Stop, Hey, What's That Sound? And Why Do I Feel A Sudden Urge To Buy Something?

Interesting if slightly creepy article at Fast Company about “addictive sounds.” Author and “neuromarketing” consultant Martin Lindstrom’s collaborated with Elias Sound productions on a study that “wired up 50 volunteers and measured their galvanic, pupil and brainwave responses to sounds using the latest neuroscience-based research methods.”

Let’s fly right past any questions about the study’s definition of “addictive” or the validity of those “latest neuroscience-based research methods” and get to the results. (All sounds can be heard at the Fast Company article.) Lindstrom divides the sounds tested into two categories: branded and non-branded.

Here are the top ten with both categories combined:
1. Baby giggle
2. Intel
3. Vibrating phone
4. ATM / cash register
5. National Geographic
6. MTV
7. T-Mobile Ringtone
8. McDonald’s
9. ‘Star Spangled Banner’
10. State Farm

Here are the top 10 branded sounds:
1. Intel
2. National Geographic
3. MTV
4. T-Mobile
5. McDonald’s
7. State Farm
8. AT&T; Ringtone
9. Home Depot
10 Palm Treo Ringtone

National Geographic’s prominence is surprising, no? I’d be curious to know where the sound of Microsoft windows opening ranked. And it’s probably best to note that Elias Sound created the MTV theme and that Lindstrom is an advisor to McDonald’s executives.

Here are the top 10 non-branded sounds:
1. Baby giggle
2. Vibrating phone
3. ATM / cash register
4. ‘Star Spangled Banner’
5. Sizzling steak
6. ‘Hail to the Chief’
7. Cigarette light and inhale
8. ‘Wedding March’
9. ‘Wish Upon a Star’
10. Late Night with David Letterman Theme

Testimony to the genius of Timbaland (who actually sampled the cooing baby he used to help make Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?” such a huge smash no. 1 hit from the end of Prince’s “Delirious.”) And Pink Floyd and Dr. Dre. Strange to learn that the David Letterman theme song is not “branded.” And sad that the sounds of crashing waves and chirping birds, which were both used in the study, did not crack the top ten. You’d think the fizz of a carbonated beverage being poured would have been up there. And I wonder whether they did a fart?

Disturbingly, but probably accurately, Lindstrom concludes that,

As marketers become more aware of the power of sound, it will be used to increase brand recognition in increasingly sophisticated ways. It’s just a matter of time before our brains hear sizzling steaks, newly lit cigarettes and sparkling sodas, and immediately register them as Outback, Marlboro and Dr. Pepper.

Man, whichever human cloning company locks down that baby giggle is going to make a fortune.