Audio Branding

“I think one thing we mentioned just now, which is equanimity, that, of course, for them, they didn’t realize the word. It was also something, the word that I’ve learned over the pandemic, so I think that’s one thing where that equanimity, how you can stay grounded and centered, even if you are going through chaos, even if there is chaos in your head. So how you can stand grounded, and you can sound calm when you’re talking to people, and even also in the pandemic, a lot of times the leaders don’t know the answer either. So even if you don’t know the answer, even if you feel the future is uncertain, you can still come across as calm and certain with the people you’re leading.” – Cynthia ZhaiThis episode’s guest is a voice coach, Professional Speaker, and best-selling author. She’s also a two-time TEDx speaker, and she’s helped professionals from 56 countries across six continents learn how to speak with a powerful voice. Her name is Cynthia Zhai, and she’s been a professional speaker and coach for the past 23 years, with engagement spanning five continents in 25 countries. She’s also been on this podcast before, though it was pretty much at the very beginning of things in 2020. We had a lot to catch up on, and the topic of communicating effectively is more important than ever. If you want your voice to have more impact and influence, you won’t want to miss this discussion.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Developing Your Leadership VoiceAs our conversation starts, Cynthia shares the memories that have influenced her career in sound, such as hearing Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. “I think that speech itself, the voice with emotion, the voice with a lot of passion, that’s what really moved me,” she explains. “Plus, later on I heard about how the speech he delivered was not the original speech. I think that’s even more impressive.” We talk about how things have changed since her last appearance on the show and what inspired her second book. “The first book came out ten years ago, 2015,” she tells us, “so now, ten years later, some new ideas have come to me. I’ve got some new inspiration, plus all the different clients I work with, so there are even more case studies. And so that’s what I did.”(12:28) – Equanimity in LeadershipCynthia tells us about equanimity and how it guides her philosophy as a voice coach and speaker. “Equanimity is a Buddhist term that means that you stay centered and grounded even in the midst of chaos around you,” she says. “Even if you feel that it’s uncertain, you feel a little bit panicked, but as a leader that, when you lead, you have to still come across as calm, composed, and certain.” She tells us why having a soft voice is no obstacle to being a powerful speaker, and her approach to helping clients overcome the doubts that keep them from speaking with confidence. “It’s because there’s something that in their mind is holding them back,” she explains. “For example, they don’t dare to take up space. They have grown up in an environment where it’s not encouraged… Or there are clients who are fearful of visibility or even authority. Once they have all these, it will affect the way they speak.”(27:40) – Overcoming Stage FrightThe first half of our discussion comes to a close as Cynthia recalls how she ended up taking her own advice about journaling to get in touch with your inner self. “I’m going to do what I have told my clients to do,” she says. “So I wrote it down, and once I wrote down all the thoughts running through my head, I felt so relieved, I said, ‘Oh, okay.’ Then I went back to sleep.” She offers her tips for overcoming stage fright and talks about the importance, particularly these days, of showing empathy and understanding in public speech. “Since the pandemic, a lot of researchers have shown, and also it’s attested by many clients as well, that people are more and more towards leaders who show compassion,” she tells us. “That’s why that compassion has become a very key element when they’re speaking.”Episode SummaryCynthia explores how compassion shapes audience perception.Discussion on the meaning and value of equanimity for leaders.Strategies for managing anxiety before public speaking.Tune in for next week’s episode as we discuss just what it means to have gravitas, Cynthia’s techniques for building a stronger connection with your audience, and how her uncanny encounter with the voice clone of a favorite teacher showed her both the power and limitations of AI in sound.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

