GETTING IN THE SHOPPER’S EAR

Posted on Apr 09, 2010 - 11:46 AM

According to neuro-marketer and author Martin Lindstrom, sound is rated as a key element of brand communication by 41% of consumers – and yet 83% of all forms of advertising principally engage sight.

Sound is surely our second most important sense. It is only through sight and sound that we can broadcast to large audiences and deliver specific messages. Smell, touch and taste have their uses, but they are either atmospheric and supportive or specific to one experience – they are rarely primary communicators.

In-store Audio enables advertisers to extend TV and radio campaigns at the point of purchase and reinforce visually-based in-store media – congruent sound drastically increases the impact of visual communication.

Well-known jingles and slogans are known to influence brand and product recall, but Lindstrom’s studies suggest there is another approach well worth considering.

While monitoring his research participants for brain activity, pupil dilation, sweat responses and flickers in facial muscles (all markers of emotion), Lindstrom played recordings of dozens of familiar sounds, from McDonald’s’ “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle to birds chirping and cigarettes being lit.

The clear winner — both in terms of interest and positive feelings — was the sound of a baby giggling. In second place was the hum of a vibrating mobile phone. Others that followed closely included the sound of an ATM dispensing cash, a steak sizzling on a grill and a beverage being opened and poured.

Why is this significant?

The most appealing sounds weren’t invented and given meaning by marketers. They were pre-existing everyday sounds, with pre-existing meanings that automatically triggered emotions such as hunger, thirst, and anticipation.

So while strong jingles and slogans are certainly an effective way to positively influence brand and product recall, consider using them in conjunction with everyday sounds that are relevant to your category in your in-store Audio campaigns.

But be careful not to overdo it – Lindstrom’s testing shows that people respond to a sound better when it’s subtler.

References:
Lindstrom, M. 2005, Brand Sense, Free Press, New York.
Kluger, J. 2010, “Neural Advertising: The sounds we can’t resist”, Time [online].

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