How to Sound Like a Brand: Translating Brand Identity into Audio

Creating a distinct, memorable and consistent brand sound is no small feat. While most brands have a clear look and feel, many are still finding their voice.

So, how can a brand with a strong visual identity translate that into a powerful sonic presence? Whether it’s a bespoke music bed or the tone of a voiceover, audio can bring your brand to life in new and unexpected ways. Here's how we help brands make that happen, and what to think about for your next campaign.

To dig a little deeper into how our brains respond to brand sound, we spoke to neuroaesthetics expert Saskia Wheeler, who explained how audio taps into memory, emotion and instinct more than we might realise.

Turning Colours into Chords

Colour, typography and motion all shape how a brand feels. Audio works the same way — it just uses rhythm, tone and melody to do the job. 

If your brand leans towards soft colour tones and elegant serif fonts, your audio probably shouldn’t be punchy, high-energy or packed with percussion. Think smoother textures, warm harmonics and a more relaxed tempo. The goal isn’t to match your visuals literally, but to complement them emotionally.

Saskia explains how our brains connect the dots between what we see and hear, and why it matters for brand-building.

When we work with brands, we often start by exploring what their visual identity is really saying, then explore what that sounds like. Sometimes it’s in the music, and other times it’s a subtle background piece of sound design that adds depth without distraction.

Lost for Words? Start with Sound

If you’re unsure how to brief an audio agency, you’re not alone. Many clients know how they want to look, but not how they want to sound. Here are a few thought starters, that we find helpful:

• Share your visual brand assets: They tell us a lot about tone and energy.
   
• Use brand archetypes: Are you the ‘explorer’, ‘caregiver’ or ‘rebel’? These can shape musical choices.
   
• Tell us about your audience: Who are they, how do you want them to feel? Where would they hear you?
   
• Highlight ‘don’ts’ as well as ‘dos’: knowing what to avoid, is sometimes just as helpful.

We often build sonic moodboards at Forever Audio. It’s a collaborative process that’s hands on, creative and fun. But most importantly, it means we can listen to your needs and tweak things accordingly before we move into full production.

What Does Your Brand Sound Like?

Sonic branding isn’t just about music. Every sound carries meaning, and choosing the right ones can elevate your brand's personality. Here are some examples of how audio cues can align with brand personalities:

• Innovative and bold brands: Synth-heavy textures, quick cuts, and layered sound design to create energy and modernity.
   
• Warm and trustworthy brands: Acoustic instruments, warm vocal tones, and organic sound beds.
   
• Playful or disruptive brands: Offbeat rhythms, unusual sound cues, or unexpected voice casting can spark attention.

Our expectations shape how we interpret sounds, and Saskia notes that this is something the brain does continuously:

That blend of familiarity and surprise is something we carefully consider when designing audio for bold, high-impact campaigns.

Take Pepsi Pulse on Spotify. We developed a branded experience that combined trending culture with Pepsi’s confident, energetic personality. We developed audio creative that sat alongside bold visual digital placements. From the voice to the sound design, every element was crafted to mirror the wider campaign tone. Whether you saw it or heard it, the brand felt instantly recognisable. The project was nominated for Best Creative Direction at the 2025 Campaign UK Audio Advertising Awards.

Why Audio’s Worth It (Here’s The Proof!)

According to AMP's 2024 Global Sonic Branding Index, brands with strong sonic identities see a 5.3 times increase in brand recognition and greater emotional engagement compared to those without one. 

SoundOut’s recent benchmarking study found that consistent audio branding increases purchase intent by up to 96% when compared with inconsistent use.

So what makes sound such a powerful trigger? Saskia explains:

This deep emotional connection is what gives sound its power. A few seconds of audio can tap into memory, stir emotion and stick with people, especially when it’s consistent across channels.

Put simply, sound doesn’t just support brand identity, it is brand identity.

How We Work With Brands

At Forever Audio, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all template. 

We start with conversations. We dig into your brand and your audience, your goals and the kind of emotional response you want to create. Then we experiment, refine and build something that’s unmistakably you.

It might be through a podcast sponsorship, a sonic logo, or an immersive audio advert.

With world class sound designers, bespoke music composition, and voice casting that can align with your brand personality, we can help you sound the way you want to be heard, and more importantly, the way your audiences will remember.

Interested in building your brand’s audio identity? We’re all ears. Let’s chat.