Sonic branding was once absent from the brand conversation. Brand voice used to be relegated to a few phoned-in words in a crusty brand guide. A section that felt more like a box to check—labeling a brand with safe but throw-away words like smart, approachable, or warm—versus the most important aspect of a brand’s identity. 

Readers could gloss over the voice section and move on to elements that mattered more—brand colors, logo files, image guidelines, and Pantone formulas. The vibrant, more exciting parts of a brand’s identity. But anyone who has watched a video without volume knows: without sound, something is missing. Something major.

We’re moving into an era where a brand’s identity isn’t first and foremost visual, seen but not heard, across media such as direct mailers, magazine ads, billboards, and the like. Into an era where 140 million Americans listen to podcasts, 30% of consumers ages 18 to 29 prefer audiobooks over paperbacks, and 210 million Americans watch YouTube videos, their headphones plugged into their mobile devices so they don’t miss a word.

Even Instagram is no longer a visual platform on which to share photos. It’s now an entertainment app driven by trending audio bytes and videos. The Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said it himself: “We’re no longer a photo-sharing app or a square photo-sharing app. The number one reason people say that they use Instagram… is to be entertained.” 

Branding has become multi-sensory, requiring ears as much as eyes, and voices as much as visuals. 

Today’s top brands know that designing their brand’s voice with *at least* as much intention their brand’s imagery is what gives them an edge with today’s audio-focused, entertainment-driven consumer.

Without audio, images fall flat.

Too much silence, and audiences look elsewhere.

In the absence of audio, brands leave money on the table. 

A brand’s audio leaves an imprint, motivates listeners to action, and becomes the hallmark of a brand, as much as any logo or brand color. 

Maybe even more.

What is sonic identity?

So if branding is no longer solely about visuals, what else is there?

Waves. 

Super sonic waves, to be exact.

Triggering, emotional, melodious, enrapturing sound waves. 

Sonic branding refers to the SOUNDS that represent a brand. The voices, pauses, background noises, and entire orchestra of audio that culminates in a brand’s identity.

Imagine the way that Instagram brushes a filter over every photograph, creating a profile where everything feels slightly rugged and earthy, or grainy and nostalgic, or dark and moody, or light and airy. In a way, sonic branding is like this. It’s the subtle audio that communicates who your brand is, and what it’s about, without you having to outright say so.

Sonic branding is the way someone feels after hearing your commercial.

It’s is the action they take afterward—and whether or not it’s the one you intended. 

It’s the voice that instantly comes to mind when people hear your brand name. 

And it’s what that voice says about your brand’s personality, and whether or not it causes people to pause what they’re doing and… listen.

Sonic branding doesn’t HAVE to be a sound; it can be silence. 

The sound of your brand doesn’t have to be attention-grabbing at all. It can be sounds that fade into the background, like bustling city streets, car horns, seagulls, or piano music. Sonic branding can be the decision of whether to use silence or background music in a given frame, knowing that distinction makes a difference, and communicates something about who your brand is and what it’s about.

Additionally, it doesn’t have to be loud. Your brand’s voice can be muted but powerful, the way a mother’s voice is when she says four barely detectable words under her breath, stopping a defiant teenager in their tracks: “Not in my house.”

Brand voice is no longer just the tone you use when you write for a brand on paper. Rather, brand voice is a layer of your brand’s identity—it’s audio-focused, wave-driven, sonic identity.

Popular sonic branding identities

Some brands have already developed their own form of sonic branding by associating a familiar voice with their brand.

Consider Flo from Progressive, the friendly, down-to-earth insurance representative who takes an industry that often feels overcomplicated and stuffy, and makes it approachable. Flo’s voice does the seemingly impossible, helping the average consumer recognize someone they like, and even trust, in an insurance agent.

It’s a voice, but it’s so much more. 

Without that voice, Progressive ads would be an interesting, but uncompelling, picture of a woman in an apron, blue and white letters splashed across a page. It’s the VOICE that communicates so much more than ad copy can. It’s the VOICE that makes the brand memorable, and even likable, and even buyable.

Or, consider the direction that Allstate Insurance went when they tapped into the steady, reliable voice of ​​Dennis Haysbert. Allstate’s cool, collected voice conveys that Allstate is a brand that consumers can implicitly trust. Haysbert’s voice is measured, smart, and self-assured, reflecting the steadiness and reassurance that consumers want when confronted with an accident.

It’s a voice, but it’s so much more. 

