Almost all companies have a visual identity. If you ask any company how they position themselves visually they will almost immediately come up with examples. Logos, business cards, letterhead and other printed materials are pulled out of the cabinets. Promotional gifts, corporate clothing, a website, all in the deliberate colors of the corporate identity with a visible company logo. It's your company's brand strategy thought out to perfection, but then when you ask how the company sounds many turn silent.... 

We at Fine Tune Audio try to answer this question. 

First and foremost, you want to make sure your company speaks in "one, unmistakable and unforgettable voice." So that your audience will recognize your sound. Have a relevant and authentic audio corporate identity developed that stands out and fits your company. Consider a sound logo, a piece of music (in different lengths for various purposes) and sound effects for apps, for example, as well as a human voice. Use this audio identity consistently, everywhere and in all your expressions. We call this sonic branding. 

Music is an incredibly powerful communication tool. It only takes a quarter of a second to judge the emotional content of music. These reactions of the brain are considered reflexive and happen unconsciously.* Music evokes memories, affects our mood, our heart rate and can even influence our buying habits. 

For example, a causal relationship between background music and buying behavior in wine stores has been studied.** During the use of French background music, customer buying behavior changed and 83% of the wines sold were from France. When German background music was used, buying behavior changed again and 50% of the wines sold were German. The remarkable thing is that subjects who bought the wines often had no idea about the music played in the wine store. They gave as their reason for buying that they liked the label or that the shape of the bottle appealed to them. The outcome of this study shows the impressive power of music.

Because music gets through to us much faster than visual messages, it affects us differently. Music and emotion are regulated in the same brain areas, therefore music is close to our feelings. Big companies (McDonalds, Coca Cola, Philips, Intel, T-Mobile, BMW, etc.) know this and have an auditory identity as well as a visual one. 

It's important to think about what your company sounds like and consistently communicate it to the outside world. Just like your visual identity. We at Fine Tune Audio believe that music can make a brand more powerful. Voicing an identity is our passion. We'd love to help you develop a sonic branding that fits your business. Distance yourself from the noise and let the world hear what your company sounds like!

Sources:

* Dick Swaab, Ons Creatieve Brein

**North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J., & McKendrick, J. (1999). The influence of in-store music on wine selections. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2), 271-276.