Mindful Sound and Audio Ethics In Marketing

Ethics in Innovation

Patrick Givens, Former VP and Head of VaynerSmart, and I discussed all things sound marketing in Episodes 11 and 12 of the Sound In Marketing Podcast. Currently Sr. Manager of Product Marketing at Amazon, Patrick speaks around the world on topics such as Conversational Marketing, Sonic Branding, and Ethical Innovation. 

Patrick has been in the world of advertising for quite awhile working at and alongside other agencies such as Anomaly, Droga5, Grey and Havas Worldwide.  He’s seen the innovation and creativity of technology through a whole lot of different lenses

Audio-First Marketing

There are huge opportunities to develop a sound now as consumer attention is shifting to digital audio and more and more audio-first dollars are being spent.  The attention to your sound identity is crucial now more than ever. There is a huge opportunity to develop stronger brand assets through sound innovation that are dynamic enough to work off of a lot of different platforms. 

As Patrick so eloquently said, we’re making sounds already, it’s up to us to be choiceful and thoughtful on what those sounds are or we are just leaving it up to chance.  Sound is everywhere; what is our representation of it?

In this current world of a “screenless society”, increased digital audio engagement is occurring with a secondary attention to the actual sounds created. Even at Cannes this year, Patrick witnessed that the focus is still more on traditional broadcast and print focused marketing. This is largely a result of the categories that are lacking, requirements and expense of submissions along with a more traditional based judging process.

As a result, Patrick observed some great thinking and strategy but not the most innovative channel planning.  There was some creative thinking and compelling strategy but a lack of representation largely due to the reasons I stated above.

Our willingness to experiment is crucial in this time of innovation and evolution.  We need to harness these creative opportunities and come up with compelling strategy.  This can be achieved with a smaller initial investment while contemplating the risk ahead of time to avoid problems way down the road when AI ethics are more clearly defined. 

Now is the time to build a relationship between brand and sound strategist; to understand operational context, analyze user and customer desire, learn what the brand’s core identity and objectives are, and keep an eye on the reality of where the brand stands in the audio space at present day as well as the future.

Being Mindful and Ethical in Audio Experiences

Patrick and I discussed the importance of being mindful of a brand’s safety when it comes to using these emerging technologies; calculating the risks and the investment expectations up front to investigate the best practices and paths at present while planning for the future.

VaynerSmart and Vayner Media are proactive in addressing all that’s exposed or not exposed to their clients’ ahead of time.   

Human evolution is a good thing but as the “new frontier” is being paved, it is our responsibility to be aware of what is happening ahead of the rules and regulations that have not yet been set in place.  AI ethics are hugely important right now but completely optional. Non-disclosures of synthetic audio manipulation should not be taken lightly. Audio manipulation is not currently monitored and so it is our responsibility to do our due diligence as sound strategists despite the fact that it isn’t “necessary”.  

This emerging tech is moving faster than laws and regulations can be set in place.  Upfront requirements disclosing the authenticity of the audio being put forth, as of now, is not required.  Synthetic technology is currently self-policed. It’s our responsibility to disclose all of our audio practices as regulations catch up with the innovation of the tech.

VaynerSmart

For developing a sound strategy, VaynerSmart and VaynerMedia prefers to approach their projects with clients with a low initial investment to find efficient ways to expose and evaluate performance and to streamline channel planning.  Proxy testing and pre-market testing creative ideas can be a huge time and financial investment. Vayner tends to go lower scale at first to test out ideas, get to know their client and their ultimate objectives for a sound identity and audio incorporation to create the right sound landscape (as well as the right financial investment) for that specific client.

All brands and companies are going to make a bunch of noise.  Are they creating them thoughtfully? If the objective and strategy is clear then go.  However, maybe the initial objective is just to experiment and play with some options.  

Find the brands’ core identity.  Be clear on what it’s trying to achieve.  Then create a plan that allows dynamic reach with a compass put in place.

Patrick also listed some examples of personal favorites of great sound advertising.  One was from an Under Armor campaign called “Click Clack”.  The other was a project where VaynerSmart worked alongside NPR and created an interactive version of the Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me Show for Alexa and Google Assistant Smart Speakers.