Last week we talked here about the blind love of Israelis for brands, but as consumers become more sophisticated, the methods of marketers to create differentiation are refined. Today, to influence us to buy a product it is no longer enough to put up a billboard in Ayalon with a picture of a model. To influence consumers and penetrate consciousness, it is important to make use of all five senses. When more than 80% of the choices made by the consumer are emotional, it is not enough for the brands to provide a functional product – they need to create for us a distinct feeling that will be identified with the product.
Take Red Bull for example. If consumers were to judge a drink by taste alone, “Red Bull” would be a colossal failure for the simple reason – it doesn’t taste good. The brand succeeds despite its unusual taste, because on a sensory level it conveys its purpose – to stimulate. If “Red Bull” tasted good, it wouldn’t convey the right feeling. In the same way, peppermint gum should create a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. It was found that the more dominant a gum is, the more consumers tend to believe it does its job better.
Hearing the cracking sound of a crunchy snack also affects the perception of its taste. Subjects who heard the sound of their snack crackling in an amplifier while eating perceived it as tastier compared to subjects who did not hear the sound in an amplifier. The rustling or cracking sound affects the perception of taste and freshness, both when it comes from the snack itself, and when it comes from the rustling packaging.
One of the elements that creates differentiation is the logo, but beyond the visuals that work on the sense of sight, the most effective differentiation of brands is often found in their voice signature, which works on the sense of hearing. Try for a moment to bring up in your mind the sound that is played at the beginning of every episode or movie on Netflix. Can you bring up the dramatic “Ta Dam” with the Netflix logo in the background? That sound is part of the company’s DNA, and it has become a cultural icon, just like the roaring lion symbol that appeared before every MGM film.
It turns out that behind the famous “Ta Dam” there is a fascinating story. According to Todd Yellin, Netflix’s VP of Products, the opening affects the viewing experience and contributes to the enjoyment of Netflix’s unique content. Yelin was looking for a sound that would distinguish the original works of Netflix (Netflix Originals) from the rest of the content offered by the platform. He wanted viewers to feel like they were going to have a “good time,” something that “makes you think, ‘Wow, I’m going to have a good time.'” He was looking for a sound that would convey that something exciting was coming, and on the other hand would not sound too dramatic. And on the third hand, he wanted to differentiate the Netflix viewing experience from the cinema viewing experience.
The big challenge in creating the sound was related to its length, as it had to be extremely short. Yelin didn’t want something that resembled the sounds of computer programs or games, so that viewers wouldn’t think of Netflix as a technology company but as an entertainment company. The significant challenge was to create a sound that would tell a unique story – in three seconds.
For this purpose, he recruited sound designer Lon Bender, who previously won an Oscar for sound effects editing in the movie “Braveheart”. Yelin gave Lavender a list of characteristics that the opening should convey to viewers – tension, curiosity, surprise, excitement and more. Bender created between 20 and 30 different options, sounds like opening a door, special musical instruments and even the sound of a goat.
“I liked the sound of the goat,” says Todd. “It’s funny, I thought it was original. It was our version of MGM’s Leo the Lion.” For a long time it was the leading option, a sound very similar to today’s Tae Dam, only with the sound of a goat in the background.
To test the effectiveness of the sound they created a focus group. When the subjects were asked to say what is the first association that comes to their mind when they hear the sound, they associated the sound with words like “dramatic”, “beginning” and even “movie”, without any of the participants knowing what it was. In the end Todd was left with two leading options. The one who chose the winning option is Yelin’s 10-year-old daughter, who as soon as she heard the sound didn’t understand what the question was.
The forgotten sense
In the same way, the sound of the Intel logo or the Windows startup sound creates a distinct recognition of the brands through a precise sound that produces a strong association with the brand.
Today, when everything is so visual, sound is seen as the “forgotten sense”, but it has a scientific importance no less than that of a visual stimulus. Sound differs from visual stimuli in that it can reach us from anywhere in the environment, and we do not need to turn our head towards the source of the sound or pay conscious attention to it for it to affect us. With visual stimulation, on the other hand, we need to pay attention and concentrate.
It also explains why sound can penetrate our perceptual system so easily and remain under the radar – that is, affect us below the threshold of awareness. It was found, for example, that background sounds and music in bars, restaurants, public and commercial spaces affect the way we perceive the space we are in.
It was found, for example, that rhythmic music puts shoppers in a good mood, makes them want to move their bodies, and therefore they will be less lazy to measure clothes.
Conversely, slow music will be effective in a supermarket, because it makes people move more slowly and therefore spend more time between the shelves. Studies also indicate an influence of the type of music on the scope of the purchase. In a 2009 MusicWorks study, 77% of respondents stated that music is an important factor in creating an ideal atmosphere in a store, and 55% said they would tend to return and visit a store that plays music they like.
But like a bolt that is customized to the character of the store, it is important to find the exact music for the character of the place and the experience you want to create. For example, in a restaurant where classical music was played, people ordered much more champagne. In contrast, country music made people order more steaks and hamburgers.
Emotion and primitive drives play a very significant role in our decisions. Much more than we would like to admit. The decision-making process that takes place in our minds is the result of two competing forces. rational and emotional. The rational is controlled by brain areas involved in command and control in the forebrain. Emotional power is controlled by more primitive brain areas such as the limbic system involved in immediate emotions and impulses and shared by us and other animals.
Despite the evolution we’ve made since we were hunter-gatherers, our operating system is still primarily powered by our senses. Therefore, our experiences as consumers are not only influenced by the quality content, the taste of the food or its nutritional values, but mainly by the appearance, the smell and the accompanying sounds.
The author is a behavioral researcher in the digital age, Reichman University, Herzliya
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