Two years ago, Covid-19 entered our collective consciousness, and with it the horrifying impact of a global pandemic: people were dying, businesses were closing, lockdowns were in effect, and the world struggled with how to adjust to life in the time of the coronavirus. Brands and advertisers were also forced to adapt as well, monitoring shifts in market patterns and consumer behavior.
As I write this, we’re still not out of the Covid woods, with new variants of the virus continuing to disrupt our lives and our routines. While questions remain about what “new normals” will emerge from our pandemic-induced adaptations to life, work and relationships, one thing is certain: People are spending more time online, buying, selling, creating, playing, meeting … and listening.
A recent Wunderman Thompson report on technology, digital spaces and the metaverse found of the 3,011 global consumers surveyed:
- 93% agree technology is our future
- 83% believe technology brings people together
- 81% turn to digital experiences to unwind
- 76% say their everyday lives and activities depend on tech
- 63% say attending a digital concert is appealing, while 62% say attending a digital play or musical play is appealing
- 56% believe technology has improved their mental health, 55% believe they’re physically healthier, and 52% say their happiness actually depends on the use of technology.
The lockdowns, closures and social distancing protocols have forced us to be more adept at using technology to shop for products, socialize with friends, express ourselves creatively, attend seminars, hold business meetings, deliver pitches and more. While we long for more physical connection, some of our digital habits are here to stay.
Let’s get phygital
Looking ahead, it’s clear that brands will need to adapt to the shifts in consumer perception and behavior that have been accelerated by life in the time of Covid. Yesterday’s focus on omnichannel commerce has given way to today’s fascination with the metaverse, where “phygital” experiences continue to blur the lines between physical and digital interactions.
We’ve seen Fortnite emerge as a viable entertainment venue, and virtual music artists like Luo Tianyi and FN Meka amass millions of followers. Engineers, designers and AI are creating new spaces where the real estate and products are virtual, but the dollars spent to acquire them are anything but.
Our physical worlds are adapting to immersive experiences, as well. Liminal spaces are appearing, where virtual experiences are combined with physical spaces. Automotive interiors are emerging as multisensory environments, where spatial audio can surround you, and soundscapes can adapt based on responses to biometric data sent from our wearable devices, or from mood states read via facial recognition software.
The rise of virtual immersive spaces, and their impact on the physical spaces we currently inhabit, have only served to amplify the ways in which sound is a driving force in the phygital universe. Is it possible to imagine an immersive experience, certainly one that connects with us at a deep emotional level, without contemplating a sonic landscape to match?
Sonic identity: other than the sum of the parts
When being heard is as important as being seen, brands need to harness the power of audio to compete. Listening habits will continue to change and audio touchpoints will multiply. As we move more and more seamlessly through multiple immersive spaces, having a distinct sonic identity will be a key point of differentiation and recognition for both brands and users alike. We know that sonic logos and brand voices are extremely effective in driving recall and brand salience, but simply owning these audio assets won’t be enough. Brands will need to focus on creating consistent sonic experiences—no matter when, where or how they’re heard.
These experiences might include AI-driven branded voice interactions, focused on delivering more natural, conversational interactions between a brand and a consumer, or AI recommended branded soundscapes, based on environmental data, biometric signals from wearables and/or facial recognition that allows for more personalization. While some of these experiences might be personalized and individual, others might include branded virtual concerts or live shopping events that can be enjoyed while you’re connected with family and friends, whether together in a physical space, or separately inhabiting the same virtual world.
When it comes to the relationship between sonic identity and sonic experiences, the whole is other than the sum of the individual parts. The sonic identity of a brand in multiple environments will be less about the use of a single audio asset, and more about a system of sounds optimized for specific user experiences: voice, soundscapes, music, functional sounds and a variety of other distinctive audio assets.
Sound strategy
Sun Tzu, in the Art of War, wrote: “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” A tactical approach to sonic identity might yield a set of sonic assets but, separated from a strategy that informs decisions on everything from design to implementation, those same sonic assets run the risk of becoming little more than noise in the ears of consumers.
The future of sonic identity is one rooted in principles of design thinking, where sonic experiences are crafted and curated with an eye toward, and an ear on, aligning consumer perception with brand intent. Do you have a clear strategy for the role sound plays in your brand communication, identity, experience and innovation?
The future will be here—and be heard—before you know it.
For more of Steve’s take on what the future sounds like, check out his recap of CES 2022.
