As consumers, our perception of brands has undergone a significant transformation over time. Beyond traditional advertisements and digital marketing, brand experience now encompasses a comprehensive and enduring impression. It’s not merely about catchy slogans or flashy campaigns but extends to the nuanced realm of thoughts, emotions, and reactions provoked by every facet of engagement. From targeted marketing endeavours to grand product launches, brand experience is the collective aftermath which shapes our impression of a brand.
The comprehensive sound kit of sonic banding includes ringtones, caller tunes, app sounds, and various soundscapes, ensuring a multifaceted approach to brand experience.
Interbrand, a global and Indian brand consultancy, creates brand experiences through integrated design. Recently, created Polycab’s brand identity, i a logo and Sonic identity. And to dive deep into understanding the holistic approach in creating brand experience, BrandWagon online interacted with Ashish Mishra, CEO, Interbrand India and South Asia.
How do you define sonic identity and how is it relevant in brand experience?
There are two steps in branding, first is to define the brand and then making it reality. When it comes to bringing the branding idea to life it needs to be communicated not just through verbal language or visuals but also through other sensory organs. People do not perceive only through verbal languages and visuals but through sounds, smell and touch. So for a holistic experience of the brand to get created and expressed, one needs to play across the sensorial dimensions.
Sonic identity is the art of defining a brand through sound, a dimension often overlooked. Sonic branding goes beyond a mere jingle; it’s a strategic approach to how a brand sounds across various interactions. Just like verbal and visual guidelines, it establishes a framework for defining the brand through sound. From the tone to the templates, it ensures a cohesive and authentic auditory expression, adding depth to the holistic brand experience.
When branding is expressed and defined for sounds and oral senses, then few questions need to be understood such as what would be the way you define the brand? Why have you defined it the way it is? How would it really express itself on various touch points of sound?, because there is not just a mere touch point of sound.
When you pitch this idea to brands it really needs to specify how this would express the brand? How would it really come to life? Then different formats and different touch points need to be explained along with explanations including how templates would be and why does it matter at all?
As branding comprises many elements and it might be through visual or graphic style, iconography and logo design and many other aspects.
How brand experience has evolved as compared to traditional setup of branding?
So, the landscape of brand experience has evolved. Traditionally, brands relied on various implementation partners to shape their brand strategy, mostly through visual and verbal means. These partners, like CFL producers for launch films, often provided a less defined interpretation of the brand and it used to lack the overall tone which would have suited the brand.
However, globally, there’s a shift towards recognising the significance of brand experience. More investments are being made in defining it sharply, with a focus on time, energy, and financial resources. This evolution reflects an understanding that a well-crafted brand experience is crucial in today’s marketing realm.
How challenging is it to persuade brands to invest in a strategy that balances both short-term sales objectives and long-term brand building?
In recent post-pandemic years, global economic struggles have created a myopic focus on short-term business outcomes, often prioritising survival over long-term organisational goals. The tools for immediate impact, like advertising and digital promotions, take the forefront during crises, emphasising the need to ‘save the day.’
However, the essence of branding lies in its ability to create a well-thought-out long-term orientation. This includes defining a brand’s purpose, envisioning its trajectory, and determining how it communicates across various channels. Organisations benefit more when short-term efforts align with a broader brand framework which fosters efficiency and synergy across all aspects.
The smarter organisation, globally and in India, recognises the importance of investing in branding even during crises, understanding that a well-defined brand strategy contributes to both immediate and enduring success.
In this new division, how do you anticipate it benefiting your current set of brands and facilitating the acquisition of new brands?
So, for us at Interbrand, pioneering brand consultancy 45 years ago in London, this new division marks our continued evolution in branding. We move beyond mere visual identity to craft a holistic brand experience, incorporating sonic elements, and eventually, even engaging other senses like smell. This reinforces authentic and comprehensive brand expression. While collaborations with global music firms like MassiveMusic and Sixieme Son expanded our creative reach as we believe in-house integration is crucial. Defining, designing, and expressing the brand across all touchpoints simultaneously ensures authenticity and coherence which distinguishes our approach from outsourcing to third parties.
What challenges brands face today beyond achieving ROI in the process of building a strong brand?
In the ongoing debate between short-term outcomes and long-term brand alignment, there’s a misconception that branding only yields results over an extended period. Contrary to this belief, effective branding from day one enhances efficiency and streamlines investments, turning each rupee into a more substantial financial outcome. The challenge in branding is not just a business challenge but extends to marketing and HR functions. The core issue lies in the changing business profiles fueled by technological advancements that causes a crisis of direction.
Businesses are in a state of flux, andits profile are undergoing significant transformations which are changing beyond recognition because of the intervention of technology. Defining a brand becomes challenging when the very nature of the business is evolving rapidly. The solution is to define the brand for the arena it operates in, adapting to the current and future trajectory.
We did a great job with Jio for Reliance by defining a brand that was not a telecom brand. In shaping Reliance’s 5G-ready telecom brand, we went beyond the initial telecom-focused brief. Recognising Reliance’s position as the industry’s final entrant, our strategy shifted towards viewing technology and data as a vast arena. This reorientation positioned Reliance not just as a telecom player but as a major player in the expansive landscape of digital life. The brand could now exert its influence across various domains, including Over-the-Top (OTT) services, e-commerce (EECOM), and more. This transformation empowered Reliance to redefine itself within the dynamic and evolving space of digital services.
The second challenge involves the dynamic customer journeys and touchpoints which are now influenced by technology and connectivity. In analysing a car buyer’s journey for a Renault model, we observed a three-month exploration involving YouTube videos, test drives, recommendations, references, dealer visits, ads, and social media interactions. The buyer’s consideration set shifted thrice during this period, culminating in the purchase of a brand not initially considered. The customer journey has become complex and unpredictable. This dynamic journey underscores the challenge for businesses. Brands can navigate this by transitioning from a character-focused approach to an arena-centric one by grounding the brand deeply and expressing it through immersive and experiential dimensions.
The other challenge arises from the multitude of partners involved in the marketing ecosystem, often operating in silos. Brands need to become the converging platform by fostering collaboration among various stakeholders and ensuring everyone operates cohesively from the same brand platform. The myopic and short-term focus, with CFOs often overshadowing CEOs, stem from immediate crisis management and hampers a deeper understanding of business dynamics, impacting brand emphasis and long-term efficiency.