What It Takes to Sonically Brand One of Canada’s Leading Home Improvement Companies
It could be argued that one the most underappreciated responsibilities in the advertising industry is the undertaking of sonic branding. After all, when you watch a spot, the first thing you usually focus on is the visuals. Sure, it’s evident that music (or the lack thereof) plays a crucial role in setting the tone of the work, but there’s a lot of nuance to the process that, often, probably isn’t considered. For instance, how do you actually create a musical identity which truly encompasses and represents a brand? And what factors should one consider when composing a song or jingle which, ideally, will be associated with a company for years to come?
These are things which Circonflex’s CEO and composer, Paul-Étienne Côté, found himself considering when tasked with creating a new sound for Canadian home improvement retailer RONA. Keenly aware that whatever the team came up with would be heard on air across the country, all he knew off the top was that the work needed to embody the brand’s spirit of craft, DIY and building things from scratch… which he ended up taking literally.
Journeying to the local RONA, Paul-Étienne and his team experimented, tested and played with various tools and hardware the location had on hand, all in the name of discovering different sounds from which he could write an original song – to be played in both English and French – as well as a fun jingle. Not only that, but they then had to find unique ways to record each of their inventive instruments, pair them with traditional ones, and, well, actually compose everything under these parameters – all in the name of producing something which the average listener might not even think twice about.
So, in order to shed some light on the complexities of this process, and learn more about all the little factors a good composer must consider when undertaking a project like this, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Paul-Étienne for a chat.
LBB> The opportunity to redo RONA’s sonic branding is super cool! How did it come about, and what made it something you were keen to do?
Paul-Étienne> Julie Desrochers, a very talented creative director at Sid Lee called me and said something like, ‘we’re working on a full rebranding of RONA! The tagline, the visuals, the complete platform!’. But, what was especially interesting was the creative insight she shared with me: the idea of hiding ‘RONA’ in every caption. For example, ‘HOMEOWNER ON A MISSION’.
I thought that was absolutely brilliant and very, very clever, so when she asked if we’d be interested in creating some music to match, I said ‘HOLD MY DRILL’ and cracked on from there.
LBB> Of course, finding the right sound for an iconic Canadian brand is no small task. Where does one get started with something like this? Did any stylistic ideas immediately come to mind?
Paul-Étienne> This campaign really was about DIY, craft, building things from scratch, and putting in the work to create something great. So, we did exactly that! We asked ourselves what a crafty, ‘builder-y’ way to write music might look like, and then realised we needed to go to RONA to look at tools.
More specifically, the idea was to create music using the brand’s hardware and tools, integrating construction sounds into the mix. In this way, we knew we could root the RONA essence directly into how it sounded, via a brand new song in English and French, as well as an original jingle.
LBB> On a practical level, what did it actually take to find the right sounds at RONA to make music with?
Paul-Étienne> We were looking for tools that would create a whole orchestra. So, broadly, we knew we needed some low frequencies (bass), high frequencies (some shiny, metal sounds), and a lot of percussive sounds that would create an interesting beat and fun textures.
LBB> How many different sound combinations did you end up making? And of the bunch, were there any you found especially cool?
Paul-Étienne> Let me first say, it’s not easy to integrate tool sounds into a piece of music. If it were, pop hits on the radio would probably be made with a far wider variety of ‘musical instruments’!
Digression aside, some of my favourites included:
- The RONA drill, which we realised was tuned in E.
- The metal saw, which created the effect of maracas fused with a tambourine.
- My toolbox, which sounded like a snare drum when I hit it.
Obviously, I also had to include real instruments as well. The first that came to mind was a 3/4-size acoustic guitar. An accessible instrument that a lot of people play very roughly – the type of thing you might hear at a campfire – it produces a sound that’s reminiscent of bringing people together. Moreover, with the wood and strings, it just felt very ‘roots’ – acoustic and natural.
We also used the violin – an instrument often used in old Québec traditional songs – and a mandolina to add some quirkiness. These, blended with our original sounds and a detuned piano (which was played very clumsily) felt like the perfect way to encompass the brand’s reputation as a jack of all trades source for renovation projects.
LBB> The decision to intentionally detune a piano is interesting! Can you tell us more about this specifically?
Paul-Étienne> Tradition, and the idea of going back to one’s roots really was the inspiration for this whole project. When you apply that to music, you realise it’s not all about fancy, flawless instruments. At its core, music is something that brings people together – it doesn’t have to be completely perfect for people to feel like they are a part of something. The guitar can be a slight bit out of tune. The piano can sound a little honky-tonk. And all of that works with the DIY idea behind the whole campaign!
LBB> With all that in mind, what was the composition process actually like?
Paul-Étienne> The idea was to emulate the mindset of regular people building things at home. We wanted to try things, figure it out, and learn in the process, just like with home construction work.
Ultimately, we aimed for a tone that would feel familiar, unceremonious, and convivial. The song doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a little bit funny, not too polished, and definitely not perfect!
LBB> Of the bunch, what was the trickiest RONA-based instrument to play and record?
Paul-Étienne> The water heater pan (with a nylon string on it) was by far the trickiest instrument to play… and record, haha! That being said, I hope more people learn it. It’s actually a lot of fun once you get the hang of it!
LBB> Overall, what challenges did you face during this project, and what lessons did you learn in the process?
Paul-Étienne> Paradoxically, we actually had to unlearn playing music. So, as professional composers and musicians, it was a true challenge to make things sound ‘imperfect’. It’s a good thing that I was rusty at playing the violin. I was great at being a bad violin player!
As for lessons, I was firmly reminded by this project that sometimes, perfection in craft is relative; it’s the process that’s fun! Being on the mission is the motivating part!
LBB> Since launch, how have people reacted to RONA’s new sonic branding?
Paul-Étienne> The response has been amazing, especially to the ‘RO-NA’ sung sting bit. It’s solid, memorable, and works so well! Everyone remembers it!
LBB> Finally, is there a part of this new sonic branding that you’re most proud of?
Paul-Étienne> For me, it’s the fact that Sid Lee, which had such a great visual and copywriting insight for this project, ended up telling us that our musical work was as good as the creative. It’s always so rewarding to get some love from people whose work you admire!
