The Power of Voice: How Audio Branding Can Enhance Customer Experience

There’s no denying it – we’re naturally attracted to the human voice, even at an anatomical level. The shape of our ears makes us incredibly receptive to the frequencies of human speech. So, how can you harness that power to make your business stand out? In this article, we’ll explore how creating a cohesive brand voice across channels is the perfect way to build a deep connection with your customers.

More Than Meets the Eye

Visual branding is everywhere. From the glow of the McDonald’s golden arches… to the inspiring, dizzying speeds of Nike’s swoosh – visual collateral is a strong, important tool for building brand image. However, we don’t often think about the sounds we’re hearing. In a world of bright, loud images – audio offers a lot of space to showcase your brand’s personality.

Every day, you’ll experience hundreds of audio touchpoints daily – these include sonic logos, on-hold marketing, radio advertisements, podcast sponsors, social media pages, general advertising and so much more. And the voices used? They’re the perfect introduction… because as we know, first impressions count!

The Power of Voice  

Believe it or not, we can detect emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust from voice tone alone with an accuracy rate of up to 60-70%. From non-verbal breaths, sighs, and laughter to the speed and pitch in which we speak – our voices are an incredibly powerful tool, conveying up to 24 emotions without speaking a word. So it’s important you use the right tone to get your message across – something professional voiceover artists can complete with ease.

A Consistent Brand Image

When it comes to building a consistent image, it’s important your brand voice stays the same across all audio touchpoints – at least for the first six months. Using a consistent voice helps audiences quickly identify and associate the voice with your brand. This recognition can be powerful, making your advertisements and communications more memorable. And that’s just one of the many benefits.

A consistent voiceover can help articulate the brand’s personality. Whether it’s friendly, authoritative, quirky, or sophisticated, the right voice can embody these traits and convey them consistently. It can also reinforce your brand’s core values and messaging, ensuring every piece of communication aligns with your brand’s ethos and strategic objectives.

Carefully selecting the right voiceover artist can align closely with the preferences and expectations of the target audience, enhancing the relatability and effectiveness of the communication. For example, Apple’s use of calm, clear and professional voices help build their image as one of the world’s leading tech companies, whereas Nike’s use of powerful and inspiring voices in their campaigns helps to reinforce motivation and athleticism.

Crossing Borders

Warburton’s… Yorkshire Tea… New York Bakery Co…

What do all these brands have in common, aside from the fact they taste great?

Yep, Regional accents!

Watch the Advert here.

According to a study by YouGov, 45% of UK consumers find brands using regional accents more trustworthy. In other words, we’re naturally drawn to brands that speak our language, and express values that we share, especially when it’s done in distinctive and entertaining ways.

While a neutral, professional accent would make sure their messages are never lost in translation, regional accents help each of these brands connect with their demographic – making the place in which they’re from a key selling point. For example, if you’re a small, local business, this regional warmth can reflect your audience back to themselves – giving your brand that genuine, relatable feel.

And it’s not just the homegrown businesses that benefit from regional branding. Take New York Bakery Co for example. Their products are sold all over the world – but by identifying with a city renowned for its bagels, they enriched their brand with charm and authenticity.

A Guy Named Jack

Another great example of this is Jack Daniels. It’s a brand with a very distinctive tone of voice no matter where it’s advertised – and their entire advertising campaign is infused with that unmistakable flavor of the Deep South.

Watch the Advert here.

It’s a theme ever-present throughout their marketing campaigns, whether it’s a TV ad, social media post, or billboard. By maintaining consistency across social channels, the brand voice becomes a part of their identity, and builds consumer trust and familiarity – something that’s incredibly important when we’re seeing so many adverts per day on social media.

Put simply, your chosen voice is a powerful tool that speaks directly to your audience, fosters connections, and creates your identity. When we recognise and feel comfortable with the voice, we feel much more positive towards the brand.

Do both!

While brands such as Nike and Coca Cola use a consistent tone in many of their global ads, they also tailor their marketing campaigns to the various regions by incorporating local slang. For example, in certain parts of the UK, Nike has used regional slang to resonate with a select demographic. This is where your solid knowledge of your demographic comes into play. If you know exactly who you’re selling to, you can tailor the adverts around your customers to make them feel represented – allowing relationships to build and trust to develop.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating a consistent voiceover artist into your brand strategy can significantly elevate your brand, boost engagement, and highlight your personality. Taking the time to nail this part of your audio branding will have a significant impact on how your brand’s viewed in not just your community, but everywhere.

Let us help you find your voice.