Page 12 - Travel Markets Insider October 2021 Issue

INSIDER

The ambiance of sound in an airport environment could become an important element for the future of travel. Credit: Made Music Studio

One on One with Made Music Studio’s Kristen Lueck
How luxury brands can use sound to enhance their image
by Lois Pasternak

she tells TMI.
Sound has become a secret weapon
for modern brands, and this could be Connecting with consumers
especially true for luxury brands, according Lueck shares how Made Music has
to the experts at Made Music Studio, a helped some major luxury brands use audio
sonic branding and design studio that to connect with consumers.
creates iconic and powerful music-driven “When Burberry introduced an audio
experiences. component to their Regent Street flagship
Sixty-seven million Americans listen store, it raised the bar for using audio in
to podcasts every month, audio streaming luxury experiences,” she explains. In this
has increased 32% year over year, and 41% Kristen Lueck case, hundreds of screens and speakers
of people in the U.S. use voice search every that way, every audience we’re speaking combined to immerse the customers in a
day, reports Kristen Lueck, VP, Director of to is unique. In the case of luxury, there runway fashion show across the building
Business Development and Partnerships at are some emotional takeaways that we are – with multimedia and music that changed
Made Music Studio. trying to hit, like building an emotional depending on the accessories that were
With so many consumers using connection around trustworthiness, close to the screen.
audio, the number of global companies timelessness, quality, heritage – that may or Luxury vehicles also use audio,
investing in sonic branding to capture may not be present in traditional retailers,” taking care to consider the actual sound
them is increasing exponentially. In 2021, says Lueck. “There’s also a discussion environment of their cars, she adds. “From
Made Music’s research shows a 22% around cacophony in today’s world and the start of an engine to the shutting of a
jump in brands launching audio identities. how true luxury exists in moments of door – it all plays a role in the sonic theatre
This phenomenon is happening across silence – so knowing when to pull back of the experience and makes you feel like
industries, from financial services and autos and where to erase sound and music, is an you’re in something high quality and safe.
to tech and retail. important part of the luxury discussion.” [Luxury vehicle manufacturers] often have
So what is sonic branding and why are One way to control the sound image teams of engineers and sound designers on
so many companies tuning in? of your brand is through a sonic logo. staff for just that reason.”
The music and sound associated with The audio equivalent of a visual logo, a Opportunities for sonic branding can
a brand is telling a story, says Lueck, and sonic logo can refer to a short melody, be found across many venues, says Lueck.
this is great news if you carefully curate musical statement, SFX, or tagline – or any “Some of the most popular ways
the audio experience. Sound can create combination of those, explains Lueck. luxury brands are using audio are in
atmosphere, bridge the digital and physical, “Sonic logos are generally less than digital and social content – across their
and build consistency across touchpoints, four seconds in length and appear in brand social media and YouTube channels, using
and this is especially relevant for luxury marketing and communication efforts, music and sound to score mini stories and
brands. often heard as a sign-off at the end of communications, often partnering with
“Sonic branding is based on the brand commercials. Synonyms include hook, popular artists, or using known songs,” she
strategy and trajectory of the brand and in mnemonic, sonic signature or sonic mark,” explains.

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