Any other voice could make the ads come across as frenzied—a visual collage of car accidents and insurance claims that leave viewers more rattled than assured. The voice that overlays the images is what makes the listener feel held. As the brand’s catchphrase goes, in good hands.

Verizon took their brand’s voice another direction, focusing not as much on *a* voice but on a cringingly familiar catchphrase: ”Can you hear me now?” Every consumer has felt the frustration of interrupting an important call with a few rounds of, “Can you hear me now?” Verizon turned the familiar issue on its head, illustrating through five simple words that Verizon is the carrier with the most coverage, for anyone who never wants to mutter those words again.

It’s a voice, but Verizon wouldn’t be Verizon without it.

How to define your brand’s sonic identity

Most executives start with their brand personality when it comes to defining a voice… but that’s the fastest way to fade into all the other noise in the market. 

That’s because the most important part of a brand’s voice isn’t the brand at all—it’s the listener. 

When developing your brand voice, consider two important questions.

1. What is your listener doing when they hear your brand voice? 

For example, is she sitting in a New York City subway, listening to a Spotify playlist after a long week at work, zoning out for the first few blissful moments of the weekend?

Or, is he digging into a plate of nachos, watching Super Bowl commercials in a raucous party amid a basement of chest-bumping bros?

Maybe he’s a father driving the kids home from school, listening to the radio as he mentally replays the conversation he just had with his mother about her health diagnosis.

Context matters. Where your listener is, what she’s doing, and what else competes for her attention ALL play into how well your listener will hear, receive, remember, and act on your message. 

If you can identify with your listener so clearly that you know who she is, what she cares about, and how your voice can capture her attention, you can define a voice that connects with your listener and moves her to action. Speaking of action…

2. Which action do you want your listener to take?

Do you want your listener book a call? Set a reminder in his phone to schedule an appointment? Tap a link to purchase a product? Furiously forward your viral message to a friend? Maybe he’s a medical professional who just watched your training on cardiac arrest, and you want him to remember your advice the next time he encounters a patient episode. 

Regardless, getting clear on what action you want your listener to take can guide your decisions regarding voice. If you need to capture her attention, you can dial up the volume, pace, or excitement of your brand voice. If you need him to trust you to care for his family’s health, you can elect a voice that is compassionate, intelligent, and reassuring.

A Pocketknife of Voice Branding

Notice, too, how the same brand could require different voice styles depending on the listener. For example, a financial institution could advertise its services to two types of clients: younger, first-time investors, and retirees. With the first segment, you may want your brand voice to be more conversational or personable, to meet new investors where they are without talking down to them. Whereas, for the second segment, you may want your brand voice to sound measured and calm, without excess background noise or distractions that could make it harder for senior listeners to clearly hear your message.

Whatever action you want your listener to take… THAT is where you begin when it comes to brand voice. Your brand voice isn’t made up in a conference room; it doesn’t describe the founder’s personality; it isn’t the keynote for a brand’s mission statement.

A truly effective brand voice is built upon the LISTENER. If you do this correctly, then your voice style is no longer the last element in a laundry list of branding decisions, but THE decision that ties everything together and makes your script, your imagery, your call-to-action LAND.

Elements of voice style

So, with your listener in mind, what variables can you choose from to determine your brand voice? Below are a few of the most popular factors that affect voice style. Consider these the dials you can turn up or down to create the perfect brand voice.

Demographics

Gender, age, and other basic demographics lay the foundation of your brand’s sonic identity. Is your brand voice male or female? Young, old, or somewhere in between? Why? 

Who is your listener? Remember: start with her. Which demographics will she relate to and trust most for your desired outcome, whether it’s to sell a product, teach a skill, or book a call?

Emotion and inflection

There are a few main categories when it comes to voice over styles, from promotional to narrative to storyteller. However, among each of those styles, there isn’t just ONE type of voice.

For example, promotional doesn’t just mean salesy. Sure, a promotional voice for a used-car advertisement might carry the loud, attention-grabbing pushiness you imagine. But, a promotional voice for a hospitality commercial might be completely the opposite; the voice over for a trip to Hawaii might be as calm and soothing as ocean waves. The voice over for a legal firm could be stern, direct, and instructive. All technically promotional, but nuanced. 

By playing with emotion and inflection, you vary the type of voice style that speaks to your audience, no matter which type of purpose or category you play within.

Language and accent

The beauty of the digital age is that you reach audiences everywhere. 

The challenge of the digital age is that you reach audiences everywhere. 

