“But if it’s a narrator, which it is, like, 90% of the time, why would you need to know their gender as long as they’re getting the message across? You wouldn’t be wondering what color shirt they’re wearing, why do you need to know what gender they are? So I’m really pleased that the industry is heading in this direction, and I’m even more pleased that clients have so far been very receptive to it. Yeah, it’s great.” -- John Sanfilippo

Are you ready to hear the roar of a Ferrari's engine like never before? Get set for an immersive journey into the world of sonic branding with John Sanfilippo, an expert in the field. Together, we explore the concept of audio logos and how industry-specific sounds can create a powerful sonic logo. We discuss the innovative ways Ferrari and Harley Davidson leverage their unique engine sounds within their branding and explore potential criteria for businesses looking to tap into sonic branding.

We also touch on the future of sound in branding and delve into thought-provoking scenarios such as reactions to non-binary voices as well as the impact of AI and synthetic voices on the industry. John shares intriguing insights from his experiences, shedding light on how the next generation could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sound. Whether a small business or a large corporation, our conversation is packed with valuable insights to help you forge a stronger bond with your customers. Stay tuned for a fascinating look at just where audio branding might be heading next.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes.  If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.

(0:00:00) - Sonic Branding in Marketing

I talk with John about using sound from an industry in an audio logo, incorporating product sounds into a sonic logo, and how car companies are shifting from using the outside of the car to get the ambiance to the inside. We also chat about how Ferrari uses the roaring engine sound and Harley Davidson has tried to trademark the sound of their engines. “It’s a very distinctive sound,” John tells us, “yeah, because I mean, you can rev like a, you know, a Honda Civic and it’s not going to sound all that cool. But if you’ve got like a Dodge Charger, it’s going to have a very distinctive roar.”

(0:07:47) - Audio Branding

The conversation turns to the importance of sound in business, and how audio branding can create an emotional connection with customers. We discuss the varying scales of business and how that can affect the price of audio branding services, and about the resurgence of the full-sing jingle. “It’s fun,” he says about Tic Tac’s new jingle, “it’s you know, it’s on point. It fits the brand and it’s catchy, and it’s not catchy in an annoying way. It’s engaging and it’s fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously and I think it works really well. So I'm curious to see where that goes in the coming years.”

(0:22:45) - The Future of