I hear it, Do you ?

Friends,

Last week, while grabbing my morning coffee at Starbucks, I caught myself unconsciously humming the McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" jingle. Seriously, the McDonald's jingle while you buy your latte in Starbucks ? What an irony ! The realization hit me like a ton of bricks – I hadn't seen a McDonald's ad in I don't even remember how long, yet here I was, a walking, humming billboard for the golden arches.

As an advocate of non-verbal marketing, I was well aware that this primal connection to sound isn't just a quirk of human development – it's a survival mechanism deeply ingrained in our DNA. Our ancient ancestors relied on sound to alert them to danger or opportunity long before they could see it. A rustle in the bushes, a distant roar, or the subtle change in a bird's song could mean the difference between life and death.

Did you know that our auditory system is fully functional 20 weeks before we're born? It's true. While still in the womb, we're already responding to sounds, forming our first connections with the world around us.

We have strong science to back the efficiency of sounds in marketing and because of that, I see (or rather, hear) marketing in a different light. Dr. Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist, found that music and jingles trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, creating positive associations with brands. But the science goes even deeper.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology revealed that sonic logos activate the auditory cortex, which is closely linked to the limbic system – our emotional center. This connection explains why sound can evoke such strong emotional responses and why sonic logos can create such powerful brand associations.

But here's the kicker, friends: this isn't just about jingles and catchy tunes. It's about understanding the primal nature of sound and its power to forge lasting connections with consumers. It's about recognizing that in our visually overstimulated world, sound offers a direct line to the subconscious mind.

The science is clear: sonic logos work because they bypass our conscious defenses and speak directly to our emotions and memories. They create neural pathways that link sounds to brands, making recall effortless and almost instinctual. They tap into our primal instincts, leveraging a sense that has been honed by millions of years of evolution.

Don't believe me? Close your eyes and think of Netflix. I bet you're hearing that iconic "ta-dum" right now. That's not just clever marketing – that's your brain's neural networks firing, linking sound, emotion, and brand in a fraction of a second.

Sound is primal, So is Marketing !

Godspeed,

Ronith Sharmila