Any given media spot could require thousands of permutations across global markets. Choosing the right language and accents for segments within your global audience is essential for maintaining your reputation between your brand, consumers, and the public eye. 

Flubbing an accent could, at best, come across as a forgettable oversight. But at worst, it could alienate an entire market, make headlines as a PR nightmare, or stop sales cold. 

Choosing the right accents and localizations makes your brand voice resonate with consumers, leading to more connections, sales, and brand awareness.

Pace

Studies show that brain waves synchronize with the speed at which someone talks, influencing the way people literally hear words. Slow your pace, and your listener could feel calmer and more relaxed, even if they aren’t sure exactly why. Speed up your pace, and listeners could feel more enthusiastic or energetic. 

Also pay attention to pace when it comes to the CONTEXT in which your audience will consume your content. For example, if you aren’t showing imagery alongside audio, you may need to slow the pace of your voice over so your audience can process everything. Whereas, if you’re featuring voice over in training videos paired with subtitles and other explanatory visuals, your audience may be able to keep up with a regular cadence. 

Pace plays a major role in how well your audience digests and retains content. As an illustration, play around with speeding up an audiobook to 1.1x or 1.5x or even 2x the regular speed, and notice how much additional mental strain is required to process the paces. Then, do the same experiment with various genres. 

Pace is subtle. Nail it, and your audience won’t notice, but get it wrong, and you’ll hear about it.

While the list above isn’t exhaustive—you can choose from countless elements when crafting your brand’s voice—weigh the factors above in relation to your listener. 

Creating a brand voice can feel like a guessing game when you choose any old voice to represent your brand. But any old voice rarely lands with listeners. 

When you start with your listener—how they will engage with your audio and what actions you want them to take from it—you can craft a brand voice that deepens your connection with listeners AND accomplishes your business objectives. Music to a brand’s ears.

How AI voices support a brand’s sonic branding identity

So how exactly are you going to land a voice actor with the precise selections you’ve thought through above? A cutting-edge way of thinking about branding requires a new, cutting-edge way of doing business. And that’s where artificial intelligence can help.

Designing your brand voice

Instead of being at the mercy of whatever voice is available in a studio, with artificial intelligence, you can literally choose the realistic-sounding voice of your brand—choosing from factors like demographics, emotions, languages, accents, and pace like ordering off of a menu.

Many advanced AI voice platforms offer voice styles that you can select from, filtering by your desired elements as if you’re shopping for the perfect outfit online. Blouse, black, sleveless.

Or, you can even create your own voice from scratch, designing a brand voice that no other brand has ever used before, nor will in the future. 

Limitless scaling

Another area where artificial intelligence becomes such a game-changer is enabling brands to create hundreds or thousands of variations of a single piece of content. 

Historically, brands only had to develop a few radio spots or promotions per year. But as the sheer amount of content, media spots, and commercial permutations has scaled at super-sonic speed, brands need a way to make more content, in more voices, in more localizations, faster.

In the case of Allstate or even Pizza Hut, where a certain character or even actor defines a brand’s voice, artificial intelligence can (with permission) use their likeness to create thousands of permutations across different regions, languages, and global markets. The talent can then go where their talents are of the highest service, instead of spending countless hours recording slight one-word variations in a sound booth.

AI opens up a new level of scale for brands, where they are no longer limited by recording studios, finite sessions, and re-takes, but can render a voice over with a few clicks, sharing their brand voice across thousands of languages, accents, and regions. All in a day’s work.

Adapting your brand voice across contexts

Once a brand’s voice is dialed in, the possibilities are limitless. A brand can adapt its voice for different segments of consumers, media placements, and listening contexts. Older versus younger, business versus leisure, Instagram Reel versus Wall Street Journal, streaming radio versus television advertisement, and so on. 

Whereas recording so many nuances could take thousands of retakes, dollars, and hours in a voice studio, with artificial intelligence, a few clicks on a computer, and the job is done. Brands are able to move more nimbly, more cost-efficiently, at a higher scale than ever before.

Sonic branding is the wave of the future

The visual age is over. 

Audio unlocks a new level of entertainment, engagement, and possibility for brands and audiences alike. Brands who develop their sonic identity now will not only capitalize on opportunities that their competitors simply aren’t in the running for, but they will be light years ahead by the time everyone else catches on.

Instead of seeing your brand as a collection of colors, logos, and images, consider how it sounds across notes, waves, pitches, pauses, and voices. A brand voice is no longer words on a page, but sounds across headphones, earbuds, and smart speakers.

What’s your sonic branding identity, and how does it sound?