5 Questions with Alex Moulton: Bringing the 2011 Audio Branding Congress to NYC

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, MANHATTAN: When SonicScoop first heard that the 2011 Audio Branding Congress (ABC) was going to take place in New York City, we were intrigued. Held the two previous years in Hamburg, Germany, the annual consortium sees experts converging on music, sound design, branding, marketing, and cognitive research – why was it coming across the pond?

Alex Moulton of Expansion Team took more than a passing interest in the Audio Branding Congress.

Alex Moulton, the Founder/Creative Director of NYC audio branding/sound design/original music house Expansion Team was part of the group that recruited the ABC to go West.

We nabbed him for 5 questions – plus an irresistible bonus query! – to explain what to expect from this year’s Congress, being held Thursday, November 17 on the beautiful Columbia University campus.

Alex, when you attended the ABC last year, what were your impressions of the event – what was unique about the experience, and what did you take away from it?

At the 2010 ABC in Hamburg I presented a case study covering our ongoing audio brand identity work for CNN International. It was a fun presentation where I took the audience through the history of news music, so there was a lot to learn but also a lot to laugh at.

But even though I was prepared for my presentation, nothing could have prepared me for what I learned from everyone else. I walked in thinking that I was an expert and knew a lot about audio branding, but left feeling like I had only touched the surface. That’s a really incredible, inspiring and humbling takeaway from any event, and it just blew my mind.

Do you know this phrase “You don’t know what you know?” It was exactly that. There was such an amazing sense of community, openness and sharing that I had never seen at a conference setting and it was intoxicating.

What made you feel that the ABC would be even better served if took place in NYC – and why did you/Expansion Team take an active role in moving it over here for 2011?

The Congress brings together audio, music and brand experts from around the world. This year we have attendees from India to South Africa to Norway to Brazil and the list goes on.

But last year there were only 3 Americans, and myself, Expansion Team’s Executive Producer Martia Guinn, and Steve Keller from iV Group in Nashville. It really shocked me to realize how small the conversation for audio branding is in the U.S. compared to literally everywhere else in the world.

By the end of the day, Martia and I had decided we needed to bring the conversation to the States, and our whole team in NYC has been working tirelessly for the past year to make that vision come true.

Now playing Stateside!

Next, how would you describe the program that’s been assembled for the Columbia University venue this year – what did you and the rest of the committee feel important for the ABC to cover and explore?

The theme of this year’s Congress is audio branding for the mobile world, from music content to device sonification to the future of the technology. Everyone on my team and at the Audio Branding Academy felt that there was no more timely subject to discuss right now.

Most of the speakers will be discussing this topic. Machine Head’s Stephen Dewey will cover branding Verizon’s Droid, Paul Kalbfeisch will discuss his initiatives with U2 and the Black Eyed Peas at Blackberry, and Tapio Hakonen will share the evolution of Nokia’s unique branding approach.

Martyn Ware is presenting the keynote, “The Future of Sonic Branding”. What do his background and involvement in the ABC say about how Sonic Branding is evolving?

Most people probably aren’t aware that after stepping out the spotlight with Heaven 17 and Human League, Martyn was an innovator in 3D sound technology and experiential sound design.

I’m really looking forward to hearing his perspective on the industry and what his vision for the future holds. The practice of audio branding is essentially about creating harmony between ourselves and our environment, and no one in this industry embodies this idea more than Martyn Ware.

Who should attend the ABC in NYC this year, and what do you hope that they’ll get out of it?

If you’re an audio professional, a CMO, a branding expert, or even a musician looking to learn more about this side of the industry, this is the most intimate gathering of top minds and experts that you’ll find anywhere.

It’s really an opportunity to share and learn at the same time, without any of the boundaries you’d find at a large hectic conference.

We couldn’t resist a BONUS QUESTION: What are the top five sonic brands that have influenced you over the years? Tip your hat to work from others, but we’ll give you a pass to mix in one of your own that you’re proud of as well.

I’d have to caveat this list by saying that the top five sonic brands that have influenced me are probably not the BEST top five sonic brands in history, or hardly the most successful. But I’m happy to share them, in chronological order, no less.

1.    Disney – It’s hard to imagine childhood without hearing the melody of “When you wish upon a star” and it still creates immediate nostalgia for me.

2.    WGBH Boston – the arpeggiated synthesizer of the 70s-era public television station is a defining brand in my personal life.  Without a doubt it spawned my lifelong fascination with synthesizers. I really wanted to revive this sound when I rebranded PBS in 2009, but unfortunately no one else shared my sense of humor.

Hear what the WGBH! he’s talking about, right here:

3.    The Apple Mac startup sound – I can’t say I honestly love the sound, but I don’t think a day has gone by since the early 80s when I haven’t heard this sound once a day, and it still doesn’t annoy me.

4.    “Lost” – the opening titles of ABC’s “Lost” really changed how I think about the modern audio brand mnemonic or sonic logo. Those haunting strings from Michael Giacchino instantly create a mood that sums up the drama about to begin, and they aren’t a cheap gimmick – they really fit the brand of the show.

5.    A&E Bio – I’m really proud of our new brand for the Biography Channel. To hear the mnemonic out of context doesn’t do it justice, you have to experience it within the programming. It’s very malleable, and it changes in mood throughout the day, so that the tones you hear during the day while watching reality shows are quite light but by the time their darker crime-oriented shows come on at night, it’s turned moody and even foreboding.

Its part of my belief that brands should not be static – if you want personality, you need to be able to change moods. But that’s a conversation for another day!

The Audio Branding Congress takes place at Columbia University in NYC on Thursday, November 17. Visit here for full details and to attend.

— David Weiss

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