The Sound of Your Brand

Emotion can be influenced in interesting ways. For example, did you know that the name of your company can influence emotion—and not just because of the connotation of the word? For example, a name like Kim’s Cookies can make us happy because we love cookies. But there’s another reason: recent research has shown that the sound of a brand can create positive emotions. In particular, a name that includes repetition of sound was found to generate positive feelings in those who heard the name. Kim’s Cookies is pleasing because of the repetition of the k sound. This attraction to repetitive sounds may be hardwired. I remember when my son began talking, he would get so excited saying sounds that repeated: “Mommy, mommy, mommy!” Repeated sounds are easy on the ears and make us feel good.

On the flip side, complicated sounds or names that people cannot pronounce lead to negative emotions. You might not want to change your name, but you can use a difficult to pronounce name to your advantage. You can call yourself Nancy “G” or Dr. “B.” This not only reduces the negative emotions people would experience if they couldn’t say your name, but it sounds familiar and friendly, which enhances likeability. Assuming that others in your field are not doing it, it also uses the Attention Grabber 2 and helps you stand out. You could also give a mnemonic. People are not always sure how my name is pronounced, so I sometimes say, “Larina like a boat marina.” Just be sure that what you are associating yourself with has a pleasant meaning.