Non-musical sound branding – a conceptualization and research overview

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of sound branding by developing a new conceptual framework and providing an overview of the research literature on non-musical sound.

Design/methodology/approach
Using four mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive types of non-musical sound, the paper assesses and synthesizes 99 significant studies across various scholarly fields.

Findings
The overview reveals two areas in which more research may be warranted, that is, non-musical atmospherics and non-musical sonic logos. Moreover, future sound-branding research should examine in further detail the potentials of developed versus annexed object sounds, and mediated versus unmediated brand sounds.

Research limitations/implications
The paper provides important insights into critical issues that suggest directions for further research on non-musical sound branding.

Practical implications
The paper identifies an unexploited terrain of possibilities for the use of sound in marketing and branding.

Originality/value
The paper identifies a subfield within sound-branding research that has received little attention despite its inevitability and potential significance.