Copycats, KEEP OUT!
Pioneers blaze a trail.
“Copycats only stand to hurt their own brand.” — Ogilvy
Take a listen to the sound of BMW. It’s dark, futuristic, maybe even sinister. They positioned their brand as the anti-hero of the auto industry, “dun dun dun!” And whether you like it or not, may not matter. Because they found a sound unmistakably bold, stylized, and above all, memorable.
Head to wide open spaces
At a time when most car brands advertise the joy of driving, BMW took an alternate route, casting their brand as a villain. They forfeited a traditional melody, opting for a more visceral mnemonic. It communicates a feeling rather than a phrase. It’s futuristic and edgy. It’s cool. And that seems to fit well with their promise, “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” When you’re thinking about your sound identity, you should look for opportunities that put you in open space.
The people’s sound
As an affordable car brand, Volkswagen tailors its message to a broader audience. The German word Volkswagen actually translates to “people’s car.” And so, VW takes a broad approach to advertising their brand. But a broad approach doesn’t mean you can’t find open space. In the early 2010s, VW did a series of ads where they used the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars to playfully showcase their new car’s instant-start feature. Like BMW, they took a route that relied heavily on music and sound to communicate their ethos– emotions fitting to VW’s brand such as fun, light, and familial.
You too can find a sound that is truly distinctive and helps your business stand out in all your marketing or advertising. Here’s how you can breakaway:
A fitting sound identity for your band or brand is one that reflects your distinct character, feel, and voice. Just as color can be used to fill in an outlined illustration, timbre (aka tone color) can be used as a signifier for a business and differentiate it from the rest of the noise we hear throughout the day.
- Listen to competitors mnemonics, products, and environments.
- Research what they do with their sound and take note of what they don’t.
- Define or outline how others see, feel, and experience your brand.
- Create a sound that fits you and differentiates from your competition
On building your sound
Start by creating your own sound palette. Like a painter, you’ll need to determine what tone or textures and instrumentation define your sound. It’s also important to lay out what tones or instruments don’t fit your sound. Through this process, you’ll discover common design features.
Over time, your sound identity will become associated with your business. Be it a sound logo, music for ads, or product sounds, a distinct set of instrumentation will help you define your sound from the rest of the noise.
“For things to remain the same, everything must change.” — Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
The sound of a superhero
Hans Zimmer famously created his own set of instrumentation when scoring the Batman series. His score for the Dark Knight series, which featured his own virtual instruments, still resonates across blockbuster films and trailers. But while others have taken on his sound by literally using his instruments, he has moved on and continues to reinvent his music and tools to fit each new film project.
“Whatever is now at the edges will become, in time, the center.” — Brian Eno
Rooted reinvention
And so, you too will need to keep moving forward to push your sound into new territory with each new project. Eventually, your willingness to be bold will also inspire others to follow suit. And when they follow, you must be the first to blaze a trail untrod.
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