What are the sounds that drive you nuts – the ones you hear and immediately think, “nope”? This is one of those topics that for those sensitive to sound (like us) presents a real challenge to research and write about. However, with grit and determination, we’ve forged through the shrieks, shrills, and scrapes to uncover not only the most annoying sounds in the world, but why they affect us so, and […]
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How Sound Is Shaping Immersive Experiences If you regularly follow SAM, then you know the effect sound has on our emotions and memory – watch The Science of Sound for a quick refresher. But what happens when you go beyond traditional mediums and introduce audio into real-world, immersive experiences? Attractions such as theme parks, museums, sports venues, and brand activations are dialing up visitor engagement like never before using a […]
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Sound is to sport what spice is to food – it heightens the senses and elevates the experience. From stadium seats to the couch, audio is used throughout the sports world to strike an emotional chord that deeply engages fans. The same science of sound enables brands in every industry to generate meaningful recall among their audiences. What makes sound so effective in sports, and how can you use it […]
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The NFL championship game is officially in the books, and with it, another year’s worth of unbelievable advertisements from some of the world’s biggest brands. While we love sports here at Stephen Arnold Music, as a sonic branding agency, we naturally pay close attention to the sounds of every spot, knowing that no matter how funny or weird or dramatic your commercial, one of the most eloquent and memorable expressions […]
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How a peacock gave birth to the first sonic brand. A true story. Way more mellifluous than a squawk. More memorable than any chirp, hoot, cluck or quack could ever be. Over ninety years ago, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) — the network that years later would be canonized as the proud peacock — aired three distinctive chimes on radio for the very first time. Chimes that global marketing experts […]
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“Don’t Stop [Thinkin’ About Tomorrow]”; “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)”;“Hold On, I’m Coming.” This time of the year, you don’t have to dial up Spotify or Apple Music to hear popular tracks, you’ll encounter them all along the campaign trail. Sonic branding for political campaigns is a real science. From the very founding of the Republic, candidates have been using popular songs to tug at the heartstrings of constituents and […]
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Earlier this year we put generative AI to the test to see if it could out-create a human composer when given specific musical briefs. The results (featured in Forbes) showed that while our human composer proved superior, AI’s creations rated highly for musical appeal. Its primary weakness, however, was emotional accuracy — inconsistently conveying specific emotional attributes in its creations. With rapid advancements in generative AI music platforms, we decided […]
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It’s December 2, 1983. You finish dinner early, throw the dishes into the sink, and race to secure your spot on the couch, perhaps fending off a sibling or two in the process. Shortly, MTV will air the world premiere of Michael Jackson’s highly anticipated music video, Thriller. The music world will never be the same. This was a fairly common occurrence in the early days of MTV. The build […]
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With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding […]
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We’ve all felt that awkwardness when a friend tells a joke and rushes the punchline, or places it in the wrong order. You do your best to feign a laugh, but the joke falls flat — the moment is gone. Music, like comedy, is all about timing. When it comes to audio branding, the right music at the right moment means the difference between making a deep connection and just […]
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