voice AI

In The Clubhouse: The Power of Audio Branding – Part 2

February 16, 2022 by Jodi Krangle

“Doing audio branding very often has similarities to coaching. It’s always a change management process and it’s also iterative, so it’s almost repeating the same procedures a couple of times until you get closer and closer to something that everybody agrees is ‘okay, that’s the goal.’ And by the way, goals are the most important thing. If it’s not clear where you want to go, what you need, and why you are doing this, if you just follow the next hype and say we need a sound logo just like our competitor, then you’re lost, then you’re just wasting time and money.” — Cornelius Ringe

This week continues our Clubhouse discussion as Lauri Domnick, Jeanna Isham, Steve Keller, Shez Merha, Jack Monson, and Cornelius Ringe lead a variety of questions and comments.

A Trustworthy Sound

The second half begins as our panel reveals what questions they ask clients to learn who they are from an audio perspective. Jeanna tells us about her work with REI and how she used natural sounds to focus their outdoor branding, while Lauri discusses the challenge of turning more abstract concepts like trustworthiness into something we can hear and recognize. Shez focuses on better aligning the audio to the company’s brand, and Jack switches things around with a simple question that can have surprisingly candid and helpful answers: “if you and I were going to take a road trip,” he asks clients, “what three artists would you want to have?”

The Voice of the Brand

Steve takes a different, more psychological approach to learning more about a client’s potential sonic profile, one that sparks a discussion about the archetypes of sound, what the brand might be like if it were a person. “If the brand were to talk to you,” he asks, “what would the brand’s voice sound like? Is it male, is it female, is it neither of those? If the brand was going to give you a playlist, what would be on their Pandora playlist?”

The Soundtrack of Your Life

Cornelius offers a thought-provoking reply as he talks instead about focusing on the language of sound, a language that’s often unfamiliar to his clients, and helping them find the right words to consider the question and develop their own answers. Alex joins in to note that clients don’t always have a good answer, particularly in the business world where opinions and priorities can clash; as Steve puts it, “the work is fraught with the need for

diplomacy.” Cheryl, a podcaster and voice talent, takes the stage with a question she always likes to ask: if there was a soundtrack to your life, what would be on it and why? The answers, she notes, are often surprising, and always revealing.

Episode Summary

Looking at company brands from an audio perspective
Considering brands and sounds as archetypes
Learning the language of both sound and business
Listening to the soundtrack of your life

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 the Panelists:

Jeanna Isham’s website: https://www.dreamrproductions.com/

Shez Merha’s website: https://the194group.com/

Cornelius Ringe’s website: https://www.wesound.de/en/

Steve Keller’s website: https://www.sxmmedia.com/

Connect with Lauri Domnic on LinkedIn: https://fi.linkedin.com/in/lauridomnick

Jack Monson’s website: https://www.socialgeekradio.com/

The Power of Sound club on Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/the-power-of-sound

In The Clubhouse: The Power of Audio Branding – Part 1

February 9, 2022 by Jodi Krangle

“So it’s really no surprise that, you know, it’s back in the driver’s seat now, when everyone is really fighting and yearning for how to capture attention, even a little bit of attention, from an exhausted and overwhelmed and overstimulated population base globally. So I think it applies itself to media, to what you’re eating, in a restaurant experience, a shopping experience, really across the entire 360, or integrated marketing, if you want to speak like a marketer, that whole kind of overarching back row strategy from everywhere your brand is going to live. There are likely ways to embed audio into those instances in a meaningful way without adding more ‘noise’ to the world.” — Shez Mehra

For those of you who don’t know, I host regular weekly Clubhouse rooms on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern Time. We talk about all sorts of things related to sound, including voiceovers, public speaking, podcasting, music, and, of course, audio branding. We also cover things like Voice AI, Sound in Social Media, and even Audio NFTs. This particular recording, made with the permission of everyone who participated, is from a Clubhouse room called The Power of Audio Branding in my Power of Sound club. We had a number of stellar panelists, including Jeanna Isham, Shez Merha, Cornelius Ringe and Steve Keller, all of whom have also been guests on this podcast with episodes all their own. Lauri Domnick, from Bauer Media in Finland, and Jack Monson, from Social Geek Radio, also joined us.

