This thesis aim to explain which part sound and music possess as a branding tool. We consider this to be of relevance since there is very limited reseach conducted on the subject. . To fulfill the purpose of this thesis we have focused on three main issues. Our ambition is to describe this subject from a marketing perspective with the brand in focus. The interview respondents consists of marketing experts, sound branding advertisers and actors from the Swedish telecom business. For this thesis we conducted seven interviews with a qualitative approach to gain a deeper understanding and a broad picture for the studied topic. In the final chapter we present our conclusions of the study. Because of the thesis qualitative method it is difficult to present a complete picture, therefore, we would like to refer to the last chapter for further reading.

This study brings forward the field of non-musical sound branding, concerning the use of sound in practical marketing and brand development. This interpretive, qualitative study has been conducted with the purpose of examining and explaining what aspects within non-musical sound branding that advocates and inhibits its use, ase well as exhibit how it can be created and developed. Interview data from advertising agencies and sound producers with extensive experience and knowledge in the field, is interpreted and analysed through theories within the fields of sensory marketing, brand theory, sound theory and non-musical sound branding. The results confirm that the intimate, subliminal qualities of sound, as well as the context in which it is mediated, are fundamental parameters for its reception and interpretation. The results also show that non-musical sound branding possess a number of aspects that both advocates and inhibits its use. The study also exhibit how it can be created and developed in regard to a number of fundamental and contributing perspectives.

Jag har analyserat Malmö stads ljudidentitet ur flera perspektiv och funnit att de i stort har följt tidigare forskning och vedertagna varumärkesprocesser när de arbetat fram stadens ljudidentitet. I jämförelse med tidigare forskning och branschpraxis saknas dock ett par delar i processen som kan haft betydelse för slutresultatet. En del är att Malmö stad inte konsekvent använt varumärkesplattformen när de arbetat fram de ljudattribut som de grundande ljudidentiteten på. En annan del är det inte framkommer på vilka grunder Malmö stad valde de fem olika inspelningsplatserna. Övriga moment som saknas i processen men som sannolikt har mindre betydelse för slutresultatet är att det saknas en analys av Malmös ljudande historik, samt att Malmö stad inte kraftsamlat platsens aktörer i framtagandet av ljudidentiteten. Malmö stads ljudidentiteten grundar sig i stort på ljudattributen och val av inspelningsplats. Det innebär att om de fullt ut hade arbetat utifrån varumärkesplattformen samt identifierat stadens ljudlandskap så hade ljudidentiteten sannolikt låtit helt annorlunda. Vägval tidigt i processen har stor påverkan på slutresultatet.

In contemporary consumer culture, branding is the term given to the creation of an image or text (visual, aural, textural or multi-sensory) intended to represent a commodity or product sold by a producer or service provider. This product’s commercial viability depends largely on the way it is presented (via branding) to its target market. The aim of this research report is to show that music used consciously as a branding medium, with special reference to film music (in its commodified form), has become a brand in itself, as opposed to merely a component of a multi-modal commercial product. Through analyses of a central film music theme from Star Wars: Episode IV, composed by John Williams, I aim to identify what I will term `audio-branding techniques’ within the music, thereby showing how music has come to be regarded as a brand. The audio branding techniques will relate directly to the four levels of analysis that I propose to conduct. The nature of branding implies the presence of three entities in the cultural and commercial `transaction’ that takes place: namely, the service provider (creator), the product (commodity) and the target market (consumer). I intend to argue that, as a result of powerful creative collaborations between John Williams and his various directors (not to mention his own unique talent), this composer’s film music has increasingly become an audio brand which is almost commensurate with the brand status of the film itself. Williams’s ability to create a symbiotic relationship between a music brand and that of a film has set him apart from most other contemporary art and commercial composers. As a result, it is not simply the actors, directors and producers associated with a movie that induce one to buy tickets to see it, but Williams’s independent audio branding style as well. I thus aim to prove that his film music is an audio brand independent of, and yet also allied with, other brands.

