Challenges in Integration and Retailer Resistance
In 2017, Visa Inc. invested a significant portion of its marketing budget and more than a year to develop a unique sound that would resonate from payment terminals whenever customers used their Visa cards to make purchases.
Fast forward over five years, and the cheerful two-chord melody of Visa’s signature sound remains largely unheard at physical stores across the United States. The same holds true for the sonic logos of Mastercard Inc. and American Express Co., which have struggled to find a prominent place at cash registers.
The sonic logos, crafted by these three major payment companies, have remained silent in many instances due to a combination of outdated hardware, the need for software updates, and retailer hesitation. These obstacles underscore the challenges faced by marketers when attempting to embed their brands in non-traditional advertising spaces.
A spokesperson from Visa acknowledged the complexities inherent in physical retail, including technical limitations and the life cycle of point-of-sale systems. They also attributed the slower adoption of sonic logos to the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical retail over the past three years.
The Struggle of Sonic Logos in Brick-and-Mortar Stores
Mastercard introduced its 1.3-second jingle in 2019, which has gradually made its way to point-of-sale terminals worldwide. However, integration into store systems in Europe and the U.S. has proven more time-consuming compared to countries like Australia and Indonesia, according to a Mastercard spokesperson. The process of securing support from multinational banks, tech manufacturers, and merchants to enable the playing of the chipper percussive riff when customers pay with Mastercard has been described as an arduous and lengthy endeavor.
American Express also unveiled its sonic logo in 2019, with the promise that it would be played globally at card terminals. However, a spokesperson for American Express stated that the sonic logo currently features only in marketing channels such as brand videos and is not played at credit card terminals. Further details were not provided.
Integrating sonic logos at checkouts is kind of difficult !
Sonic logos, akin to shortened jingles, are frequently utilized in TV and radio advertisements, as well as on a company’s own platforms, services, and devices. They serve to establish a sense of continuity in advertising across various media, including television, radio, streaming platforms, podcasts, and voice assistants. Moreover, these logos can act as a seal of quality, enhancing brand recall and fostering trust among consumers.
As consumers increasingly engage with brands through screenless interfaces such as smart speakers, sonic logos become essential for establishing brand authenticity in applications and experiences. Similar to how a brand’s website prominently displays its logo, these audio cues create familiarity and trust.
However, when it comes to integrating sonic logos at checkouts, marketers encounter yet another hurdle: retailer aversion. Parviz Mukhamadkulov, founder of Poetica Coffee, a chain of New York cafes, opposes the idea of adding sound features to their point-of-sale system. Mr. Mukhamadkulov believes in providing a simple, ad-free environment where customers can enjoy quality time with friends and family.
Sonic branding can communicate trust to customers
Payment companies argue that sonic logos at cash registers can communicate trust to customers, similar to the credit card logos displayed in store windows. With the rising popularity of mobile payments, where users may not even notice which digital card or payments provider they are using, companies view sound as an opportunity to reclaim lost branding ground.
Dominic Burnham, a sonic brand consultant at Resonance, explains that payments providers find themselves sandwiched between retailers and tech platforms, both of which have an incentive to own the point-of-sale moment sonically. As more consumers rely on mobile devices for payments, providers seek to establish a sonic presence that resonates with customers.
In the evolving landscape of consumer transactions, the melody of sonic logos is struggling to find its place in physical stores. Overcoming technical challenges and navigating retailer resistance will be crucial for these auditory branding tools to thrive in the world of brick-and-mortar retail.
Photo de Khamkéo Vilaysing sur Unsplash
