audio branding

Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja – Part 2

December 29, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“So brands are trying to find a voice which is sympathetic, which is sincere, and we think music can play a big role in that. Because if you like music, you like it, you don’t judge it. You don’t question the intentions of an artist. You just love the piece of music.” — Rajeev Raja

This week we continue my interview with musician, soundsmith, and BrandMusiq founder Rajeev Raja as we talk about no-contact business branding, sonic branding in the retail market, and the challenge of bringing the nuance of branding to musical logos.

Keeping the Brand Alive

We start the second half of the interview with a look at how the pandemic has changed the relationship between businesses and their customers, and how sonic branding can help preserve a sense of connection even in the absence of face-to-face transactions. “They’ve discovered that having a sonic identity,” Rajeev explains, “transmits an emotion which can actually keep their brand alive in the emotional dimension, and raise their emotional quotient and keep it there.”

The Subconscious Level

After that, we talk about the power of MOGOs and audio branding in the age of social media, the challenge and opportunity to differentiate brands using audio, and the influence it can have on a deeper, more subconscious level than most marketers consider. “When you create a sonic identity for a

brand,” he says, “and wherever the brand is heard, it’s not just about creating a jingle and saying hey, hey, hey, listen to me – it’s also the feeling that you leave behind.”

Mapping Society’s Mood

We wrap up the interview by considering how many different aspects of our lives are being revolutionized by sound and the potential for sonic branding, from custom sounds in electric vehicles to healing sounds in hospitals, and how this new soundscape can reflect and even help improve the mood of our global society. “During Covid, I used to just play healing tunes on the flute, and started sharing it,” he tells me, “and I started realizing the power, the honest feelings that you have. Close your eyes, listen to that piece of music, and it’s like you put the worries of the world away for a while.”

The Theory Behind MOGOs

If you’d like to learn more about Rajeev’s theory of MOGOs, check out his TED talk “The Enchanting Theory Behind MOGOs” at https://youtu.be/hBhREwd-LaM. You’ll get to hear him demonstrate the concept with a beautiful flute performance and learn more about how, as he puts it in the video, a MOGO, or musical logo, is “the shortest distance between a brand and the consumer’s heart.”

Episode Summary

How audio can help strengthen brand relationships
Audio branding and the social media revolution
The power of sound to make a subconscious impression
How sound can change the way we see the world
Rajeev’s Theory of MOGOs on YouTube

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.

Connect with Rajeev

Website: https://brandmusiq.com/

The enchanting theory behind MOGOs | Rajeev Raja | TEDxSIULavale: https://youtu.be/hBhREwd-LaM

Follow Rajeev Raja on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Connect with Rajeev Raja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeev-raja-1b0b1649/

Listen to Rajeev Raja on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brandmusiq

Follow Rajeev Raja on Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja – Part 1

December 22, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“Because we also believe that brands are multidimensional, just as human beings are, right? So, we are multidimensional: we are seen in a certain way by our close friends, we are seen in another way by our family, close family, we are seen in a third way by our colleagues and associates, right? So, we are multidimensional, and brands also need to express themselves in different ways depending on the environment that they are in.” — Rajeev Raja

This episode’s guest is the former National Creative Director of ad agency DDB Mudra as well as one of India’s finest jazz and fusion flautists, with a number one album on the iTunes India charts for three weeks running. He’s the founder and “soundsmith” of BrandMusiq, the first company in Asia dedicated to designing and managing sonic brand identities, and is a creative powerhouse who straddles the two worlds of branding and music.

With over twenty-five years of advertising experience, he’s worked on many of India’s and the world’s top brands and created many award-winning nationwide campaigns. With such strong credentials in music and branding, it’s only natural that Rajeev Raja founded BrandMusiq – a perfect example of how one’s passion can also become one’s life work! Listen in as we talk about the power of sound: how it can make a brand more memorable, and how it can touch and influence our emotions on a daily basis.

The Flute Found Me

Each episode begins with a look back at my guest’s earliest memories of sound, and Rajeev shares a moving account of how he grew up listening to the vinyl records his mother used as a classical dancer in a home that was always filled with music. Soon he began to listen to pop music from around the world, then early jazz, the blues, and then the flute. “Just by ear, I could immediately play it,” he says. “It was as if I’d found the flute, but the flute found me.”

Music on a Higher Level

Even after he’d settled into a successful career as an advertising professional in Mumbai, music still called out Rajeev, and he faced a choice between following his two passions. When he realized how essential music can be for branding, and how few companies had really tapped into its potential, he founded BrandMusiq. As he puts it, “we can elevate music to a higher level, compared to the way it was used generally, which is a good old jingle that happens on a radio spot or a TV spot but doesn’t reflect the essence of the brand.”

One Brand, Many Expressions

Next, we talk about MOGOs, or musical logos, a term he created that’s quickly taken off in the business world. Rajeev uses his flute to give us a beautiful firsthand demonstration of how subtle changes can affect the mood it creates in surprising ways. “The beauty is once you’ve created your sonic identity,” he says, “which the MOGO, the musical logo, is, as we’ve said, a big part of, then you can actually start creating different adaptations with these different emotions… it’s one brand, but with many expressions.”

Creating a Musical Identity

The first half of our interview concludes with a look at musical motifs and Jungian archetypes, and the power of musical logos to transcend the boundaries between cultures and generations while embracing their unique qualities. “There is a rich tradition,” he explains, “and a science behind this in our Indian culture… and if you listen to the great western composers, you’ll see that they knew that the use of a certain scale or combination of scales, major to minor and etcetera, would evoke certain emotions.”

Episode Summary

Rajeev’s early life and music in Bangalore
How a twist of fate led him to become a flautist
Founding BrandMusiq and the theory of MOGOs
Musical motifs and the power of archetypes
The flexibility and diversity of MOGOs

Be sure to listen next week for part two as we talk about the challenge of branding in a no-contact world, the explosion of sonic branding thanks to social media, and how MOGOs could become as much a part of our personal lives as they are the business world.

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.

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.

Connect with Rajeev

Website: https://brandmusiq.com/

The enchanting theory behind MOGOs | Rajeev Raja | TEDxSIULavale: https://youtu.be/hBhREwd-LaM

Follow Rajeev Raja on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Connect with Rajeev Raja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeev-raja-1b0b1649/

Listen to Rajeev Raja on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brandmusiq

Follow Rajeev Raja on Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra – Part 2

October 27, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“Brands and companies are going to have to be much more thoughtful about how they’re approaching audio and how are they making people’s lives easier, how are they putting them at ease, how are they, you know, easing apprehensions and anxieties, how are you lightening the cognitive load, if you will. And so much of this is subconscious, but that’s really where sound design and audio branding becomes increasingly valuable.” — Shez Mehra

This episode is part two of my interview with audio branding specialist and entrepreneur Shez Mehra, as we talk about audible equity, the future of branding, and the perils of stock music.

Renting Audible Equity

We begin with a look at some of the companies who took a long view toward their audio assets and branding, and are now starting to see the rewards. Disney+ has leveraged its decades-long branding to catch up with Netflix in a matter of months while children’s shows like Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig have understood and invested in their audio brand. “And yet you have Fortune 1000,” Shez explains, “even Fortune 500 companies that are running around still trying to rent their audible equity every time they go to market.”

Shez also humorously points out the dangers of waiting until the last minute or relying on stock music when it comes to the audio component of an ad campaign with a video of no less than four major companies using the same theme. Want to hear what Nike, KFC, H&M, and Dolce & Gabbana have in common? Just click on the link below:

https://vimeo.com/510302624

A Deep Diagnostic

Shez tells us about his work with the Telus #EndBullying campaign, and how, over a two-day period, his team helped turn around a project that had put off its audio strategy. “That was one of those instances,” he says, “where we believed in the campaign, we believed in the work and we did our very best to bring it to life quickly and efficiently.” We also talk about his work on the upcoming Destination Toronto content hub, and how his workshop helps analyze the role of audio content in a client’s marketing strategy. “We really do a deep diagnostic of their sonic universe as it exists today.”

Making People’s Lives Better

“In order to really resonate with people or capture their attention,” Shez explains, “you can’t just serve them a TV commercial anymore.” We conclude with a look at the future of audio and its transition from the jingles and focused television spots of yesterday to the more ambient role it plays in our lives today. “You don’t notice the music when it makes sense for the environment you are in, but subconsciously it is working… the goal here is to make people’s lives better without them even realize you’re doing so.”

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.

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.

Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra – Part 1

October 20, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“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.

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.

An Audio Retrospective – Celebrating 100 Episodes

October 13, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

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.

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.

The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham – Part 2

October 6, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“This is about an enhancement. This is about a more immersive experience, not even an immersive audio experience, but an immersive experience because even if we tried and we just wanted to experience one sense, we can’t.”

Jeanna Isham

This week’s episode is the second half of my interview with composer, podcaster, and sonic branding expert Jeanna Isham, where we talk about voice technology and Jeanna’s inspiration as a podcaster, as well as the unlikely sound lessons we can all learn from Disneyland.

A Self-Led Journey

We begin with a quick look at Joel Beckerman’s book Sonic Boom and the subtle but effective audio strategies that Disneyland employs to make each of its themed sections stand out. Jeanna goes on to talk about her podcasting career and how it began as an effort to learn more about the audio side of marketing, and then as a way of sharing what she’s learned with others. “Through all this, I found the lack of sound strategy,” she explains, “and as a musician, I was like, why would you just throw this in? So I started this self-led journey into sound marketing and realized that there was a lot missing.”

The Beginning of Sound

Next, we discuss her Sound in Market online course, which is linked below along with her website. “We go back to the beginning of sound,” Jeanna says, “and realize that we are sound, and we do make sound, regardless of what you think, so why don’t we make it on purpose?” She explains that sound makes a quicker sensory impression on the brain than sight and that user experience and voice AI design in particular can benefit from a more creative audio approach.

“I want to open up the possibilities in your brain. I want your brain to start spinning and thinking independently of what I’m saying.”

Needing to Untether

We wrap up with a look at the future of audio and media technology, both its dangers and the potential it holds. “We have become so oversaturated with technology and visuals,” she says, “and just being on that people need to untether, and just take a break from it.” Jeanna and I discuss Mindshare’s Media Dystopia web series, and the effort to keep up with emerging technology as well as successfully engaging the human beings behind it. “It hurts my heart when something doesn’t land, but it’s because of execution.”

Next week will be my 100^th episode – be sure to check it out!

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.

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.

Jodi Krangle

Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja – Part 2

Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja – Part 1

Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra – Part 2

Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra – Part 1

An Audio Retrospective – Celebrating 100 Episodes

The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham – Part 2

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