“I guess that’s encouraging, and it’s scary at the same time, because, you know, there are a lot of people in the industry that depend on the creativity that they’ve worked years and years and years to kind of master and to get to this point. And then all of a sudden, someone says, I don’t want to pay this person. Let’s just have AI do it. And, you know, it does a comparable job, if not better. So it’s something that I think as a creative, I try not to be fearful of, but I do think about it as a competitor and as an ally at the same time.” – Jayson JohnsonThis episode is the second half of my conversation with founder of Strike Five Films, Jayson Johnson, as Jayson shares his creative philosophy and advice to young filmmakers, the impact he sees AI having on the creative industries, and why the world, especially now, could use more comedy.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – The Power of Music in Film The second half of our discussion starts with Jayson’s firsthand experience with film scores and how a last-minute change to a climactic scene completely changed its tone. “We found an artist who made this really awesome song, and he was local, so he wasn’t signed quite yet, and I just approached him, I said, ‘Do you think that we could use your music?’" Jayson recalls. “And so we put that music in there, and that completely changed the dynamic of it.” He shares the advice that award-winning director Terry Zwigoff gave him, and how he only later came to appreciate its significance. “He said you just have to be yourself, and I was kind of disappointed with that answer because everyone’s looking for the hack,” he explains. “I realized that he was completely right, that… you have to be yourself and just do things that, you know, excite you. And in that way, it’s going to come across as authentic.”(12:30) – Advice for Aspiring FilmmakersJayson offers his thoughts about the AI boom and advances such as the now-discontinued Sora app from OpenAI, and his advice to young filmmakers. “I would suggest that they really think about what they want to accomplish with sound,” he says. “A lot of times people use sound as an afterthought, and I would ask them to think about what exactly they wanted to execute beforehand.” He tells listeners how they can get in touch and talks about some of his upcoming projects, including one movie genre that’s fallen out of the limelight in recent years. “I’m going to try my hand at comedy,” he explains, “because, you know, Hollywood says that comedy is dead, and I just don’t believe that. I think people need to laugh at things… You can root for the underdog and feel good leaving the theater and, just for two hours, you don’t have to think about the madness that’s going on in the world.”Episode SummaryDiscussion on how AI is shaping the future of film production.Jayson offers tips on how to integrate sound into storytelling effectively.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

“Sound is a really important part of how I make movies because I always tell people that if the sound is good and the picture is bad, then you’ll stick around to see what happens. However, if the sound is terrible and the picture is great, you’re out of there in like ten minutes. So sound is something that I always cherish. And I think that the right filmmaker who appreciates sound can really take advantage of what we think about and use, you know, the viewer’s imagination. A lot of film pictures start off in black and, you know, they just have the sound, so they really grab the audience’s attention right from the beginning. So sound is just such a powerful medium.” – Jayson JohnsonThis week’s guest is a filmmaker and the founder of Strike Five Films, an independent production company dedicated to authentic, character-driven storytelling. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, he began his career under the mentorship of Francis Ford Coppola, working on the Wine, Daydreams & Memories tour before producing over 1,400 hours of broadcast television for Discovery ID. Since founding Strike Five Films in 2017, he’s written, directed, and produced nine short films that have screened at more than ninety festivals worldwide, earning six awards. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets and is defined by themes of perseverance, community, and creativity.He’s currently in pre-production on his debut feature, R.O.G.E.R & Me, an offbeat, heartfelt film rooted in Richmond, CA, while continuing to mentor emerging filmmakers and expand his mission of fusing storytelling, social impact, and independent artistry. His name is Jayson Johnson, and if you’ve ever wondered how intentional sound can elevate storytelling and make a lasting impact on audiences, you won’t want to miss Jayson’s behind-the-scenes insights and practical tips.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – How Sound Captivates AudiencesWe start things off with the vivid impression sound made on Jayson as a child, and how it led him to a career in filmmaking. “One of the memories I have as a child,” he recalls, “is, you know, you’re sound asleep, and then all of a sudden, the vacuum cleaner goes on… that was kind of like an alarm clock for us, you know, because we always had chores.” He tells us more about his influences growing up and how a lifelong love of movies became a calling. “When I went to college,” he explains, “I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I signed up with Speech Communication, and they had a discipline of Radio, TV, and Film. And I just tried out everything.”(11:27) – Sound Techniques in FilmmakingJayson tells us more about his early years in the industry and how a chance job opening led to an encounter with Sofia and Francis Ford Coppola. “I put out all these resumes, I don’t even know how many I put out,” he tells us. “Probably a hundred or so. No one called me except for this one place, and I said, ‘Oh, it’s a winery. I’ll go there.’ And it happened to be Francis Coppola Winery.” He recalls his work on Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, and the lessons about sound that Marin Scorsese’s classic Goodfellas taught him to apply to his own films. “We see the cars explode,” he explains, “and Scorsese wants the audience to feel the emotion of that scene by not saying anything and just adding that little pause in there and, you know, letting the audience feel the gravity of the moment.”Episode SummaryExploring how silence enhances emotional depth in storytelling.Jayson discusses the sound techniques he’s used in his films.Tune in for next week’s episode as we talk about how music can transform a film, both for better and for worse, his thoughts about the emergence of AI videos and virtual celebrities like Tilly Norwood, and why he considers sound to be the first step in his creative process as a filmmaker.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

“When I do see really powerful sonic branding, it’s impressive. It stands out, you know? There was one I looked at, it was a luxury airline, or it was a luxury-like experience, I want to say. They sold, like, really specific vacations to remote parts of the world that were really luxury experiences and really interesting, and they had a really cohesive sonic branding that wasn’t music. It was just an intentional sound design approach where they had a lot of the sounds of the place, and they really focused on a sense of place. So when it was in Japan, it would be the sound of that water bamboo thing, you know, really magnified. And then the sound of an old wooden gate closing, and then the sound of someone folding a paper crane, like really delicate, beautifully recorded sounds that they would shape into the commercial. And so that wasn’t music, but every single ad had the same kind of vibe of this really intentional, beautiful sound design that evoked a sense of place. And that was just so cool. And so, when I see something like that, I’m like, ‘That’s what you can do. Why are you doing random samples when you could have a really nice effect and memorable impression?’" – Caitlyn TrevorThis episode is the second half of my chat with sonic UX researcher Caitlyn Trevor as we discuss how culture can dramatically change UX impressions, the value of sound in strengthening brand, and her “Sound Effects” series on LinkedIn, exploring the link between sound and behavior.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Making the Most of a Sonic ImpressionThe second half of our conversation begins with Caitlyn’s findings when it comes to improving on-hold UX phone design, including her discovery that less is more when it comes to automated voice updates and commercials. “You’re like, ‘Oh, thank God,’" she recalls from her research results, “But if it’s just, ‘We want to tell you about our special new…’ You’re like, ‘Oh.’ And so it was a stress thing for them every time they heard a voice, they thought, ‘Oh, someone’s answering.’ And then when it was a commercial, they were extra annoyed by the commercial.” We talk about some other sound design elements that defy common sense, such as research showing that fire alarms aren’t very well attuned to the human brain. “I found that the typical fire alarm is not the most effective,” she tells us. “You know, this kind of house alarm, like, it’s at around 3,000 Hz, really high-pitched. This is not great. A lower-pitched one around, I think it was 500 Hz, is actually more effective at waking people up.”(15:00) – How Sound Changes the Customer ExperienceCaitlyn tells us more about the unexpected results of research into our relationship with sound, including our smartphones. “When you turn off notifications completely,” she notes, “you actually check your phone more than if you leave them on because you have this like, fear of missing out… People who had their phones on mute picked up their phones 48 more times per day and spent 52 extra minutes on their phones.” We talk about what that research means for audio branding and making a positive customer impression, and we discuss the powerful, often-overlooked impact of sonic logos. “There’s an IPSO study as well,” Caitlyn recalls, “that wasn’t actually about sonic branding specifically, but the results were really flattering for sonic branding. It was something like if you have a sonic logo, it increases brand recall by, I think it was like 96%. It was really crazy.”(21:40) – The Future of Audio BrandingOur conversation comes to a close as Caitlyn shares her thoughts on the power of sound and what her research has shown about its impact on the human mind. “I think sometimes, you know, sound is such an afterthought,” she explains, “and people don’t remember that it actually has a really big impact on the experience. I think that’s becoming a bit clearer with people caring more about neurodivergence and sound sensitivity.” She tells listeners how they can get in touch, and adds her advice on how brands can make the strongest and most consistent sonic impression on their customer base. “The more time you spend with stimuli,” she notes, “whatever it is, a song, a picture, the longer you look at it, hear it, the more you like it. So when you’re doing ratings of emotion or, I don’t know, familiarity, likability, that’s going to affect it. But, you know, we know this, and somehow we don’t use it sometimes.”Episode SummaryCaitlin discusses the impact of sonic branding on client relationships.The impact of sound on brand perception, ratings, and customer loyalty.How Caitlin’s research is redefining audio branding and marketing.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

