Sound & Packaging

The impact of sound on people’s emotions, behaviours and decisions has been well-established by numerous scientific research. Sound can influence the way we perceive and experience things. In branded spaces, the use of sound is crucial to enhance effective and engaging customer experiences. Music strongly impacts product choice, time spent in-store, sales, perception of shopping time and perception of the store. However, physical environments are not the only touchpoints where sound can be used strategically to enhance and augment the brand experience.

In the previous decades, much interest has been given to the development of branded sounds like catchy jingles and auditory logos. These sounds are distinctive signature sounds, they can be representative of specific brands and may convey benefit in terms of the consumer’s product experience or brand impression. However, auditory cues have been found to be impactful also if they are associated with the packaging of a product.

Previous research on food and beverages has shown that the sound of these products almost allows us to understand how they will taste. Moreover, they also influence our hedonic expectations concerning how much we will enjoy it. In the same sense, we should start to consider a proper relationship between packaging and the appropriate use of sound.
Packaging is a critical aspect for brands, it is the outfit of the product. The design and presentation of packaging are key components of the customer experience. It conveys the brand image, generates attention and product engagement.

An effective packaging design can grab attention, delight and engage consumers. A good way to do so is to insert elements that defy the expectations, to which the customers will react more favourably. The sound that a product packaging makes when consumers pick it up off the shelf, when they handle it, or when they open or close it, can influence their multisensory product experience. Such sound can lead customers towards improved engagement and create positive associations with the product, leading further to a better product experience.

A great example of the use of sound in packaging has been done by Jason Mayden, the founder of Super Heroic, a design-led company that sells children’s shoes. The goal of the company is to convince the kids that they’re a superhero. To elicit such an experience, Mayden has created great packaging where sound plays a fundamental role. The shoes are packed in a large cardboard cylinder and if one end is pulled, the shoes emerge and a video game-inspired sound effect is evident. If the cylinder is put under one arm, instead, the shoes pulled out mimic the motion of unsheathing a sword from its scabbard. Moreover, the shoes come with what Mayden calls a “utility cape”: a drawstring backpack that includes a cape emblazoned with the company’s lightning bolt logo. Mayden’s packaging is a great example of how sound could be used to augment the unboxing experience and enhance the meaning of the product inside.

It comes without saying that well-designed packaging can be truly effective for delivering a multisensory experience in addition to augmenting the product’s meaning. A well-designed product can be the perfect symbol of a brand. It can represent it in its best form. In this context, sound is what can make the difference and help brands achieve a competitive advantage. Sound associated with packaging can help brands deliver amazing customer experiences that will also contribute to the forming of long-lasting relationships with their customers.