brands, explores sensory science to enhance well-being: reducing anxiety, improving sleep, and optimising creativity, for a healthy, happy life. Tom explains the new frontiers of sensory experience that can now be created with sound and vibroacoustics, and discusses the role of sound in branding and brand experiences. He shares his excitement for sonic technologies such as AI and spatial audio. Finally, he shares with us his interests in ‘archaeo acoustics’ and the resonant properties of ancient megalithic sites that can tell us a bit more about our history.

Takeaways

- Sonic branding helps communicate a brand identity through sound, enhancing brand experiences and evoking intense, unforgettable emotional connections. Examples include Intel, McDonald’s, Audi, and more.
- Sonic branding should be more than just a jingle. It can be a functional, useful tool to enhance well-being, evoke health benefits, and boost productivity, as in the case of Otrovin.
- There have been some amazing advancements in sonic technologies, particularly AI-driven tools like RipX DAW Pro that can break down a music file into it’s instrumental elements to make it easier to remix and tinker with songs, spatial audio, and psychoacoustics - the emerging field of using brainwaves to form new kinds of soundscape.
- There are ever-increasing opportunities for brands in fields as diverse as insurance, airlines, healthcare, and education to enhance customer experiences and overall well-being with sonic branding and vibroacoustics.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:20 Exploring the Therapeutic Properties of Music
10:00 The Role of Sound in Branding
15:34 Advancements in Sonic Technologies and Functional Sound Branding
21:06 Musical Inspirations
24:21 Bringing Visual Worlds to Life Sonically
26:56 Dream Clients
29:24 Archaeo-acoustics and Ancient Megalithic Sites

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