“Our brain really prioritizes vocal signals. They’re super important to the brain because human communication is a really big priority for us as a species. It’s a deep signal in our brain, right? And so, we were seeing a stronger reaction to the screams than to the music, and that sort of makes sense. There were more intricacies to that, but I can’t really remember the exact brain areas and all that. But it was cool to see that. Yeah, it is sort of mimicking, but our brain really separates them. You know, it may still get sort of a response, a same kind of fearful response, but it’s not going to be as powerful as the voice, um, which makes sense because music is not real, right? There’s a difference between a real stimulus and this sort of artistic one. Yeah, so it was interesting.” – Caitlyn TrevorThis episode’s guest is an award-winning researcher and musician with over a decade of experience studying how people perceive and respond to sound. She holds a PhD in Music Theory from Ohio State University and has published her work in top journals. She was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship to study music and neuroscience, and she’s professionally certified in user research. As a musician, she has a Master’s in Cello Performance, has composed an award-winning short film score, and has designed sound for theater and film. At SonicUXR, she leads with both credibility and creative empathy, equipping sound teams with the tools to create more intentional, impactful audio.Her name is Caitlyn Trevor, and her work is reshaping how sound is understood, valued, and designed across industries. If you’ve ever wondered how sound really works on us, this conversation will change the way you listen.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Lighting a Musical FireOur conversation starts with Caitlyn’s early impressions of sound, particularly the moment that sparked her love of orchestral music. “I came across on the floor like a little cassette tape and a cassette player, and I popped it in and just hit play while we were chatting, and it was the Lord of the Rings soundtrack,” she recalls. “I was a little too young when it came out, the first one, and I was just captivated by it. I mean, I was like, ‘Wow, what is this?’” We discuss the chance encounter during her musical studies that turned her focus towards music cognition and the neuroscience behind sound. “There was a lecture I went to totally by chance,” she tells us. “It was a new music theory professor, and the lecture was about music cognition, and I had never heard of it before. And I was like, ‘This is just the coolest field I’ve ever heard of.’ And I totally was on board after that.”(15:00) – Pianto Sighs and Psycho ViolinsOur discussion turns to her research on the connection between music and the brain’s primal response to voices. “In sad music,” Caitlyn explains, “there’s something called the pianto topic, which is essentially just a half-step falling motion, like, which is supposed to mimic a sigh. But, you know, that’s quite abstract… Whereas the psycho violin, you know, sounds very much like a scream.” She tells us about the birth of her daughter and how her career shifted from academia to the private sector. “I think a lot of academics are scared that’s going to happen, that it’s going to feel like, I don’t know, maybe they wasted all that time,” she says. “I was prepared that I may not be able to continue doing music cognition, and I’m very happy that that hasn’t been the case. That was surprising.”(21:40) – Putting Audio Theory to PracticeCaitlyn tells us more about her work on UX research, and how it quickly and unexpectedly led to her focus on phone trees and hold-time experiences. “They hadn’t thought about the phone tree for that,” she recalls. “They just mentioned it, like, ‘Oh, and we’re also doing the phone tree and the on-hold music.’ And I was like, ‘Wait, that would be great for me to work on… somebody needs to do UX on that [because[ it’s the worst.’" She talks about the advantage of being able to put her findings to use, something that hadn’t been so easy at the university. “What I like about my new position,” Caitlyn explains, “as opposed to working in academia, is synthesizing it in a way that’s accessible… I never really did that in academia. It was always just about supporting your hypothesis, explaining the results. But now I get to say this research shows me that we should compose it this way.”Episode SummaryCaitlin shares her journey from Lord of the Rings to the science of sound.The evolutionary origins of music and its impact on the brain.Caitlin’s work in UX research and creating a better phone-hold experience.Tune in for next week’s episode as we discuss the results of Caitlyn’s studies into on-hold UX design and phone trees, why unpleasant sounds are sometimes the better choice in automobile UX, and what she’s learned about the long-term return on investment when it comes to sonic branding.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy