However, Michele Arnese, an advertising entrepreneur believes there has been a similar surge in ‘sounds.’ According to him, brands can only be complete with the help of AI.
According to Arnese, "More and more the sound of a brand is like liquid[…] It goes everywhere and takes its shape according to the customer experience."
In 2009, Arnese founded the AI-based music company – Amp – based in Munich. The company (now acquired by Landor&Fitch, a WWP advertising subsidiary) uses AI to create a wide range of sounds for businesses, from brief noise bursts when an app launches to extended compositions for things like podcasts and social media videos. The "sonic identity" of a brand is what he refers to as this.
Nowadays, AI has been exemplifying its capabilities, like reimagining films, creating music using the voices of artists, developing architectural drawings and much more. Thus, its significance in the world of advertising is also evident.
What can AI do for Sound in ‘Advertising’?
Arnese confirmed that humans have an important role in the company’s process. For instance, his in-house composers create a track called “Sonic DNA” of the brand, that lasts for around 90 seconds.
The initial task of AI is to ensure that these noises are distinct from those already employed by other businesses. Machine learning can also determine the impact and memorability of the music's trademark patterns.
Arnese argues that once this DNA is formed, the primary function of AI is to enable businesses to produce music on an industrial scale in order to meet the demands of digital channels.
Moreover, AI can produce infinite remixes of music from the provided DNA, serving varied tempos, moods and durations. Also, AI has become an easier and cheaper option for music enthusiasts, than buying individual pieces of music for the thousands of scenarios.
Arnese says, "These days no brand is on mute[…]Some brands upload a hundred videos to YouTube every week, and we asked ourselves, how can they afford it?"
However, scepticism still lurks in regard to the use of AI being a ‘game-changer’ for the advertising industry.
Molly Innes from Marketing Week warns that "People put a lot of money into things like the Metaverse, crypto and NFTs, all the things marketers got excited about, and now they've had to backtrack."
She says that many people in the advertising industry are now taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to AI, especially because of the lack of money to invest in it.
Arnese is adamant in his belief that AI will have a significant impact on advertising. He is also against the notion that there will be several job losses due to AI.
"AI is just another tool to do your job," he says.
"It presents an opportunity to be inspired by something unexpected [that the computer generates] in the creative process, that's how I use it.”
He says, "Ten years ago there was no such job as data scientist in the advertising industry, can you imagine? But now it is part of the normal team set up of an agency.”
"AI is here to stay, but it's not a replacement for humans."