Sound Symbolism
Jun|11|2010 Mark Gallagher and Laura Savard
Look at the two shapes above. How would you pair these forms with the following words? Bouba and Kiki
There is a 95% to 98% likelihood that you paired the sharper sounds (obstruents) of the word “Kiki” with image on the left, and the softer sounds (sonorants) of “Bouba” with the softer image on the right.
As you can see, language carries meaning that transcends its literal definition with associative connotation. This makes developing brand names more than just a question of linguistics. Sound, shape and meaning must complement one another if the brand’s name, logo and logotype are to work in harmony.
Language, be it spoken or written, is the principle means through which most people formulate thoughts and convey them to others. However, we process spoken and written language in different regions of the brain. These distinct areas work together to process meaning.
In the world of brands, NAME is a core signal. Consumers use brand names to identify and differentiate, and companies use these signals to carry and convey meaning, communicating what makes their brand special. But, how is this information processed and how does it affect brand meaning?
Given that sound symbolism has been shown to transcend language barriers, it can be reasoned that letterforms themselves are simply abstract shapes based on the sounds they represent. Below we have overlapped the key letterforms with their corresponding shapes, so you can easily see how the relationship between obstruent and sonorant symbols echo their visual counterparts.
Names are processed sounds and shapes (letters). Because different areas of the brain are responsible for spoken language (the parietal lobe) and vision/reading (the occipital lobe), it is important that a name’s visually and spoken meaning relate. Sound symbolism affects the way brand names are perceived. How a name sounds can affect its market performance as much as what to represents.
In 1929 German-American psychologist Wolfgang Köhler proved this relationship in psychological experiments conducted on the island of Tenerife. Köhler’s experiment asked participants which shape was called “Kiki” and which was called “Bouba”. He found a strong correlation (95% to 98% commonality) between two abstract shapes (similar to those shown above) and words “Bouba” and “Kiki” (the jagged shape being associated with “Kiki” and the rounded shape with “Bouba”). This became known as the Bouba/Kiki Effect. Later, In 2001, Dr. Vilayanur S. Ramachandran repeated Köhler’s experiment and showed a similar relationship between shapes and words.
As Köhler’s and Ramachandran’s experiments illustrate, sounds and shapes carry, not only, common characteristics but common meaning. The text time you’re evaluating a name, logo or logotype, consider the fact that form follows function.
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Nice one. Jumping to a similar thought, I've always wondered if someone's name had any direct correlation between their personality, demeanor, or "look". Ever try to spot out the "Dave" or "Sophia" in a group? It kinda works… Sound symbolism in reverse?
Yes it does work! There was a great article a few years back in the NY Times about how a name can determine the successfulness of a person. (No pressure parents).
Was the idea to use obstruents as opposed to sonorants, so people would think your child is sharp instead of obtuse.
Cheers,
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®
Bouba and Kiki, great names for my future pets; a hedgehog and a guinea pig.
I always enjoy your perspective!
Thanks for posting.
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®
Wait a minute, aren't Bouba and Kiki characters on Yo Gabba Gabba (that's one for the parents of the under-5 set out there).
This was a fun one, Mark. Took me back to my design school days of visualizing words and sounds with arrangements of only colored squares on neutral backgrounds (VisComm 101, YIKES!!). There is a bit of onomatopoeia in that, and in this.
It's very intriguing. Take Apple, for instance. A technology company offering what could be considered a very complicated set of products. Let's face it, lots of people are put off by technology. Yet, the name is familiar and safe. A ubiquitous fruit. And, in the context of your article, the word "apple" can be seen to begin somewhat sharply, but ends very sonorously. It sort of rounds off and tapers. In this way, perhaps, the name, its phonetics, and the logo all work to make a cold, technology company familiar, friendly and inviting. Subtle, but profound. Would it be the same if they'd called themselves "Orange"?
Ken,
Judging by my google search, It appears that all the characters have soft names and with the exception of muno, and maybe Plex, they all have soft shapes. So, if Kiki were a Yo Gabba Gabba character, I'd have to assume that she'd be sharper than Muno (physically and/or intellectually).
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®
Fascinating.
What would be cool is to follow this logic by assessing trends in brand names and logos over time, as a reflection of society's psychology. I read once years ago that the ears of Batman's costume, as scene in current cartoons or movies, grow longer and sharper during economic recessions when people are more fearful about jobs, surviving, crime, etc. In the 1998 dot-com bubble we had a wave of rounded logos with swooping circles, as we all were elated with the prospects of selling toilet paper over the Internet for a future IPO. I'd love to see some correlation.
Which then brings up a second point; do brands need to worry about softening/sharpening their images based on societal needs of the moment?
Yours, Ben, with a gentle consonant that hopefully leads to peace and wisdom, not aggression.
A seriously interesting post guys. Sure to impact the way we approach brand naming at Truly Deeply. Congrats on a rich piece of thought leadership.
The most comprehensive reference on sound symbolism is "A Dictionary of English Sound" by Margaret Magnus. Over 900 pages, it enumerates English phonemes and all the words that convey their respective meanings.
Her website about sound symbolism and phonosemantics is here: http://www.trismegistos.com/MagicalLetterPage/
The dictionary seems to be for sale directly by the author: http://www.trismegistos.com/
Enjoy.
- Anth
We'll definitely pick up a copy of "A Dictionary of English Sound". Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®
Wow I’ve been working on such article for 4 says now.. doing research and stuff, I have to say this is a good piece
Check my blog http://www.bmiruka.blogspot.com for almost the same (Brand Names and its connotations) but on a different angle.
Love the post, guys. Made me think of all the pointed-star "KaPOW!" screen jumps during fights in the old Batman show…not to mention cartoon characters going "Splat!" when they hit the sidewalk after a bad jump.
Keep it up!