Why Infosys believes sonic branding hits all the right notes for B2B marketers

With more than 300,000 people across 56 countries and a global client base, Infosys has the classic B2B challenge of having to make itself memorable to a plethora of stakeholders. And in the world of digital services and consulting, that isn’t as straightforward as it might be for an FMCG brand that can let the tangibility and feel of its product do the talking.

Elaborating on the unique nuances of B2B branding, Sumit Virmani, EVP and global chief marketing officer at Infosys, tells The Drum: “B2B decision cycles are usually long, transaction values often large, [with] the risk of solution failure carrying serious consequences.”

In this cycle, brand trust plays a dominant role in the decision-making process, and trust is a human emotion that brands need to nurture with their stakeholders over a long period, he adds. Thus, B2B customers must be significantly more trustful and emotionally invested in their partners.

However, while there are many differences between B2B and B2C businesses, “B2B branding, not unlike B2C branding, also targets human beings – we are all in the B2H business,” says Virmani.

Therefore it makes sense for brands to differentiate themselves with their stakeholders by appealing holistically to the human senses and making the experience of the brand richer, immersive and memorable. Adds Virmani: “Sonic brand signatures do help with exactly that and can help stakeholders connect with a business at a much deeper level by evoking emotions and memories that strengthen brand recollection.

“The new identity will help us build an emotionally resonant brand identity and remind our stakeholders of all that Infosys is and the opportunities it enables."

As well as making the sonic brand integral to its employee platforms – like Infosys' intranet and learning platform – it will also be integrated, where appropriate, into campaigns, commercials, website, digital platforms, audio interactions, and conferences.

Infosys’ sonic brand identity, the auditory equivalent of its blue visual identity and logo, will be a strategic brand asset and will serve to reinforce the company’s core identity and brand purpose.

The sonic identity:

The marketing team was clear that the sonic identity had to be much more than just an audio brand signature, shares Virmani.

The brief to the agency was “to create a sonic identity for us that inspires the emotions we can authentically associate with our purpose: To amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities.”