The metaverse is the future of not only the internet, but also the way people interact in the virtual space. Whether it’s friends sharing an experience across an ocean, audiences catching a live event or consumers exploring a brand’s offerings, the metaverse is where it’s going to happen.
But the metaverse isn’t just for mega brands like Walmart. Just like with web 2.0, there’s room for everyone, and the barriers to entry can be as low or as high as budgets allow and marketing objectives necessitate.
Rather than get bogged down in the terminology or the technology, brands should be thinking about how they show up in the metaverse. And, more importantly, how they can create immersive, worthwhile experiences for audiences (yes, audiences, not customers). And, you guessed it, audio is a big part of that.
Virtual sights need refined sound
There’s a reason motion pictures quickly evolved to incorporate sound. Audio adds depth and dimension to visuals, telling the brain where to focus and helping to process information. And good audio isn’t just about sound. Without a plan and some processing, virtual worlds just sound like a mall food court circa 1990.
Smart brands have a sound that is instantly recognizable, whether it’s in the real world or virtual.
The key is to create something dynamic that fits the environment you’re trying to create. If brands want to get better at building a truly personalized experience in which consumers can choose their environment, they first have to get better at engaging their ears.
Additionally, outside of scheduled concerts, brands need to start thinking about what kind of curated musical content they’d like playing when a user enters a branded space. Think about Walmart Land—an amazing space with great engagement out of the gate. Imagine how much longer people might stay with a curated playlist that changes based on the activations or key insights users might give based on who they are.
Define your sonic strategy across real and virtual worlds
Smart brands have a sound that is instantly recognizable, whether it’s in the real world or virtual. From the McDonald’s “ba da ba ba bah” to the State Farm jingle, sonic logos go a long way to quickly invoke your brand without saying a word. But a sonic strategy is more than that.
“What is the consumer’s experience with your brand with sound? It could be anything from the hold music on your phone system to the sounds your device or product makes,” says Chelsea Campbell, group creative director at Studio Resonate. “What is your audio? Do you have a mnemonic or an audio logo? If you use AI, what does the voice sound like?”
Campbell continues, “A lot of brands don’t always think about these things. You want every element of your sonic strategy to be in tune to represent your brand cohesively. If you haven’t thought of these things yet—and most tech companies haven’t—how audio will factor into your virtual presence is a great place to start.”
Make your brand sound familiar
Many brands rely on their visual identity, and only a few have started considering the wider ecosystem of what a branding suite looks like for the 21st century. Marketers can’t ignore the fact that consumers use voice communications daily, as well as apps and interactive experiences that don’t require a screen. To give your branding continuity, you need to think about the signs and reminders that make your brand recognizable whether or not visuals are present.
This idea and application can show up in different ways, and it’s much deeper than a sonic ID. For instance, ask yourself: Have you identified the sound profile of your brand? That doesn’t necessarily have to mean you have a jingle play every time a consumer engages with you; instead, it should feel similar enough and have the same throughline. So, if people hear something from your brand (with a visual or not), they know who you are.
Use audio to draw audiences in
At their core, virtual experiences exist to simulate or enhance the real world—a world that incorporates sound in a way that makes sense. The sounds of a yoga studio and a concert in the metaverse should be different (especially if you want audiences to not only stick around, but also come back for more). When brands consider their sonic strategy for the metaverse, they should think of the ways, places and times audiences will encounter them and how they want people to interact.
All of that should work in the context of who these audiences are. Representation is a factor that is all too often overlooked. Brands big and small need to think of ways to show up authentically, and that includes diversity in both the audience and in the people in the room planning and making decisions.
“There are brands who have dipped their toe into the metaverse in ways that are tone deaf,” says Campbell. “If you make the wrong creative choices, you can really misrepresent or even exploit the communities you’re trying to reach. Look around your boardrooms where you’re planning and make sure it’s representative of the audiences—all the audiences—you’re trying to reach.”
Make context the queen
If content is king, then context is its queen. And, when it comes to branding, together they should rule in harmony. Brands should consider what is appropriate for the environment and how they can adapt their personality to live in all these different entry points moving forward in 2023.
Show up in ways that are realistic and relevant for both your brand and the audiences you’re trying to engage. And, obviously, your audio branding and sonic identity should be consistent wherever and however you show up.
