Call us nostalgic romantic. It saddens us when we know so many sounds are becoming endangered species, especially those related to technology. It is not difficult to imagine that the connection sound of a fax machine, the loading sound of a cassette tape, and the typing sound of a typewriter will soon meet the same fate as the Dodo bird when these technologies eventually fade out, tears shedding here.
Yet, those sounds can be fun and entertaining, and they’re just timeless.
Although we always associated the dial-up tone of a modem with the impatient waiting and the slow connection speed, it is part of our history and in an age of fast pace, the sense of anticipation that comes with the waiting still clings on us. We do miss it like an old friend.
Indeed, sound is such a wonderful memory aid that helps to build rapport between a product and its customers. Who could forget the wonderful jingle of Maybelline, “Maybe She’s Born With It, Maybe it’s Maybelline” or the four-note theme of Intel Inside?
And the branded ringtones of Nokia and Sony Ericsson are so integrated into people’s life that they can be smartly promoted in a TV drama without even showing their phones.
The campaign of Alka-Seltzer’s “Plop Plop Fizz Fizz” was such a sensation because it gave life to a tablet and isn’t it the kind of contagious device we always seek? So next time when you want to come up with a viral campaign, don’t miss out the chance on a few magical melodic notes.