Just the two of us—getting closer all the time: the role of sonic branding in connecting with consumers
通过六项实验研究，发现声音品牌能激发积极情绪，促进社交参与和信任，尤其对品牌忠诚度较低的消费者效果更显著，为品牌通过声音建立客户关系提供了实证依据。
Purpose Marketers are harnessing the power of sound to distinguish their brands from competitive offerings through sonic branding. The purpose of this research is to examine the role of sonic branding in connecting with consumers in the brand-building process. It highlights the significance of consumer emotions, digital engagement and trust in shaping an effective sonic branding strategy. It also examines how consumer brand attachment orientations and brand agnosticism interact with consumer responses to sonic branding. Design/methodology/approach Six experimental studies examine the effects of sonic branding on consumer perceptions. Findings Results demonstrate that sonic brands can evoke positive emotions, which foster social engagement and trust. Sonic brands also interact with brand attachment and brand agnostic orientations, such that individuals who exhibit less commitment to brands are more likely to either engage digitally or express greater trust in a brand when a sonic logo is used. Research limitations/implications Positive emotions evoked by a sonic logo help to stimulate digital engagement efforts as well as activate trusting behaviors toward the brand – both important elements in customer–brand relationship building. In addition, as consumers express less preference for specific brands and become more brand agnostic, connecting with them is vital. This research offers implications for consumers who are not otherwise emotionally involved with specific brands. For consumers who were not attached to a brand, sonic logos have the ability to consistently generate higher levels of trust. This provides empirical evidence regarding the role that positive emotions play in fostering social and relational foundations. Practical implications Sound and music can be crucial assets for brands in connecting with consumers. Findings from this research offer both theoretical and managerial insights into how sonic branding can enrich social and relational connections to a brand. Originality/value Although music and sound have historically been paired with brands (e.g. jingles and background music), sonic branding is a strategic effort undertaken by brands to enhance the way customers experience the brand across multiple touchpoints. Limited contemporary academic research has investigated the role of sonic branding in the brand-building process.