“I think there’s a responsibility to know that if you’re emotionally connecting people, if you know that we have the power to persuade, in a way, that is, that wields real results and real people, like let’s not manipulate, you know? Let’s make sure that that’s an authentic thing that needs, that you’re creating and you’re not driving something fake. You’re not driving, because it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be, they’re gonna smoke it out anyway at some point in time. It’s not gonna work.” -- Adam Pleiman

This episode’s the second half of my conversation with Grammy-nominated engineer, producer, musician, and Play Audio Agency creative director Adam Pleiman, as we talk about how he’s working to make the world sound better, about the surprising role ASMR played in Play Audio’s recent Sport Clip ad campaign, and the importance of honesty when it comes to consumers.

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A Better-Sounding Place

The second half of our discussion starts as Adam talks about what he considers his evolving mission as an audio creator. “Our mission,” he says, “is to make the world a better-sounding place.” We talk about the boundaries he believes should be maintained for the sake of respecting his audience. “There are certain things,” Adam explains, “that we will draw a line on and certain things we won’t do because it would be irresponsible and hurtful to the industry.” He tells us how he brings all the different parts of a company’s brand and the audio resources at his disposal into a cohesive sonic identity, and how rewarding it is to see everything come together. “I mean,” he says, “it gives me goosebumps to think that it’s that much more effective when it’s all tied in across the board, you know?”

What No One Else Is Doing

We talk about one particularly recent and successful example, the now-famous ASMR audio spot for Sport Clips, and how the idea grew from its first inspiration to an acclaimed finished product. “It was an interesting challenge,” Adam tells us, “to go, well, ‘what’s unique? You know, what are you doing that no one else is doing?’ Do they have unique sounds? And what can we do to illustrate those to a listener?” We listen to a clip and talk a bit about the process of creating an authentic ASMR experience, and how it worked to bolster Sport Clips’ brand recognition. “The stats on it were outstanding as a brand lift,” he says. “Brand awareness had like a 15% jump. It was outstanding.”

The Ocean for Me

As the episode comes to a close, Adam tells us what he sees in store for the future of audio branding, and how, with the U.S. market historically lagging but quickly catching up, there’s a lot of opportunity for marketing innovation. “We’re on the growth side now in the States,” he says, “and we’re on awareness and an education push in the States. But once we get over that hump, it’s gonna be the same as the visual side.” He shares how he sees audio branding following the same trajectory as visual branding in decades past, and his sense of optimism about where it’s all heading. “I mean, the ocean for me in this space is pretty blue right now. You know, I think there’s a lot coming.”

Episode Summary

• The power of audio branding and the responsibility of its creators
• How Play Audio works to bring company brands together into a unique sound
• Going behind the scenes of Sport Clips’ ASMR-based ad campaign
• The future of audio branding and its untapped potential in the U.S.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://playaudioagency.com/

Connect with Adam Pleiman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adampleiman/

Connect with Play Audio Agency on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/play-audio-agency/

Follow Play Audio Agency on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playaudioagency/

Follow Play Audio Agency on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/play_audio_agency/

Connect with Adam Pleiman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/adampleiman/

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Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/