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Who’s your favourite Bond? No seriously, have a think. Is it suave Sean Connery? Rugged Daniel Craig? Underrated one-off George Lazenby?
Everyone has a favourite, yet they’re all so clearly part of the same canon. That’s because the James Bond ‘brand’ is as strong as they come. Inherently British, the epitome of cool. When you ask ten people to think of what they associate with Bond, you’d likely get ten different answers, with everyone thinking of a different film, actor, quip or song. After 26 films, spanning nearly 60 years, with a combined gross Box Office revenue of $7bn (and that’s without adjusting for inflation), and the highly anticipated No Time To Die seeing James Bond’s biggest UK box office opening ever, the spy that everybody loves is a cultural force to be reckoned with.
Nearly 60 years since Vic Flack was paid just £6 to strum the famous riff, the Bond theme still manages to evoke simultaneous waves, nostalgia and excitement, without sounding dated.
And whilst the characterisation of Bond has evolved to fit each decade, some things have always stayed the same.
Shaken, not stirred. Fast cars. Gadgets and gizmos aplenty. The (genuinely) iconic theme tune.
Threaded through each film in the series are unmistakable motifs that ensure, even without anyone having to speak, the audience knows they’re watching a Bond film.
Nearly 60 years since Vic Flack was paid just £6 to strum the famous riff, the Bond theme still manages to evoke simultaneous waves, nostalgia and excitement, without sounding dated. And it’s something that all of us in the creative industries should take note of.
Credits
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- Production Company Rattling Stick/USA
- Director Daniel Kleinman
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Credits
powered by
- Production Company Rattling Stick/USA
- Director Daniel Kleinman
Credits
powered by
- Production Company Rattling Stick/USA
- Director Daniel Kleinman
The recent release of Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die is a timely reminder that an enduring sonic heritage is a truly powerful thing. From its muted trumpet counter-melody early in the song, to the Bond ‘twang’ at the very, very end, it’s so clearly a Bond theme and yet somehow doesn’t sound like anything that came before it. The franchise has taken this to the next level, not only with an array of iconic Bond songs, but also by audibly watermarking each film in moments of suspense, romance and drama. This level of subtle, but recognisable, sonic branding is something that many brands are only just beginning to consider.
Developing an instantly recognisable brand sound and voice is becoming essential.
To this day even some of the most influential brands revert to a sonic logo as their main audible asset and some very successful so; think McDonald's, Intel and Disney.
As the world evolves from visual to voice and amidst the rise of audio-only channels, consumers are increasingly engaging with brands across a whole new array of channels. So developing an instantly recognisable brand sound and voice is becoming essential. But as James Bond teaches us, it isn’t just about a single tune or ‘sonic logo’. As brands engage with consumers with more differentiated storytelling across multiple sonic touchpoints – from branded content, storytelling on social media or podcasts (not to mention AR and VR experiences) – marketers need to be harnessing 007 and embedding a Sonic DNA® within their brand.
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Above: amp's film discecting the Bond Sonic DNA® (All Images and Music courtesy of MGM)
It’s not about creating a single static jingle, there’s a long-term game to be played here. Firstly, the sonic branding has to work in (forgive me) harmony with the visual brand. The Sonic DNA® should build brand recognition yet give you maximum flexibility. It needs to be easily identifiable, and yet be seamlessly deployable across multiple touchpoints, fitting the form and function of each point of use, whether that’s an ad, on-hold music, in-store or otherwise. Thinking again of Bond, whether it’s Shirley Bassey or Adele, you somehow intrinsically know it’s a Bond song. It needs to be the same for a truly consistent brand experience.
James Bond may switch from drinking a Vodka Martini to a Heineken (thank you product placement) but he’s still always 007.
As that ‘consumer experience’ - which used to be as simple as what you wanted your storefront to look like - fragments into an ever more complicated myriad of channels, the need for that brand consistency can only increase. Marketplaces like Amazon and Depop are already beginning to own the space that brands themselves would sit in and own.
James Bond may switch from drinking a Vodka Martini to a Heineken (thank you product placement) but he’s still always 007. Similarly, a brand’s SonicDNA® needs to be inconsistently consistent, unrecognisably recognisable, and unconsciously conscious.
Sonic branding – like diamonds – should be forever.
