Archives for October 2021

“If you’re not thinking about sound and audio strategically and intentionally as it applies to every part of the mix in marketing, every touchpoint, every channel, every platform, then you’re likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.” — Shez Mehra

This week’s guest is an award-winning creative entrepreneur, founder, advisor, and producer who specializes in building brand affinity through the strategic and intentional use of sound. Sounds like the perfect person to ask about audio branding, right? His name is Shez Mehra and we met recently at a monthly Zoom chat that Jeanna Isham put together, discussing sound in marketing. Shez really impressed me with his knowledge about the industry, with the projects he’s worked on in the past, and where he sees this going in the future.

He’s on the cutting edge of discovering creative ways to use sound for his clients every day, and I’m looking forward to exploring more about that and hearing some of the stories he has to tell.

I really think you’ll enjoy this interview!

Playing the Wizard

Shez tells us about his earliest memories of sound, of dancing to Chubby Checker with his dad and trying to figure out how the musicians could fit inside a radio. But his life truly changed once he heard a DJ’s record scratch, and then when he went to his first nightclub and saw a DJ’s hold on the audience firsthand. “I was fascinated by this person sort of behind the scenes,” he explains, “playing Wizard of Oz and really controlling the entire narrative and soundscape and influencing so many people’s journeys.”

Differentiation Through Sound

“Audio branding,” Shez tells us, “is essentially building differentiation through sound. It’s not unlike visual branding in that you see a logo or a brand or a color and you’re intrinsically thinking about that brand or that company.” We discuss the more binary role sound used to play in marketing jingles, and how our audio branding has evolved over time. As Shez says, it’s about being “everywhere that a brand exists and speaks to a customer.”

A Post-Production Conversation

We also take a look at the meteoric rise of Clubhouse, Zoom, and social media in the audio branding landscape, and their staying power now that the world’s beginning to open up again. Shez talks about the importance of integrating sound strategically into marketing from the very start of a brand. “Most brands aren’t thinking about sound in this way. It’s always thought of as a post-production conversation,” he tells us. “If you’re not thinking about sound strategically, then you’re likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.”

Not the Same World

“It is not the same world as even five years ago or ten years ago,” Shez explains, “and even the ways our brains are being wired differently now is changing.” We talk about the challenges that audio marketing faces in the age of social media: for instance, if a licensed song goes viral on TikTok, is the company positioned to take advantage of that? We discuss the perils of taking a halfhearted approach to building that audio brand and how he emphasizes those challenges and solutions for clients. “We understand the value of what we do but we need to be able to… articulate it to the people responsible for investing in brand and brand decisions.”

Be sure to tune in next week for part two as we continue the interview with a look at Shez’s upcoming Destination Toronto project, his work on the Telus #EndBullying campaign, and a peek at what can happen when too many brands use the same stock music.

Get your complimentary mini e-book and learn how to create your personalized and branded audio branding strategy with my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy.

Do you need a voice talent for your next project? Visit my voice-over website to find out more about how my voice can help you with your audio brand.  You can also subscribe to the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube to watch the show’s latest episodes.

Please leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review or a spoken review so others can find the show on their favorite podcast player!

This interview episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco.

Sound is a subject I’m very passionate about, and it’s more important than we think. When I started this podcast I wanted as many people as possible to know that their audio shouldn’t be an afterthought. But as I spoke with people about this topic, I learned that I had a lot to learn about it too. Every guest on this show has shared valuable information about how sound shapes us, and I’ve been fascinated by the depth of these conversations. I hope you have too.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and the samples featured in this episode really just give you a basic overview. I’ve included links to each of the episodes here so you can go back and listen to any that intrigue you. Ultimately I’m on the same journey of discovery that you are, and it’s a journey that we’re taking together.

It Seems Like Magic

We start things off with a look back at my Episode 19 interview with sonic strategy director and audio alchemist Steve Keller, and his amazing work in using sound to change the way our brains perceive different flavors. From there we revisit Episode 81, an interview with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret of Lotas Productions, and the trends they’ve followed in the voiceover industry after Covid-19.

Steve Keller: https://www.sxmmedia.com/
Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret: https://www.lotasproductions.com/

“Hey Jodi, it’s Marie Hoffman. I just listened to your podcast with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufrent, and the excitement and positivity that they brought to the podcast about the future of voiceover and synthetic voices and AI was palpable. I felt like I went to four years of college in your thirty-one-minute podcast. Thank you so much for airing this, and keep up the good work!”
— Marie Hoffman, Voiceover Artist

The Timbre of Your Voice

We continue with audiologist and parent coach, Dr. Lilach Saperstein’s interview in Episode 79, and the subtle connection between our sense of hearing and emotional relationships. Then we jump back a little further to Episode 71 and Hamish MacDonald, the managing director of Squeak-E-Clean Studios, and how he conveys the true value of sound to his clients and partners. After that, we check in with casting director and coach Mary Lynn Wissner in Episode 36, to talk about how sometimes the best voice for a job isn’t the one her clients expect.

