“For example, like, even commercials, there’s that one commercial for the Indian casinos. And my wife loves the song, and she knows it’s actually a singer that’s produced it. And she always thinks about that casino, you know, she doesn’t gamble, but every time she hears that song, it goes back to that feeling like, oh yeah, it’s about the good time. It’s about, you know, gambling, right? So now we’re moving to association. So, the sound has a lot of association to, um, that, to that ‘expectation’ or the actual experience itself.” – Howard Lim

This episode’s guest is an award-winning business and brand architect who designs businesses from the inside out. He’s a disruptive innovator who shifts paradigms, and his boutique, full-service firm, How Creative, partners with business owners worldwide to develop and execute world-class, leading businesses and authentic brands. He’s been a highly sought-after speaker, author, and organization advisor for over thirty-five years, and he’s represented everyone from emerging entrepreneurs to established Fortune 100 companies, including Apple, Disney, Paramount, Xerox, Oracle, Cirque du Soleil, Mattel, AT&T, and HP. His contributions have added billions to clients’ profits while increasing both brand value and company equity.

His name is Howard Lim, and in this discussion, we’ll be getting his perspective on how the large companies he’s worked with are using sound for better brand recognition and to make deeper connections with their potential clients. We’ll also find out where he thinks companies could take this into the future. Things are changing fast these days, so keep listening so you can learn what you can do to keep ahead of the game.

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(0:00:01) - Influencing Branding Through Sonic Sound

The first half of our conversation starts as Howard shares what a childhood crush and a memorable Bob Dylan song taught him about the power of sound. “Every time I heard that song it put me back in that space and that time and that exact location,” he says. “So music has definitely influenced my experiences and my memories.” Our discussion turns to his recent work with retailers in creating the right soundscape, and he tells us more about the subtle, almost subliminal, impressions that sound can make on shoppers. “A lot of people confuse marketing, for example, with branding, and marketing is much more tactical,” Howard explains. “It happens on a subconscious level. They might not think that they’re ready for it, but believe me, it’s happening to them. They’re just unaware of it.”

(0:15:24) - Challenges With Dialogue in Surround Sound

We talk about the recent trend toward over-mixing audio in cinema, and Howard points out the trouble with relying too much on Foley effects and post-production. “They didn’t figure to, like, edit a certain part of the dialogue,” he notes, “so some of it gets static and it’s like, why is it staticky? Obviously, someone didn’t work on that part of the dialogue, that segment of the dialogue, and you can really hear the difference.” He does share one experience with sound that’s stood the test of time. “I’ve never heard a concert sound so good,” Howard recalls a recent Rolling Stones concert, “because Mick Jagger’s voice was crystal clear, like, it wasn’t overrun by the tone of the instruments. But the volume was there when it came to the music, and it was, like, it was so well done. It blew me away.”

(0:18:51) - Sound Mixing Complexity in Cinemas

As the first part of our discussion comes to a close, the topic turns to how modern sound systems and advances in audio can actually get in the way of making a good sonic impression. “It gets more complicated, more integrated,” he says, “as far as separating things out, the sound versus the dialogue, as the stereo systems get more complex with the amount of speakers you could attach.”

Episode Summary

The profound impact of music and sound on branding, marketing, and consumer behavior.
How modern sound mixing is working to catch up with the latest technology.
The challenge of getting the right mix in different settings, from concerts to IMAX.

Tune in for part two of our conversation as we talk about building a brand personality with the right audio design, how insurance companies helped blazed a trail with such figures as Flo and the Gecko, and the work that goes into choosing the right sounds, inside and out, in electric vehicles.

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Influencing Branding Through Sound: A Conversation with Howard Lim - Part 1