As voiceover industry professionals, we all know how important sound is to a brand. Consistent audio branding gives companies a distinct advantage in their marketing and advertising efforts.
While we all know this to be true, not everyone does – so how do we explain it? In other words, how can you demonstrate to potential clients why they should hire you, what you can offer them, how you can take their sonic branding to the next level?
Lucky for us, CSM voiceover talent, Jodi Krangle, answers this question every week on her podcast “Audio Branding: The Hidden Gem of Marketing.” Jodi explores how audio impacts people in different ways and in different parts of their lives. She shows why sound is something companies should pay attention to and leverage as a tool, and subsequently, why they should prioritize hiring voice talent.
And for voice actors, Jodi breaks down the science behind the art of VO, and why your work is so valuable. She’s got over 170 episodes for you to check out, but we’ve identified five staff picks to get started:
1. Episode 23: Why Audio Branding? – Tips on How To Be Intentional With Your Sound
In this episode, Jodi simply defines audio branding as “a brand or podcast’s emotional shorthand, the quickest way to your listener’s heart.” Every client wants to connect with their audience and make them feel a certain way, and audio branding is a surefire way to do so.
Professionalism, consistency, efficacy – hear Jodi explain in just eight and a half minutes how these principles will guarantee success for a brand’s sonic identity. Then take it a step further and think how you can implement this in your VO work.
2. Episodes 145 & 146: A Sixth Sense for Sound: An Interview With Colleen Fahey (Part 1 | Part 2)
Okay, we admit it, we might be including more than five episodes in our rec list. But this two-part interview with Colleen Fahey – the US Managing Director of Sixiéme Son, a Paris-based unique sonic branding agency – is worth drifting from our self-made rules for.
Colleen has helped companies like Michelin, Huggies, USAA Insurance, and many more find their distinct audio branding. In these episodes, she and Jodi dive into the power of really using your ears, how audio branding can influence people without them even knowing, and why small companies need audio branding, too.
3. Episode 55: A World of Living Sound
Step outside your voiceover lens of sound for just over seven minutes with this episode about the general soundscape of the world around us. Jodi defines the three types of sound – geophony, biophony, and anthropophony – and paints a picture of what each looks like in our day-to-day life.
Some sounds have been around since the dawn of time, and others are completely unique to the era we live in now. What hasn’t changed and never will is the omnipresence and importance of sound as a whole.
4. Episodes 19 & 20: Interview with Audio Alchemist, Steve Keller (Part 1 | Part 2)
Another two-for-one! Steve Keller is a Sonic Strategy Director for Studio Resonate, an in-house audio-first creative agency, for brands that advertise on SXM Media’s platforms, such as Pandora, SiriusXM, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. But perhaps the best way to describe Steve is as an Audio Alchemist, blending sound science and sound art together to create powerful audio identities for brands.
Jodi and Steve dive into the KPIs that prove the value of sonic investments, how sound can affect other senses, how important it is for brands to devote time to their audio brand alongside their visual brand, among many other interesting topics.
5. Episode 100: An Audio Retrospective – Celebrating 100 Episodes
For our final episode recommendation, we have Jodi’s 100th episode titled “An Audio Retrospective.” Jodi uses this time to explain why she started the podcast, what she’s learned along the way, and how she’s excited to continue this journey of discovery in future episodes.
Jodi even suggests a few of her favorite episodes for listeners to go back and check out, so if you want her opinion in addition to ours, give this episode a listen.
The work you do as a voiceover professional is important and provides significant value to your clients. This podcast is a great start for you to know your own worth and be able to articulate it. And if you are craving more resources, check out the two guides below, also by Jodi:
- Five Tips for Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy
- Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest
Listened to one of Jodi’s episodes? We’d love to hear about your newfound insights and inspirations from her podcast. Tell us about it in the comments!