The audio is presented as it was heard in the moment, so it won’t be perfect, and there’s a bit of a lag, so sometimes it might sound like people are taking a while to respond while other times it sounds like I’m talking over them. That isn’t how it sounded at the time, and hopefully won’t be too distracting for you as you listen. But this discussion should give you a good look at the fascinating world of audio branding from many different perspectives, and at why it’s a topic and discipline that’s becoming more important all the time. I also want to thank everyone that came up on stage to join in, ask questions, and make comments. Your participation made this discussion even better. The lesson is clear: if you aren’t paying attention to the sound of your brand, you’ll ultimately be missing out.

If you have any questions for the panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in these show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available.

What is Audio Branding?

We start off the discussion with a look at just what audio branding means for each of our panelists, and what makes it such a powerful marketing tool. Jeanna explains the subtle difference between audio and sonic branding while Lauri talks about its potential for stirring our deepest memories and feelings. Jack joins the conversation and agrees about the power of audio impressions. “There’s something more magical about audio memories stimulating something from the back of your mind, from earlier in life, childhood, whatever, there’s something more powerful about audio than anything visual.”

Filling the Gaps

Shez joins the group and talks about the insights his career as a DJ and musician have given him about the power of sound and how often it’s neglected in the business world. “It could be a song,” as he puts it, “it could be your mother’s voice, it could be the narrator from a show that you grew up on. There are so many ways in which we as human beings just inherently connect with sounds and audio.” Steve and Cornelius arrive and offer their perspectives on the untapped potential of audio branding. “Audio branding for me also is about filling the gap in brand communication,” Cornelius says. “There’s a huge gap in the potential of brand communication, and that is audio.”

Sounds in the Brain

Alex, a researcher for Massive Music who specializes in neuroscience, takes the stage first to point out how intrinsic sound is to the human brain. As he explains, “I think that what’s so powerful about music and branding, is that it’s subconscious, it’s innate response to how our brains process sound on a level that can’t be reached by other sensory

modalities.” Brad follows up to ask Jeanna about sonic branding, and how it goes beyond licensed music and jingles to the very heart of a company’s sound, from the quality of a smart speaker to the pitch and tone of a phone prompt.

Musical Motivation

Joe, a voice-over artist and singer, takes the stage next and reminds us all of the classic three-note jingle “By Mennan,” noting how effectively it breaks the established wisdom of commercial audio to make a memorable impression. “I find it fascinating,” he says, “that it’s a marriage of art and science to be able to twist people’s neurons so that this earworm gets in there.” Jack and Jeanna point out that a successful audio brand motivates its audience, compelling us to take action, and Shelley, a fellow singer and voice actor, points out the very visible changes in brain activity that occur when we react to audio cues, whether it’s a catchy melody or a familiar voice.

Episode Summary

Jeanna and Lauri describe the evocative power of sound
Jack and Shez share their perspective on audio branding
Steve and Cornelius discuss marketing gaps
Alex and Brad take the stage with opening questions
Joe and Shelley follow up with branding insights

Next week the Clubhouse chat continues as our guests talk about how sound can promote particular themes, the challenge of expressing identity through audio, and how taking a more personal approach to sound can help clients better appreciate sonic branding.

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 the Panelists:

Jeanna Isham’s website: https://www.dreamrproductions.com/

Shez Merha’s website: https://the194group.com/

Cornelius Ringe’s website: https://www.wesound.de/en/

Steve Keller’s website: https://www.sxmmedia.com/

Connect with Lauri Domnic on LinkedIn: https://fi.linkedin.com/in/lauridomnick

Jack Monson’s website: https://www.socialgeekradio.com/

The Power of Sound club on Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/the-power-of-sound

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.

The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham – Part 1

September 29, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“I really like creating but it is a lot of work and one thing that I have noticed is that companies and even industries do not fully understand the potential of sonic branding.”

Jeanna Isham

This episode’s guest has over twenty years of audio experience, ranging from film composition and production music through the world of sonic branding and sound identity as a creator, strategist, and thought leader. Her company, Dreamr Productions, creates audio identities for companies and brands as well as consulting and educating on sound in marketing and its best practices.

She also produces, hosts, and edits the Sound In Marketing Podcast while teaching courses on The Fundamentals of Sound In Marketing. Her name is Jeanna Isham, and one reason I wanted her on the show is that she’s right there in the thick of things, creating and consulting to help people understand how powerful a strategic and intentional audio brand can really be. Besides that, she’s just a great person doing great things, and that’s something you need to know about.

Memories of Summer

“The sound of cicadas makes me so happy,” Jeanna says, recalling one of the sounds that always takes her back. “I have memories of sitting on my grandma’s back porch sipping ice tea, yelling over the cicadas to talk to people, and that is my happy place.” In the first segment, we take a look at how sound shaped her early life and dreams, from the tranquil hum of the cicadas to the music that helped inspire her as a teenager, from Sarah McLachlan to the Smashing Pumpkins.

It’s Not About Music

After trying her hand at traditional songwriting, Jeanna discovered that creating instrumental melodies and production music appealed to her more on a personal level. She soon discovered, though, that many companies still had a limited view of sonic branding, and hadn’t yet learned how to fully embrace its potential. “What it all whittles down to is that it’s not about music, it’s about sound. And when you take that limitation out of the mix,” she says, “it might come across as daunting, but the way I see it is that it’s liberating.”

The Power of Sound

By using the full power of sound, not just in the form of traditional jingles but in more innovative approaches like ambiance, licensed music, and even Spotify playlists, Jeanna explains how audio branding can make a deeper, more lasting impression than many people realize. “If it was a pleasurable experience,” she explains, “and it was strong enough of an experience, then you are advertising to your customer without having to be present. That’s power.”

Next week we’ll continue the interview with a look at Jeanna’s podcast series, her monthly Sound on Purpose chats, and the direction she sees sonic branding and the future of sound taking.

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.

Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher – Part 2

August 4, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“The convenience and service AI Voice will afford is part of the power of this system.”

Dr. Teri Fisher

AI Vocal Biomarkers

“When you take a digital photograph, in addition to getting the image, there’s data that’s captured by the camera.” Teri compares the digital photograph information to the type of data you can get from hearing a voice. Besides the actual words, you can also clue into the mood, context, tone, and other elements that give vocal information to the receiver. You can quantify this information and break down components in vocal sounds.

“Putting these vocal samples into a computer, you can use artificial intelligence and machine learning with a computer to detect patterns in your voice.” Now the computer can detect emotion, changes in emotions, and other “metadata” when it hears someone speak.

How Sound Impacted Teri at an Early Age

When Teri was growing up, his mother studied music to become a music therapist. He and his three brothers started taking music lessons at the age of three. Between the different instruments played, they had a built-in family string quartet in their home. At a very young age, Teri started using his personal computer to make music using a MIDI interface. “I started to write pieces of simple music using computers and I can still remember those sounds, and it was amazing to me that I could write music and control the computer to play my music.”

Applications for AI Vocal Biomarkers

We may be able to predict a potential suicide, catching COVID-19, cognitive decline, mortality rate, and possibly physical diseases. To ensure you have accurate voice authentication you have to make sure the system is able to compensate for changes in a voice due to aging. Voice biomarkers can detect a number of health conditions. “They are now using voice to predict the risk of someone having COVID-19.”

Teri’s Prediction on the Future of AI Biomarkers

Dr. Fisher believes that, in the future, smart speakers will have the ability to ask you health questions based on the sound of your voice. The smart speaker could then use your answers to give an educated guess as to what illness you may have and send the appropriate test kit to your home. Your smart device could walk you through your test and could fill your prescription, delivering it to your home. “You could receive basic medical care in the comfort of your home through your voice.”

Personal Health Information and Data Privacy with AI Devices

Your smartphone most likely has the highest percentage of your personal information out of all the online places we use daily. But we aren’t willing to give up our phones. “The convenience and service AI Voice will afford is part of the power of this system.” When we have virtual meetings with doctors online, we are losing our privacy but patients participate because this way of meeting is convenient.

Flash Briefing on Amazon

Dr. Fisher created a new online course, Flash Briefing Formula, for those who are looking to get their feet wet in the realm of voice technology from a business perspective. To find flash briefings you can ask your Amazon Alexa to play a flash briefing on a topic. You can also ask Alexa to subscribe to a flash briefing that you’d like to listen to daily. In addition to the ability to listen to the briefings, content creators have a way to be searchable on Amazon.

AI Smart Speakers

According to the most recent statistics, smart speakers are the fastest adopted technology in history. People like the convenience of being able to ask questions and get an immediate answer from the speaker.

Make sure to listen in as Teri and I go into detail about the advantages AI will offer us in the future and why he believes that AI technology will quickly advance the healthcare industry.

Visit with Dr. Teri Fisher via his website, like Dr. Fisher on Facebook, and connect with Dr. Teri Fisher on LinkedIn. You can also chat with Teri by tweeting with him on Twitter and subscribe to Teri‘s feed on YouTube.

In the meantime…

Get your complimentary mini e-book and learn how to create your personalized 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 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.

Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher – Part 1

July 28, 2021 by Jodi Krangle

“The voice operating system is the way I work – I communicate through my voice.”

Dr. Teri Fisher

Dubbed as “The Voice Doctor”, Dr. Teri Fisher believes that voice technology is the next operating system and the future of computers and artificial intelligence. We talk about breaking down the complexities of this technology to its most basic parts. Listen in as we discuss navigating the world of voice.

What The Voice Den Event is All About

Dr. Fisher has put together an online event with the idea of creating something that can reproduce the experience people have at a conference outside of the formal sessions. At this event, you can chat with and get to know the speakers behind the conference. “We typically bring on five people in the voice space and invite participants on the show live to ask any question that is on their mind.”

With no structure or format, this is purely an opportunity to have fun, chat, and talk to people they may not have in their network circle. It’s now referred to as “The Happy Hour of Voice” The following hour, participants are invited to jump onto Clubhouse to continue the conversation.

Voice Den Topics of Discussion

“Voice Den is all about the voice industry” with Dr. Fisher’s conversation focused on voice AI. From Amazon Alexa to smart speakers and developers talking about creating interesting AI features, the conversation covers many different topics.

How Teri became Involved in Voice AI

Being a technology enthusiast ever since he was a child, Teri remembers building radio-controlled airplanes and cars. In addition, he’s been interested in music and audio, becoming a musician early on in life. “Over the last couple of years, these interests have melded together – technology, education, music and sound.” He became enthralled with the idea of blending them all together in the AI format and has launched resources to educate others about the future of voice technology.

At the age of 10, Teri’s parents purchased a new piece of technology – a personal computer. A Radio Shack computer running DOS was his first experience with a PC.

Voice AI Technological Applications

Today, because of computing power, the world of technology is very different. “Now for the first time, instead of us having to adapt to computers, computers are having to adapt to us.” Now you only need a microphone to interface with a computer. Dr. Fisher believes this new interface is going to change the way that brands will set up their experiences and how we will be able to use our voice in healthcare applications.

Five Reasons Why Voice is Compelling

Dr. Fisher has a five-letter acronym for his five reasons why voice is so compelling – VOICE. V stands for Voice. “With voice you truly can multitask.” O represents omnipresence, as voice is all around you. The letter I symbolizes the innate part of voice as using our voice is instinctual. C represents contextual and the idea that our voice contains many details about the content or topic we are speaking about. E stands for efficiency because when you use your voice, it’s a more efficient way to transmit knowledge and communicate.

Roaring with Your Voice

Teri decided to nickname voice AI and synthesized his new hashtag to be #VoiceIsMyOS He predicts that the next couple of years post-pandemic will see big growth, similar to the “roaring 20’s” of the past. “When you think about how you roar, you use your voice!”

Join me next week for Part II of my interview with Dr. Teri Fisher where we talk more about the future of Voice AI.

In the meantime…

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

Please leave the Audio Branding Podcast a 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

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

The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham – Part 1

Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher – Part 2

Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher – Part 1

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