Dr. Lilach Saperstein: https://allaboutaudiology.com/
Hamish MacDonald: https://www.squeakeclean.com/
Mary Lynn Wissner: https://www.voicesvoicecasting.com/

“This is Cheryl Holling, host and creator of the podcast 19Stories: From Fear to Hope. I’m also an avid listener of your podcast, Jodi, and given you’re about to celebrate the release of your hundredth episode and inquired about our favorite episode, I’d have to say that as much as I enjoy all of your wonderful guests, I so appreciate your solo episodes, especially your most recent one entitled “Positive Vibes Only.” The amount of research you do, the really interesting information you provide, and your delivery always make me feel like I’m listening to an audio documentary where everything you describe comes to life. Congratulation on your one-hundredth episode and I look forward to the next hundred ones!”
— Cheryl Holling, Voice Over, Podcast Producer & Host

A Hell of a Statistic

Next, we take a look at Episode 29 and my interview with multimedia storyteller Brandee Sanders, who shares her insights into the connections between sonic branding and audio storytelling. After that, we jump to Episode 30 and marketing upheaval expert Rudy Fernandez, who discusses the science of sound and advertising.

Brandee Sanders: https://www.brandeesanders.com/
Rudy Fernandez: https://creativeouthouse.com/

“I don’t know, just picking one out of all the amazing content there’s been between the podcasting and Clubhouse, it would be tough to do. But if I had to pick one, I think it would be the podcast with Brandi Sanders. There was so much good information there crammed into sixty minutes and she has so much energy doing it. That is still one of my favorite Audio Branding podcasts, so thank you, Jodi.”
— Jim Cooper, Voiceover Artist

“Real People” is the Word

#EndBullying, 01, audible equity, audio branding, AudioBrand, brand affinity, clubhouse, Destination Toronto, raina music, shez mehra, Telus, The 194 Group
We start the second half off with a look back at Episode 42 and my interview with creative director and composer Nick Crane, who talks about the challenges and rewards of bringing an artist’s insight to commercial branding. Then we move on to Episode 53, where iHeart media audio producer Macha Gruber, now Macha Kane, talks about some of the more subtle advertising and branding trends that have emerged in the 21st century. After that, it’s time for a quick peek at Episode 77, where sonic branding strategist and Pirate Group Inc. CEO Tom Eymundson discusses his three-step branding methodology.

Nick Crane: https://racketclub.tv/
Macha Kane: http://machacreative.com/
Tom Eymundson: https://www.piratetoronto.com/

“We’re in the age of Voice First and, yes, it’s a relatively young industry, so it’s going to require a combined effort and partnerships between designers, developers, and the voiceover industry that I’m a part of. Jodi’s Audio Branding podcast provides a space where, as a guest or as a listener, we can all share and be inspired.”
— Jim Kennelly, Voiceover Producer and Director

Most of Our Decisions

From there we look back at Episode 87 and discuss filmmaker Kevin Elliott’s “three promises” system for creating videos that are sure to move people. After that, we revisit Episode 62, my interview with Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf of the Audio Branding Academy and Berlin-based sound agency WESOUND, who talk about the ongoing process of audio management to help maintain a brand.

Kevin Elliott: https://wewafilms.com/
Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf: https://www.wesound.de/en/

“This is Anne Ganguzza, voice talent coach and demo producer, and host of the VO Boss podcast. Jodi, I am such a fan of your Audio Branding podcast. I love how you explore the depths of how audio affects and influences us and it’s a topic that is so especially relevant for us in the voiceover industry. Your podcast should be required listening for all who want to elevate their brands and make more meaningful connections. Thank you for all you do for your listeners, and I can’t wait for the next episode.”
— Anne Ganguzza, Voice Coach and Producer

Something We’re Not Used To

As Audio Branding’s one-hundredth episode comes to a close, we revisit Episode 50’s interview with Eric Seay, co-founder and CEO of Audio UX, who talks about the fascinating process of localizing music and audio aesthetics for different cultures. Then we look back to one of my earliest interviews, Episode 8, with sound designer and studio owner John McClain, who discusses the evolution of sound and how it affects us, and end on a positive note with Episode 89, my interview with physician, speaker and author Dr. Teri Fisher.

Eric Seay: https://auxnyc.com/
John McClain: https://www.monstersp.com/
Dr. Terry Fisher: https://drterifisher.com/

“Hi, it’s Christoff Trapp. Jodi’s podcast has really been a fantastic resource for me. I listen to it every week when it comes out and always learn something new. Audio branding isn’t something that was always top of mind for me, even though I spent my day creating content of all kinds of different types. Fantastic show, would highly recommend it. Jodi is definitely an expert in the field.”
— Christoph Trapp, Content Marketer and Podcast Host

Thanks so much to all my listeners, to my wonderful guests, and to my colleague and friend Humberto Franco for his tremendous job in editing these episodes so that they sound as good as they possibly can. I hope you’ll join me for the next one hundred episodes.

Get your complimentary mini e-book and learn how to create your personalized and branded audio branding strategy with my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy.

Do you need a voice talent for your next project? Visit my voice-over website to find out more about how my voice can help you with your audio brand.  You can also subscribe to the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube to watch the show’s latest episodes.

Please leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review or a spoken review so others can find the show on their favorite podcast player!

This interview episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco.