Sonic Strategy: Checklist
This checklist is designed to help brands quickly assess their sonic needs and identify which elements are essential for their identity and campaigns. Use it to guide your decisions about when and where sound will make the most impact on your brand.
1. Brand Identity Fit & Sonic Alignment
- Have you articulated your brand’s values, personality, and audience in a way that informs your sonic strategy?
- Does your brand have a clear visual and emotional identity that could be enhanced by sound?
- Would a Sonic logo or unified Sonic identity reinforce your brand’s recognition across multiple platforms?
- Does your sonic strategy maintain consistency across various touchpoints (ads, social media, stores, apps)?
- Does the music or sound evoke the desired emotional response that aligns with your brand’s goals?
2. Touchpoints & Channels
- What are your brand’s key touchpoints where sound plays a role (e.g., digital platforms, physical spaces, mobile apps, ads)?
- Could a Sonic toolkit (e.g., UX sounds, notification tones) improve your customer’s interaction with your app, website, or product?
- Do you have physical locations or digital environments that could benefit from sound, music curation, on-location soundscapes, installations, or XR/metaverse experiences?
3. Audience & Emotional Impact
- Does your audience engage deeply with sound, and would a thoughtful sound strategy (e.g., Sonic logo, curated music) enhance their emotional connection to your brand?
- What emotions do you want to evoke in your audience through sound (e.g., excitement, calm, nostalgia), and which sonic elements will help you achieve that?
4. Budget & Resources
- What is your budget for creating and maintaining a sonic strategy, including custom music, sound design, or AI-generated options?
- Can your team support the development and management of a robust sonic identity, or would it be better to start with smaller sound elements (e.g., curated playlists, stock music)?
5. Measurement & ROI
- How will you measure the effectiveness of your sonic strategy? Are you tracking how sound influences brand recall, customer engagement, or emotional response?
- Have you implemented tools to gather feedback from customers on how they perceive and experience your brand’s sound?
6. Custom or Stock Music
- Do you need exclusive, custom music that reflects your brand’s uniqueness, or would stock music or preexisting tracks suffice?
- Have you reviewed the available options for licensing popular or stock music to meet your campaign or content needs?
- Does your brand’s tone or emotional identity require the depth of custom compositions, or are there budget constraints that make stock music more appropriate?
7. Music Curation
- Have you developed curated playlists that align with the brand’s identity and target audience for physical spaces or digital channels?
- Would creating a curated playlist enhance the experience in your retail spaces, restaurants, or events?
- Are the playlists and soundscapes updated regularly to stay relevant?
8. Music Artist Partnerships
- Would collaborating with a music artist elevate your brand’s visibility or cultural relevance, aligning with your target audience’s interests?
- Is there an artist whose work resonates with your brand’s story or values, making an artist partnership more meaningful?
9. Cultural Partnerships
- Could your brand benefit from associating with broader cultural movements or creative initiatives (e.g., Red Bull Music Academy, art installations)?
- Are your sonic partnerships contributing to the broader cultural conversation around your brand?
10. AI-Generated Music
- Do you need scalable, adaptive music that can be generated quickly for large volumes of content (e.g., videos, social media, apps)?
- Would generative AI music allow you to create custom sounds across different assets, offering flexibility and efficiency?
11. Sonic Branding
- Have you developed a signature sound (jingle, melody, or mnemonic) that is as recognizable as your visual logo?
- Would a Sonic logo (short, recognizable sound bite) strengthen your brand’s recognition across digital and physical spaces?
- Do you have a ‘sonic palette’ (a set of recurring sounds or motifs) that reinforces your brand’s identity across touchpoints?
- Are your sonic branding elements applied consistently across online and offline channels (e.g., TV, radio, social media, store sound systems)?
12. Sound Design, UI/UX & Product Sounds
- Have you optimized the sound design of your products or services (e.g., tech devices, apps) to improve the user experience?
- Are there specific product sounds (e.g., sounds your devices make during use) that can enhance the user experience or reinforce your brand?
- Do your digital products (e.g., apps, websites) need thoughtful sound design to improve usability or create an immersive experience?
13. Voice UI
- Does your brand need a voice UI strategy (e.g., branded voice assistants, AI interactions) that aligns with your overall sound identity?
- Does your brand have a consistent voice in its AI-driven platforms (e.g., voice assistants, smart speakers)?
- Have you defined the tone and style of your brand’s voice across automated interactions (e.g., chatbots, AI assistants)?
14. Spatial Sound for On-Location & XR/Metaverse
- Have you explored the potential for spatial sound experiences in your physical spaces or digital experiences (e.g., AR/VR, stores)?
- Do you have physical spaces that could benefit from spatial soundscapes or sonic installations that immerse customers in your brand’s atmosphere?
- Are you creating experiences in XR or the metaverse where spatial sound can enhance immersion, interaction, and emotional engagement?
15. Compliance & Rights Management
- Are all the sound and music assets used by your brand properly licensed for their intended use (e.g., duration, region, platforms)?
- Have you reviewed the duration and scope of the usage rights for your music and sound assets?
Creating a killer Sonic strategy is all about knowing your brand and how sound fits in. By diving into your identity, touchpoints, and what your audience craves, we can craft a sound experience that truly resonates.
If you'd like to work together on amplifying your brand's sound, get in touch.