January 16, 2024
In the competitive world of pharmaceutical marketing, companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to connect with their target audience. While visual branding through logos, colors, and imagery remains vital, an often overlooked but powerful tool is audio branding. The use of sound in pharmaceutical marketing can create a unique and memorable experience for customers, fostering trust and recognition. Let’s explore the growing importance of audio branding in the pharmaceutical industry and its potential to leave a lasting impact.
Audio branding involves using distinct sounds, such as jingles, music, or even voiceovers, to evoke specific emotions with a brand. These sounds become a sonic representation of the company and its values. In a world of expanding audio-only and sound-on touch-points , leveraging the sense of hearing can be a strategic move.
Emotional Connection: One of the most significant benefits of audio branding is its ability to establish an emotional connection with consumers. Music and sounds can trigger feelings and memories in mere seconds. This makes them powerful tools to create a bond with your target audience. In pharmaceutical marketing, establishing trust and empathy is priority one. When done right, audio cues can help convey a sense of reliability, compassion, and care.
Recognition: Consistency is key in building a brand identity. Just as a brand logo or a color can be recognized instantly, a well-crafted audio brand can achieve the same recognition. Think of the iconic McDonalds “I’m loving it,” or the chime of the NBC News theme – these audio elements are instantly associated with their respective brands. For pharmaceutical companies, this recognition can be a significant asset in a crowded market.
Recall: Audio branding can significantly improve brand recall. When customers hear a familiar sound associated with a pharmaceutical company, it triggers memories of their past experiences with the brand. This can be particularly effective for pharmaceutical products that require consistent use or prescription refills.
Thinking of your audio brand holistically as an ecosystem helps to connect the audio brand assets to specific branded activations / touch points.
TV, Streaming, and Radio Commercials: TV, streaming, and radio commercials have long been popular mediums for pharmaceutical advertising. Incorporating an audio brand into these advertisements can enhance recognition and build an emotional connection. Consider how you want your audience to feel after hearing your message and how you can make your message more memorable with your audio brand.
Online Content: In today's digital age, online content is a primary means of reaching the target audience. Audio branding can be seamlessly integrated into video advertisements, podcasts, and webinars. For instance, a pharmaceutical company could use a calming melody or branded ambience/soundscape in a webinar about stress management or mental health.
Phone Systems: When customers call a pharmaceutical company's customer service line, the on-hold music and voiceover messages can contribute to the overall customer experience. Using the company's audio brand can create a consistent and reassuring atmosphere that matches the brand’s identity.
To illustrate the effectiveness of audio branding in pharmaceutical marketing, let's look at a few examples:
Johnson & Johnson: This healthcare conglomerate employs a distinctive and calming audio brand in its commercials and promotional materials. The uplifting piano melody and soothing voice-overs create a sense of trust and reliability, aligning with their mission of caring for people's health.
Pfizer: Pfizer has used a sweeping, yet memorable, piano driven sound bed in their recent spot celebrating 175 years of medical innovation. The arrangement provides a sense of possibility and accomplishment by combining a simple piano melody with sweeping strings and percussion.
Skyrizi: AbbVie’s Skyrizi incorporates both an audio logo as well as branded music that establishes an emotional tone across multiple pieces of creative while still maintaining consistency.
Farxiga: AstraZenica’s Farxiga employs a catchy and approachable audio logo that sing’s the brand name consistently at the end of their audio and video communications creating a melody that both sets the tone for the brand as well as increases memorability.
Audio branding is a powerful yet often overlooked tool in pharmaceutical marketing. As companies strive to differentiate themselves and connect with their audience, the sense of hearing should not be underestimated. Crafting a distinctive and emotionally resonant audio brand can lead to increased trust, recognition, and customer loyalty. With expanding audio touchpoints, the sound of success in pharmaceutical marketing must harness the power of sound.
At PLAY Audio Agency, we believe in making the world a better sounding place. We are an award-winniing creative audio agency specializing in audio branding, audio advertising, post-production, podcasting, and original music bor brands of all shapes and sizes.
Adam Pleiman is a sonic strategist and creative director who has worked in music and sound for over 20 years. He believes in the ability that music and sound possess in conveying emotion and strives to help others understand this connection. His career in audio has earned notable credits in multiple disciplines including a Grammy nomination. As a composer and producer he has written and produced music for ADM, Gillette, Secret, and John Frieda among others.
