The Power of Music in Advertising: From the 1970s to the Future of Sonic Branding

Music has played an integral part in advertising for nearly a century, and it continues to influence consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. Ads featuring music are not only more memorable, but they evoke strong emotions and build emotional connections. Recent research conducted by Kantar found a strong relationship between consumers who enjoy music in an ad and those who feel an emotional connection with the advertiser. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) also found that TV ads that use music are 20-30% more effective than those without music. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), some artists are now using AI in the production process to create music with predetermined emotionality, pushing the boundaries of music in hitherto unimagined directions. As the next stage of sonic branding, the prospect of using music to influence and nudge consumers into becoming customers is a very real and exciting possibility.