En ljudlogotyp är en ljudkomposition som används för att särskilja ett varumärke. Ljudlogotypen ingår i varumärkens strategiska arbete för att skapa sig en bild i konsumenters medvetande. Denna bild kallas varumärkesuppfattning. Syftet med denna studie var att utöka kunskapen om hur musik kan användas i kommunikativt syfte i allmänhet och om hur melodin påverkar uppfattningen av varumärken i synnerhet. En webbenkät genomfördes för att studera om olika typer av melodisk kontur hos en ljudlogotyp kan ge olika effekter på hur ett fiktivt varumärke uppfattas ifråga om varumärkespersonlighet. Deltagare rekryterades via sociala medier. Till undersökningen utformades åtta videoklipp innehållande en ljudlogotyp och en grafisk logotyp. Videoklippen var identiska förutom att den melodiska konturen skilde dem åt. Deltagarna skattade i vilken grad de uppfattade fem olika personlighetsdrag hos den ljudlogotyp de fick höra. Resultaten analyserades statistiskt. Genom undersökningen genererades inget stöd för att typ av melodisk kontur skulle ha någon påverkan på uppfattningen av de fem personlighetsdragen. Lämpliga metoder för undersökningar om ljudlogotyper och varumärkesuppfattning diskuteras. För framtida studier inom området föreslås kvalitativa studier samt studier som undersöker andra musikaliska parametrar. Vidare efterfrågas mer forskning om melodisk kontur. / An audio logo, also called sonic logo or sound logo, is a sound composition utilized to differentiate a brand. A sonic logo is part of a brand’s strategy to create an image in the awareness of consumers. This image is called brand perception. The objective of this study was to expand general knowledge about music’s applicability for communicative purposes and moreover to specifically look at how melody affects brand perception. A web survey was conducted to investigate if different types of melodic contour in an audio logo can have different effects on the perception of brand identity for a fictional brand. Participants were recruited using social media. Eight videos consisting of an audio logo and a graphic logo were designed. The videos were identical apart from their melodic contours. Participants rated the degree to which they perceived five different personality traits for the audio logo they heard. The results were analyzed statistically. Through the survey, no support was generated for an impact from the type of melodic contour on the perception of the five personality traits. Appropriate methods for investigating audio logos and brand perception are discussed. For future research within the field qualitative design is suggested, as well asinvestigations into other musical parameters. Furthermore, additional research into melodic contour is proposed.

EDM son las siglas de Electronic Dance Music, es el género madre de la música electrónica moderna. Actualmente, el género Pop, Rock y Latín utilizan el EDM como género complementario y esto se ha visualizado en la publicidad. Desde los inicios de la publicidad, la música ha estado presente como un complemento de mensajes publicitarios con el fin de generar conexión con los consumidores. En esta investigación cualitativa nace con el objetivo de conocer como el EDM (Electronic Dance Music), mediante campañas publicitarias, genera determinadas motivaciones hacia un servicio. Con el objetivo general, nacieron cuatro objetivos específicos: Identificar el uso de música en las campañas publicitarias, identificar la percepción del EDM en las campañas publicitarias, analizar las motivaciones generadas con el EDM y su relación con las marcas de servicio; y diagnosticar al EDM como herramienta publicitaria. Se entrevistaron a 8 expertos de la publicidad para dialogar en base a su experiencia, conocimientos y dialogar de los casos de investigación: Plaza Vea-Campeonas todos los días y Saga Falabella-Colección #MossimoUnlimited. / EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music, it is the mother genre of modern electronic music. Currently, the Pop, Rock and Latin genre use EDM as a complementary genre and this has been seen in advertising. From the beginning advertising, music has been present as a complement to advertising messages to generate connection with consumers. In this qualitative research, it was born with the aim of knowing how EDM (Electronic Dance Music), through advertising campaigns, generates certain motivations towards a service. With the general objective, four specific objectives were born: Identify the use of music in advertising campaigns, identify the perception of EDM in advertising campaigns, analyze the motivations generated with EDM and its relationship with service brands; and diagnose EDM as an advertising tool. 8 advertising experts will be interviewed to dialogue based on their experience, knowledge and dialogue of the research cases: Plaza Vea-Campeonas every day and Falabella Saga-Collection #MossimoUnlimited. / Trabajo de investigación